Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
1 After some time, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain.” 2 So Elijah started out.
The famine in Samaria was at its worst, 3 so Ahab called in Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the Lord, 4 and when Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets, Obadiah took a hundred of them, hid them in caves in two groups of fifty, and provided them with food and water.) 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Let us go and look at every spring and every stream bed in the land to see if we can find enough grass to keep the horses and mules alive. Maybe we won't have to kill any of our animals.” 6 They agreed on which part of the land each one would explore, and set off in different directions.
7 As Obadiah was on his way, he suddenly met Elijah. He recognized him, bowed low before him, and asked, “Is it really you, sir?”
8 “Yes, I'm Elijah,” he answered. “Go and tell your master the king that I am here.”
9 Obadiah answered, “What have I done that you want to put me in danger of being killed by King Ahab? 10 By the living Lord, your God, I swear that the king has made a search for you in every country in the world. Whenever the ruler of a country reported that you were not in his country, Ahab would require that ruler to swear that you could not be found. 11 And now you want me to go and tell him that you are here? 12 What if the spirit of the Lord carries you off to some unknown place as soon as I leave? Then, when I tell Ahab that you are here and he can't find you, he will put me to death. Remember that I have been a devout worshiper of the Lord ever since I was a boy. 13 Haven't you heard that when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord I hid a hundred of them in caves, in two groups of fifty, and supplied them with food and water? 14 So how can you order me to go and tell the king that you are here? He will kill me!”
15 Elijah answered, “By the living Lord Almighty, whom I serve, I promise that I will present myself to the king today.”
16 So Obadiah went to King Ahab and told him, and Ahab set off to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw him, he said, “So there you are—the worst troublemaker in Israel!”
18 “I'm not the troublemaker,” Elijah answered. “You are—you and your father. You are disobeying the Lord's commands and worshiping the idols of Baal. 19 Now order all the people of Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. Bring along the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah who are supported by Queen Jezebel.”
20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and the prophets of Baal to meet at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went up to the people and said, “How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the Lord is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him!” But the people didn't say a word. 22 Then Elijah said, “I am the only prophet of the Lord still left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Bring two bulls; let the prophets of Baal take one, kill it, cut it in pieces, and put it on the wood—but don't light the fire. I will do the same with the other bull. 24 Then let the prophets of Baal pray to their god, and I will pray to the Lord, and the one who answers by sending fire—he is God.”
The people shouted their approval.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since there are so many of you, you take a bull and prepare it first. Pray to your god, but don't set fire to the wood.”
26 They took the bull that was brought to them, prepared it, and prayed to Baal until noon. They shouted, “Answer us, Baal!” and kept dancing around the altar they had built. But no answer came.
27 At noon Elijah started making fun of them: “Pray louder! He is a god! Maybe he is day-dreaming or relieving himself, or perhaps he's gone off on a trip! Or maybe he's sleeping, and you've got to wake him up!” 28 So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed. 29 They kept on ranting and raving until the middle of the afternoon; but no answer came, not a sound was heard.
30 Then Elijah said to the people, “Come closer to me,” and they all gathered around him. He set about repairing the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the Lord had given the name Israel. 32 With these stones he rebuilt the altar for the worship of the Lord. He dug a trench around it, large enough to hold about four gallons of water. 33 Then he placed the wood on the altar, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering and the wood.” They did so, 34 and he said, “Do it again”—and they did. “Do it once more,” he said—and they did. 35 The water ran down around the altar and filled the trench.
36 At the hour of the afternoon sacrifice the prophet Elijah approached the altar and prayed, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove now that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant and have done all this at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you are bringing them back to yourself.”
38 The Lord sent fire down, and it burned up the sacrifice, the wood, and the stones, scorched the earth and dried up the water in the trench. 39 When the people saw this, they threw themselves on the ground and exclaimed, “The Lord is God; the Lord alone is God!”
40 Elijah ordered, “Seize the prophets of Baal; don't let any of them get away!” The people seized them all, and Elijah led them down to Kishon Brook and killed them.
The End of the Drought
41 Then Elijah said to King Ahab, “Now, go and eat. I hear the roar of rain approaching.” 42 While Ahab went to eat, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bowed down to the ground, with his head between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Go and look toward the sea.”
The servant went and returned, saying, “I didn't see a thing.” Seven times in all Elijah told him to go and look. 44 The seventh time he returned and said, “I saw a little cloud no bigger than a man's hand, coming up from the sea.”
Elijah ordered his servant, “Go to King Ahab and tell him to get in his chariot and go back home before the rain stops him.”
