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Eliya ndi Obadiya

18 Patapita masiku ambiri, mʼchaka chachitatu cha chilala, Yehova anayankhula ndi Eliya kuti, “Pita ukadzionetse kwa Ahabu ndipo ndidzagwetsa mvula pa dziko lapansi.” Choncho Eliya anapita kukadzionetsa kwa Ahabu.

Tsono nthawi imeneyi njala inakula kwambiri mu Samariya, ndipo Ahabu anayitana Obadiya amene ankayangʼanira nyumba yake yaufumu. (Obadiya ankaopa Yehova kwambiri. Pamene Yezebeli ankapha aneneri a Yehova, Obadiya anatenga aneneri 100 ndi kuwabisa mʼmapanga awiri, phanga lililonse aneneri makumi asanu, ndipo ankawapatsa chakudya ndi madzi). Ahabu anawuza Obadiya kuti, “Pita mʼdziko kulikonse kumene kuli zitsime za madzi ndi ku zigwa zonse. Mwina mwake tingapeze udzu oti nʼkumadyetsa akavalo ndi abulu kuti akhale ndi moyo, kuti tisaphe chiweto chilichonse.” Choncho anagawana dziko loti apiteko, Ahabu anapita mbali ina, Obadiya nʼkupita ina.

Obadiya akuyenda mʼnjira anakumana ndi Eliya. Ndipo taonani, Obadiya anamuzindikira Eliyayo, naweramira pansi ndipo anati, “Kodi ndinu, mbuye wanga Eliya?”

Eliya anayankha kuti, “Inde. Pita kawuze mbuye wako kuti, ‘Eliya wabwera.’ ”

Obadiya anafunsa kuti, “Kodi ndalakwa chiyani kuti inu mupereke mtumiki wanu kwa Ahabu kuti akaphedwe? 10 Pali Yehova Mulungu wanu wamoyo, kulibe mtundu wa anthu kapena ufumu uliwonse kumene mbuye wanga sanatumeko anthu okakufunafunani. Ndipo pamene mtundu wa anthu kapena ufumu unena kuti kuno kulibe, Ahabu ankawalumbiritsa kuti atsimikizedi kuti inuyo kulibe kumeneko. 11 Koma tsopano mukundiwuza kuti ndipite kwa mbuye wanga ndi kukanena kuti, ‘Eliya wabwera.’ 12 Ine sindikudziwa kumene Mzimu wa Yehova udzakupititsani ine ndikachoka. Ngati ndipita kukamuwuza Ahabu ndipo iye wosadzakupezani, adzandipha. Komatu ine mtumiki wanu ndakhala ndi kupembedza Yehova kuyambira ubwana wanga. 13 Mbuye wanga, kodi simunamve zimene ndinachita pamene Yezebeli ankapha aneneri a Yehova? Ine ndinabisa aneneri 100 a Yehova mʼmapanga awiri, mʼphanga lililonse aneneri makumi asanu, ndipo ndinkawapatsa chakudya ndi madzi akumwa. 14 Ndiye inu tsopano mukundiwuza kuti ndipite kwa mbuye wanga ndi kukanena kuti, ‘Eliya wabwera.’ Iyeyo adzandipha ndithu!”

15 Eliya anati, “Pali Yehova Wamphamvuzonse wamoyo, amene ndimamutumikira, ine lero ndidzaonekera ndithu pamaso pa Ahabu.”

Eliya pa Phiri la Karimeli

16 Choncho Obadiya anapita kukakumana ndi Ahabu, namuwuza, ndipo Ahabu anapita kukakumana ndi Eliya. 17 Pamene Ahabu anaona Eliya, anati kwa iye, “Kodi ndiwedi, munthu wovutitsa Israeli uja?”

18 Eliya anayankha kuti, “Ine sindinavutitse Israeli, koma ndinuyo ndi banja lanu. Mwasiya malamulo a Yehova ndipo mwatsatira Abaala. 19 Tsopano sonkhanitsani anthu a mʼdziko lonse la Israeli kuti akumane nane pa Phiri la Karimeli. Ndipo mubwere nawo aneneri a Baala 450 ndi aneneri a fano la Asera 400, amene amadya pa tebulo la Yezebeli.”

