1 AMakhosi 21:1-29

Sekwedlule konke lokho, uNabothi waseJizreyeli wayenesivini esasiseceleni kwesigodlo senkosi u-Ahabi, inkosi yaseSamariya. U-Ahabi wakhuluma kuNabothi, wathi: “Nginike isivini sakho ukuze sibe yisivande sami semifino, ngoba siseduze nesigodlo sami. Ngizokunika esikhundleni saso isivini esihle kunaso, kodwa uma uthanda ngingakunika isiliva libe yinkokhelo yaso.” UNabothi wayesethi ku-Ahabi: “Anginakukwenza lokho, ngenxa kaSimakade, ukuba ngikunike ifa lokhokho bami.” U-Ahabi waya esigodlweni sakhe ehluneme futhi ethukuthele ngenxa yezwi uNabothi waseJizreyeli ayelikhulume kuye, lokuthi: “Angiyukukunika ifa lokhokho bami.” Walala embhedeni, wabheka eceleni, akaze adla lutho. Kwase kufika uJezebheli, umkakhe, wakhuluma naye, wathi: “Uhlunameleni umoya wakho uze ungadli lutho na?” Wathi kuye: “Ngikhulume noNabothi waseJizreyeli, ngathi kuye: ‘Nginike isivini sakho ngikukhokhele ngesiliva; uma uthanda-ke ngiyakukunika esinye isivini esikhundleni saso,’ kepha wathi: ‘Angiyukukunika isivini sami.’ ” UJezebheli, umkakhe, wathi kuye: “Akunguwe yini obusa kwa-Israyeli na? Vuka udle, inhliziyo yakho ithokoze. Ngizokunika isivini sikaNabothi waseJizreyeli.” UJezebheli wayeseloba izincwadi egameni lika-Ahabi, wazinamathelisa ngophawu lwakhe, wazithumela kumalunga, ezikhulwini ezazisemzini, ababakhe noNabothi. Waloba ezincwadini ukuthi: “Memezelani ukuzila ukudla, nimbeke uNabothi endaweni emqoka kuneyabanye abantu, nibeke amadoda amabili, abantu ababi, phambi kwakhe, afakaze ngaye ngokuthi: ‘Uthukile uNkulunkulu nenkosi,’ bese nimkhiphela phandle, nimkhande ngamatshe, afe.” Abantu bakulowo muzi, amalunga nezikhulu ababehlala emzini, benza njengalokhu uJezebheli ayebathumelele, nanjengokwakulotshwe ezincwadini ayezithumele kubo. Amemezela ukuzila ukudla, ambeka uNabothi endaweni emqoka kuneyabanye abantu. Amadoda amabili, abantu ababi, angena, ahlala phambi kwakhe; afakaza ngaye lawo madoda amabi, athi: “UNabothi uthukile uNkulunkulu nenkosi.” Base bemkhiphela ngaphandle komuzi, bamkhanda ngamatshe, wafa. Base bethumela kuJezebheli, bethi: “UNabothi ukhandwe ngamatshe, wafa.” Kwathi ukuba uJezebheli ezwe ukuthi uNabothi ukhandwe ngamatshe wafa, wathi ku-Ahabi: “Suka udle isivini sikaNabothi waseJizreyeli, enqaba ukukunika sona ngesiliva, ngokuba uNabothi ufile.” Kwathi u-Ahabi esezwile ukuthi uNabothi ufile, u-Ahabi wasuka wehlela esivinini sikaNabothi waseJizreyeli, ukuba asidle. Izwi likaSimakade lafika ku-Eliya, umThishibhi, lathi: “Suka wehle, uhlangabeze u-Ahabi, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, oseSamariya; wehlile, usesivinini sikaNabothi, ukuba asidle. Uyakuthi kuye: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ubulele, wadla isivini, na?’ Bese ukhuluma kuye, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: endaweni lapho izinja zaxhapha khona igazi likaNabothi, izinja ziyakuxhapha negazi lakho, yebo, elakho.’ ” U-Ahabi wayesethi ku-Eliya: “Ungitholile wena sitha sami na?” Wathi: “Ngikutholile, ngenxa yokuba nguwena ozithengisile, wenza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade. ‘Uyabona-ke, ngizokwehlisela okubi, ngikukhukhule, ngibhubhise bonke abesilisa baka-Ahabi, omncane nomkhulu kwa-Israyeli. Indlu yakho ngiyakuyenza ibe njengendlu kaJerobhowamu, indodana kaNebhathi, nanjengendlu kaBhahasha, indodana ka-Ahiya, ngenxa yokuchukuluza ochukuluze ngakho ulaka lwami, wenza ukuba u-Israyeli one.’ “USimakade wathi nangoJezebheli: ‘Izinja ziyomudla uJezebheli ngasogangeni eJizreyeli.’ “Owakwa-Ahabi ofela emzini, uyodliwa yizinja, nofela endle, uyodliwa yizinyoni zezulu.” Kepha-ke akubanga bikho omunye owafana no-Ahabi owazithengisa, wenza okubi phambi kukaSimakade, edudwa nguJezebheli, umkakhe. Wenza okuningi okunengisayo ngokulandela izithombe nangakho konke okwakwenziwa ngama-Amori, uSimakade ayewaxoshile ngaphambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli. Kwathi ukuba u-Ahabi ezwe lawo mazwi, waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wembatha indwangu eyisaka, wazila, walala endwangwini eyisaka, wazulazula ehamba enjengolahliweyo. Izwi likaSimakade lafika ku-Eliya waseThishibhi, lathi: “Ubonile yini ukuthi u-Ahabi uzithobile phambi kwami, na? Ngenxa yokuba ezithobile phambi kwami, okubi angiyukukwehlisa emihleni yakhe, kodwa ngiyokwehlisa emihleni yendodana yakhe.”