1 AMakhosi 17:1-16

U-Eliya, umThishibhi owayengomunye wababegogobele kwaGileyadi, wathi ku-Ahabi: “Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli engimi phambi kwakhe, akuyukuba khona mazolo namvula kule minyaka, kuze kusho mina.” Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuye, lathi: “Suka lapha, uhambe ubheke ngasempumalanga, ufike ucashe ngasemfudlaneni iKherithi, ophambi kweJordani. Uyophuza emfudlaneni, Mina ngiyale amagwababa ukuba akondle lapho.” Wahamba, wenza njengalokhu izwi likaSimakade limyalile; wahamba wahlala ngasemfudlaneni iKherithi ophambi kweJordani. Amagwababa amlethela isinkwa nenyama ekuseni, nesinkwa nenyama kusihlwa, waphuza emfudlaneni. Kwathi ngokuhamba kwezinsuku, umfudlana washa, ngokuba kwakungekho mvula ezweni. Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuye, lathi: “Suka uye eZarefathi eseSidoni, uhlale khona. Sengiyale owesifazane ongumfelokazi lapho ukuba akondle.” Wasuka waya eZarefathi; wafika esangweni lomuzi, bheka, nango owesifazane ongumfelokazi etheza izinkuni zokubasa. Wambiza wathi kuye: “Ake ungilethele amanzana esitsheni, ngiphuze.” Esasuka nje eyowalanda, wambiza futhi, wathi: “Ake ungiphathele nocezu lwesinkwa.” Kepha wathi: “Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade uNkulunkulu wakho, anginalo iqebelengwane, okukhona nje inkeshezana yempuphu esembizeni, nengcosana yamafutha ophisweni. Uyabona-ke, sengizitholele izinkuni ezimbili ukuze ngihambe ngizilungiselele khona nendodana yami ukuba sidle, sife.” Wayesethi u-Eliya kuye: “Ungesabi; hamba wenze njengokusho kwakho, kodwa yenzela mina kuqala iqebelengwane elincane, ulilethe kimi, andukuba uzilungiselele wena nendodana yakho. Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Imbiza yempuphu ayiyukuphela, nophiso lwamafutha aluyukuswela, kuze kufike lolo lusuku uSimakade ayokunisa ngalo imvula emhlabeni.’ ” Wayesehamba, wenza njengokusho kuka-Eliya: kwadla yena, u-Eliya, nabendlu yakhe izinsuku eziningi. Imbiza yempuphu ayiphelanga, nophiso lwamafutha aluswelanga njengokusho kwezwi likaSimakade ayelikhulume ngomlomo ka-Eliya.