20 Choncho Ahabu anatumiza mawu mʼdziko lonse la Israeli, ndipo anasonkhanitsa aneneri a Baala ku Phiri la Karimeli. 21 Eliya anapita patsogolo pa anthuwo ndipo anati, “Kodi mudzakhala anthu a mitima iwiri mpaka liti? Ngati Yehova ndi Mulungu, mutsateni; koma ngati Baala ndi Mulungu, mutsateni.”

Koma anthu aja sanayankhe.

22 Pamenepo Eliya ananena kwa iwo kuti, “Ine ndilipo ndekha mneneri wa Yehova, koma Baala ali ndi aneneri 450. 23 Tibweretsereni ngʼombe zazimuna ziwiri. Iwo asankhepo okha ngʼombe imodzi, ndipo ayidule nthulinthuli ndi kuziyika pa nkhuni nthulizo, koma osakolezapo moto. Ndipo ine ndidzadula nthulinthuli ngʼombe inayo ndi kuyika pa nkhuni koma sindikolezapo moto. 24 Kenaka inu muyitane dzina la mulungu wanu, ndipo ine ndidzayitana dzina la Yehova. Mulungu amene ati ayankhe potumiza moto, iyeyo ndiye Mulungu.”

Pamenepo anthu onse anati, “Izi mwanena zamveka bwino.”

25 Eliya anawuza aneneri a Baala kuti, “Yambani ndinu. Sankhani ngʼombe yayimuna imodzi, muyikonze, popeza mulipo ambiri. Muyitane dzina la mulungu wanu, koma musakoleze moto.” 26 Choncho iwo anatenga ngʼombe yayimunayo imene anawapatsa, nayikonza.

Kenaka anayitana dzina la Baala kuyambira mmawa mpaka masana. Iwo anafuwula kuti, “Inu Baala, tiyankheni ife.” Koma panalibe yankho; palibe amene anayankha. Ndipo anavinavina mozungulira guwa lansembe limene anapanga.

27 Nthawi yamasana Eliya anayamba kuwanyogodola ndipo anati, “Fuwulani kwambiri. Ndithudi, iye ndi mulungu! Mwinatu akulingalira kwambiri, kapena watanganidwa, kapena ali paulendo. Mwina wagona ndipo nʼkofunika kuti adzutsidwe.” 28 Choncho iwo anafuwula kwambiri ndi kudzichekacheka ndi malupanga ndi mikondo, potsata miyambo yawo, mpaka kutuluka magazi. 29 Nthawi yamasana inadutsa, ndipo anapitiriza kunenera mwakhama mpaka nthawi yopereka nsembe ya madzulo. Koma panalibe yankho. Palibe amene anayankha, kapena kulabadira zimenezo.

30 Pamenepo Eliya anati kwa anthu onse, “Senderani pafupi ndi ine.” Ndipo anthu onsewo anasendera pafupi ndi iye, ndipo iye anakonza guwa lansembe la Yehova limene linali litawonongeka. 31 Eliya anatenga miyala 12, mwala uliwonse kuyimira fuko lililonse la Yakobo, amene Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Dzina lako lidzakhala Israeli.” 32 Ndi miyala imeneyo anamanga guwa mʼdzina la Yehova, ndipo anakumba ngalande yayikulu yolowa malita 15 a madzi kuzungulira guwalo. 33 Anayika nkhuni zija mʼmalo mwake nadula nthulinthuli ngʼombe yayimuna ija ndi kuyika nthulizo pa nkhunipo. Pamenepo Eliya anati, “Dzazani mitsuko inayi ndi madzi ndipo muwathire pa nyama ya nsembeyo ndi nkhunizo.”

34 Eliya anati, “Thiraninso kachiwiri.” Anthu aja anathiranso madziwo kachiwiri.

Iye analamula kuti, “Thiraninso kachitatu.” Ndipo iwo anathiranso kachitatu. 35 Madziwo anayenderera pansi kuzungulira guwa lansembe, nadzaza ngalande yonse.