45 In a little while the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind began to blow, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah; he fastened his clothes tight around his waist and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Elia novaxunganeki vaBaal
1 Ndele eshi pa pita efimbo lile, momudo omutitatu, ondjovo ei yOmwene ye uya kuElia ndele tai ti: “Inda, u ka monike kuAhab, opo Ame ohandi ka lokifila edu odula.” 2 Ndele Elia okwa ya a ka monike kuAhab. Nondjala ya li idjuu muSamaria. 3 Ndele Ahab okwa ifana Obadja, ou okwa li omukulunhu wongulu yohamba. Ndelenee Obadja okwa li omulumenhu ha tila shili Omwene. 4 Osheshi Isabel, eshi a dipaa ovaxunganeki vOmwene, Obadja okwa kufa ovaxunganeki efele limwe nokwe va holeka mo, ovalumenhu omilongo nhano mekololo limwe, novakwao omilongo nhano mekololo li lili, nokwe va xupififa omungome nomeva. 5 Ndele Ahab okwa lombwela Obadja: “Fikama, u ka ende noshilongo keefifiya adishe nokomilonga adishe. Kashiimba hatu ka mona omwiidi, tu xupife eenghambe nomamula a kale e nomwenyo, tuha pumbwe okudipaa po oimuna.” 6 Ndele va tukula oshilongo opo keshe tuu a konge mombinga yaye. Ahab okwa enda nondjila imwe, naObadja okwa enda nondjila ikwao.
7 Fimbo Obadja ta ende nondjila, ohaluka, Elia te mu shakeneke. Ye eshi e mu dimbulukwa, ota wile poshi oshipala shaye pedu ndele ta pula: “Oove tuu shili, omwene wange Elia?” 8 Ndele oye ta ti: “Aame ou. Inda u ka lombwele omwene woye u tye: ‘Elia opo e li.’ ” 9 Ndelenee ta pula: “Ame nda nyona shike, ove eshi ho yandje omupiya woye meke laAhab a dipae nge? 10 Oshili ngaashi Omwene Kalunga koye e nomwenyo, kape na nande oshiwana ile oshilongo oko omwene wange ina tuma ko oku ku konga. Ndele eshi pa nyamukulwa: ‘Ke po apa,’ opo nee ye a anifa oshilongo ile oshiwana nokutya, ove ino monika. 11 Ndele paife to lombwele nge: ‘Inda u ka lombwele omwene woye: “Elia opo e li!” ’ 12 Kandi shii apa Omhepo yOmwene tai ku twala ngeenge handi di po pwoove, ndele ngeenge handi i ndi hepaululile Ahab, ndele ye ite ku mono, opo nee ta dipaa nge. Ndele omupiya woye okwa kala ha tila Omwene okudja kounyasha waye. 13 Omwene wange ino shi hepaululilwa mbela osho nde shi ninga, Isabel eshi a dipaa ovaxunganeki vOmwene: Omwene, nhumbi nda holeka ovaxunganeki omilongo nhano na vavali omilongo nhano mekololo, ndele nde va palulifa omungome nomeva? 14 Ndele paife to ti: ‘Inda, u ka lombwele omwene woye: “Tala, Elia opo e li,” ’ opo nee ta dipaa nge.” 15 Ndelenee Elia ta ti: “Oshili, ngaashi Omwene womatanga ovakwaita e nomwenyo, koshipala shaye ame handi kala ofika, onena eli handi ke mu lihololela.” 16 Opo nee Obadja a ya a ka shakeneka Ahab nokwe shi mu hepaululila. Opo nee Ahab a ya a ka shakeneke Elia.
17 Ndele Ahab eshi a mona Elia, Ahab te mu pula: “Oove tuu ou ho twala Israel momupya?” 18 Opo nee ta nyamukula: “Haame nda twala Israel momupya, ndelenee ove neumbo loye, nye eshi mwa efa oipango yOmwene ndele mwa shikula ooBaal. 19 Tuma hano paife u shive Ovaisraeli aveshe va ongale komhunda yaKarmel, nosho yo ovaxunganeki omafele ane nomilongo nhano vaBaal novaxunganeki omafele ane vaAsera, ava hava li poshililo shaIsabel.” 20 Ndele Ahab okwa tuma ko ndele ta ifana ovana aveshe vaIsrael novaxunganeki ve uye komhunda yaKarmel. 21 Ndele Elia okwa ehena kovanhu aveshe ndele ta ti: “Fiyo onaini tamu tengaukile kombinga nombinga? Omwene ngeenge Oye Kalunga, mu shikuleni, ndelenee Baal ngeenge oye kalunga, mu shikuleni.” Ndelenee ovanhu inave mu nyamukula sha. 22 Opo nee Elia ta ti kovanhu: “Ame andike nda xupa po movaxunganeki vOmwene, fimbo ovaxunganeki vaBaal ve li omafele ane nomilongo nhano. 23 Ndelenee tu peni eengobe mbali deemhedi. Naave lihoololele tete ongobe imwe yomhedi noku i shashaula noku i tula koikuni, ndelenee vaha shakale omundilo. Ame ohandi ka toma ongobe ikwao yomhedi noku i tula koikuni, ndele itandi ka shakala omundilo. 24 Opo nee nye ifaneni hano edina lakalunga keni, naame ohandi ka ifana edina lOmwene; ndele Kalunga ou ta nyamukula nomundilo. Oye Kalunga.” Novanhu aveshe va nyamukula, tava ti: “Ondjovo oyo ya wapala.”