36 Pa nthawi yopereka nsembe, mneneri Eliya anasendera pafupi ndi guwa lansembe, napemphera kuti, “Inu Yehova, Mulungu wa Abrahamu, Isake ndi Yakobo, lero zidziwike kuti ndinu Mulungu mu Israeli ndipo kuti ine ndine mtumiki wanu, kuti ine ndachita zonsezi chifukwa mwalamula ndinu. 37 Ndiyankheni, Inu Yehova, ndiyankheni, kuti anthu awa adziwe Inu Yehova, kuti ndinu Mulungu, ndipo kuti mutembenuziranso mitima yawo kwa Inu.”

38 Pamenepo moto wa Yehova unagwa, nunyeketsa nsembe yopserezayo, nkhuni, miyala ndi dothi lomwe. Unawumitsanso madzi amene anali mʼngalande.

39 Anthu onse ataona zimenezi, anaweramitsa nkhope zawo pansi, nafuwula kuti, “Yehova ndiye Mulungu! Yehova ndiye Mulungu!”

40 Pamenepo Eliya analamula anthuwo kuti, “Gwirani aneneri a Baala. Musalole kuti wina aliyense athawe!” Anagwira onsewo ndipo Eliya anabwera nawo ku Chigwa cha Kisoni, nawapha kumeneko.

41 Ndipo Eliya anati kwa Ahabu, “Pitani, kadyeni ndi kumwa, pakuti kukumveka mkokomo wa mvula.” 42 Choncho Ahabu anapita kukadya ndi kumwa, koma Eliya anakwera pamwamba pa Phiri la Karimeli, ndipo anawerama mpaka pansi, nayika mutu wake pakati pa mawondo ake.

43 Eliya anawuza mtumiki wake kuti, “Pita kayangʼane ku nyanja.” Ndipo iye anapita nakayangʼana.

Mtumikiyo anati, “Kulibe kanthu.”

Kasanu nʼkawiri Eliya anati, “Pitanso.”

44 Ulendo wachisanu ndi chiwiri mtumikiyo anafotokoza kuti, “Taonani, kamtambo kakangʼono kokhala ngati dzanja la munthu kakutuluka ku nyanja.”

Pamenepo Eliya anati, “Pita, kamuwuze Ahabu kuti, ‘Konzani galeta lanu ndipo mutsike mvula isanakutsekerezeni.’ ”

45 Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti kuthambo kutayamba kusonkhana mitambo yakuda, mphepo inawomba, mvula yamphamvu inagwa ndipo Ahabu anakwera galeta napita ku Yezireeli. 46 Dzanja la Yehova linali pa Eliya ndipo atamangira lamba chovala chake, anathamanga ndi kumupitirira Ahabu mpaka kukhala woyamba kukafika ku Yezireeli.

Elijah and Obadiah

18 After a long time, in the third(A) year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present(B) yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain(C) on the land.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

Now the famine was severe(D) in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator.(E) (Obadiah was a devout believer(F) in the Lord. While Jezebel(G) was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden(H) them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied(I) them with food and water.) Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs(J) and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.”(K) So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.

As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized(L) him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”

“What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look(M) for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ 12 I don’t know where the Spirit(N) of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lord since my youth. 13 Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ He will kill me!”

15 Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present(O) myself to Ahab today.”

Elijah on Mount Carmel

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler(P) of Israel?”

18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you(Q) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned(R) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon(S) the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel.(T) And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”(U)

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.(V) 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver(W) between two opinions? If the Lord(X) is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left,(Y) but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.(Z) 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call(AA) on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord.(AB) The god who answers by fire(AC)—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called(AD) on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response;(AE) no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”(AF) 28 So they shouted louder and slashed(AG) themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice.(AH) But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.(AI)

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar(AJ) of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”(AK) 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name(AL) of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs[a] of seed. 33 He arranged(AM) the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time(AN) of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham,(AO) Isaac and Israel, let it be known(AP) today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.(AQ) 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know(AR) that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

38 Then the fire(AS) of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate(AT) and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”(AU)

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley(AV) and slaughtered(AW) there.

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.(AX)

43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

44 The seventh time(AY) the servant reported, “A cloud(AZ) as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain(BA) started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.(BB) 46 The power(BC) of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt,(BD) he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 18:32 That is, probably about 24 pounds or about 11 kilograms