25 Ndele Elia okwa lombwela ovaxunganeki vaBaal ta ti: “Lihoololeleni ongobe imwe yomhedi ndele i tomeni tete, osheshi onye vahapu. Ifaneni hano edina lakalunga keni, ndelenee inamu tema omundilo.” 26 Ndele va kufa ongobe oyo yomhedi, ve i pewa ndele ve i toma, ndele va ifana edina laBaal okudja ongula fiyo pokati komutenya, ndele tava ti: “Akutu Baal, tu nyamukula!” Ndelenee inapa holoka nande ondaka ile ou ta nyamukula. Ndele venya va nhukaanhukila nokudingilila oaltari ve shi ninga. 27 Ndele pokati komutenya Elia okwe va sheka ndele ta ti: “Ifaneni pombada. Oye tuu kalunga. Ndelenee kashiimba ye e noupyakadi ile okwa dja po, ile e li mondjila. Kashiimba ta kofa ndele e nokududuluka po.” 28 Ndele va ingida pombada ndele panghedi yavo ve lilengula nomaongamukonda fiyo ohonde ya tika muvo. 29 Ndele etango eshi la dja pokati komutwe, ova hangika komhepo yepwiduko fiyo okefimbo olo eendjayambo tadi yambwa. Ndelenee inapa holoka nande ondaka ile ou ta nyamukula, kape neudo.
30 Opo nee Elia ta ti kovanhu aveshe: “Eheneni oku kwaame.” Novanhu aveshe va ehena kuye. Nokwa tungulula oaltari yOmwene ya li ya hanaunwa po. 31 Opo nee Elia a kufa omamanya omulongo naavali pamuvalo womapata ovana vaJakob, ou a uda ondjovo ei yOmwene: “Israel, olo edina loye.” 32 Nokwa tunga oaltari yomamanya medina lOmwene. Opo nee a fa omukangha tau dingilile oaltari, wa li u fike peelita omulongo nanhee. 33 Nokwa tula ko oikuni koshiyambelo, nde ta shashaula ongobe yomhedi moinhimbu, nokwa tula ombelela kombada yoikuni. Nde ta ti: “Yadifeni oiyuma ine omeva, mu a tile keyambo nokoikuni.” Ndele osho va ninga. 34 Nokwa tya: “Shi ningeni olutivali.” Ndele ve shi ninga lutivali. Natango ta ti: “Shi ningululeni natango.” Ndele ve shi ninga lutitatu. 35 Opo nee omeva a tondoka kombinga nombinga yoaltari. Omukangha yo e u yadifa nomeva.
36 Ndele otundi eshi ya fika, eendjayambo da li di nokuyambwa, omuxunganeki Elia okwa ehena ko ndele ta ti: “Omwene, Kalunga kaAbraham, Isak naJakob, nena eli liholola kutya oove Kalunga wa kala muIsrael, naame omupiya woye ndele oinima aishe ei nde i ninga pandjovo yoye. 37 Omwene, nyamukule nge, opo ovanhu ava va koneke kutya, Oove Omwene Kalunga, ndele Ove to alula omitima davo.” 38 Opo nee omundilo wOmwene wa wila poshi ndele tau xwike po exwikiloyambo noikuni nomamanya, nedu, heeno, tau lafa omeva a li momukangha. 39 Ovanhu aveshe eshi ve shi mona, va wila eombe ndele tava ti: “Omwene Oye Kalunga! Omwene Oye Kalunga!” 40 Ndelenee Elia ta ti kuvo: “Kwateni ovaxunganeki vaBaal. Nande umwe muvo ina ya onhapo.” Ndele Elia okwe va twala kokamulonga kaKison ndele te va dipaele ko.
41 Ndele Elia okwa lombwela Ahab: “Fikama, lya, u ka nwe, osheshi oshihomo shodula tashi udika nokuli.” 42 Opo nee Ahab a fikama a lye ndele a nwe. Ndelenee Elia okwa londa koxulo yaKarmel ndele te linyongamene nokwa twa oshipala shaye pokati keengolo daye. 43 Opo nee ta ti komupiya waye: “Londa ko u ka taalele langhele kefuta.” Ye okwa londa ndele ta liamene ko, ndelenee ta ti: “Kaku na sha!” Oye kwa tya: “Shuna ko vali! Osho ngaha luheyali.” 44 Eshi ye okwa ya ko lutiheyali, omupiya ta ti: “Tala, okalemo kanini ke fike peke lomulumenhu, take litumbu mefuta.” Opo nee ye ta ti: “Fikama, inda u ka lombwele Ahab: ‘Manga etemba loita u ye, opo odula ihe ku kelele.’ ” 45 Ndelenee opo tuu opo eulu alishe la uvikwa koilemo nomhepo. Odula inene ya pauka. Ndele Ahab okwa londa metemba ndele ta i kuJisreel. 46 Ndelenee eke lOmwene la li kombada yaElia, onghee ye e limanga moshiya ndele ta tondoka, a pita komesho aAhab fiyo okuJisreel.
