The Lord Condemns Ahaziah
1-2 Soon after King Ahab of Israel died, the country of Moab rebelled against his son King Ahaziah.
One day, Ahaziah fell through the wooden slats around the porch on the flat roof of his palace in Samaria, and he was badly injured. So he sent some messengers to the town of Ekron with orders to ask the god Baalzebub if he would get well.
3 About the same time, an angel from the Lord sent Elijah the prophet from Tishbe to say to the king's messengers, “Ahaziah has rejected Israel's own God by sending you to ask Baalzebub about his injury. 4 Tell him that because he has done this, he's on his deathbed!” And Elijah did what he was told.
5 When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he asked, “Why are you back so soon?”
6 “A man met us along the road with a message for you from the Lord,” they answered. “The Lord wants to know why you sent us to ask Baalzebub about your injury and why you don't believe there's a God in Israel. The man also told us that the Lord says you're going to die.”
7 “What did the man look like?” Ahaziah asked.
8 “He was hairy and had a leather belt around his waist,” they answered.
“It must be Elijah!” replied Ahaziah. 9 So at once he sent an army officer and 50 soldiers to meet Elijah.
Elijah was sitting on top of a hill at the time. The officer went up to him and said, “Man of God, the king orders you to come down and talk with him.”
10 “If I am a man of God,” Elijah answered, “God will send down fire on you and your 50 soldiers.” Fire immediately came down from heaven and burned up the officer and his men.
11 Ahaziah sent another officer and 50 more soldiers to Elijah. The officer said, “Man of God, the king orders you to come see him at once.”
12 “If I am a man of God,” Elijah answered, “fire will destroy you and your 50 soldiers.” And God sent down fire from heaven on the officer and his men.
13 Ahaziah sent a third army officer and 50 more soldiers. This officer went up to Elijah, then he got down on his knees and begged, “Man of God, please be kind to me and these 50 servants of yours. Let us live! 14 Fire has already wiped out the other officers and their soldiers. Please don't let it happen to me.”
15 The angel from the Lord said to Elijah, “Go with him and don't be afraid.” So Elijah got up and went with the officer.
16 When Elijah arrived, he told Ahaziah, “The Lord wants to know why you sent messengers to Ekron to ask Baalzebub about your injury. Don't you believe there's a God in Israel? Ahaziah, because you did that, the Lord says you will die.”
17 Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had said. But since Ahaziah had no sons, Joram his brother then became king. This happened in the second year that Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 18 Everything else Ahaziah did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.
Elija na Ahaziya
1 Kwakati shule kwe lufu gwa Ahabu, Moabu ikapandukila Iziraela.
2 Ahaziya wakawa nge fesitere lakalukiwa le ng'umba iye itja pezhugwi mu Samariya, kakubala, ngono katuma batumwa, kabadwa kati, “Yendani munobhuzwa kuna Bhaalezebubu ndzimu we Ekironi kuti kene ndowopola mu kukubala ikoku.” 3 Koga ntumwa wa Yahwe kadwa Elija we N'tishibhe kati, “Milika, yenda unoshanganidza batumwa ba mambo we Samariya, ngono ubabhuzwe uti, ‘Apa ndikuti akuna Ndzimu mu Iziraela kwamungadzina mukayenda kunobhuzwa kuna Bhaalezebubu ndzimu we Ekironi kene?’ 4 Ndizo tjinoleba Yahwe etji, ‘Autowodwa mu bulawo gwa ulele muguli, nge malebeswa unowofa.’ ” Elija kayenda.
5 Batumwa bakashandukila kuna mambo, ngono kababhuzwa kati, “Ini mashanduka kene?” 6 Bakashandula beti, “Kwazha mmwe nlume kutishanganidza, ngono katidwa kati, ‘Bgwililani kuna mambo wamutuma, mundwe muti: Tjinoleba Yahwe etji, apa ndikuti akuna Ndzimu mu Iziraela kwamungadzina mukatuma bathu kunobhuzwa kuna Bhaalezebubu ndzimu we Ekironi kene? Ndizo autowodwa mu bulawo gwa ulele muguli, nge malebeswa unowofa.’ ” 7 Kati kubali, “Kwabe kuli nlume wakatini wazha kuwomushanganidza kumubudza zwithu zwakajali kene?” 8 Bakashandula beti, “Wabe akaambala tjiambalo tje bukuse, ana mwandabula we ganda mu thunji dzidze.” Mambo kati, “Ndi Elija we N'tishibhe.”
9 Ipapo mambo katuma ntungamili we bali makumi mashanu (50) ne balume bali makumi mashanu (50). Ntungamili katathila kuna Elija wakabe aligele pezhugwi kwe duthu, kati kunli, “Iwe nlume we Ndzimu, mambo bakati, ‘Deluka.’ ” 10 Ngono Elija kashandula ntungamili we bali makumi mashanu (50) kati, “Ha ndili nlume we Ndzimu, moto ngaudeluke udwa kudzimu ukulotese iwe ne balume babo bali makumi mashanu” (50). Ipapo moto ukadeluka udwa kudzimu ukabalotesa, iye ne bali makumi mashanu (50).
11 Mambo katuma mmwe ntungamili we bali makumi mashanu (50) kakale ne balume babe bali makumi mashanu (50). Ntungamili katathila pezhugwi kandwa kati, “Iwe nlume we Ndzimu, mambo bakati, ‘Deluka tjinyolotjo.’ ” 12 Ngono Elija kabashandula eti, “Ha ndili nlume we Ndzimu, moto ngaudeluke kudzimu umulotese iwe ne balume babo bali makumi mashanu” (50). Ipapo moto we Ndzimu ukadeluka kudzimu ukanlotesa ne balume babe bali makumi mashanu (50).
13 Mambo katuma kakale gwe butatu ntungamili we bali makumi mashanu (50). Ntungamili we butatu we bali makumi mashanu katathila pezhugwi, kawa pasi nge zwidwi mbeli kwa Elija, kankumbila kati, “Iwe nlume we Ndzimu, ndokumbila utjidze butjilo gwangu ne butjilo gwe balanda babo ibaba bali makumi mashanu (50), ube ne ngoni mu mesho awo. 14 Bona, moto wakadeluka udwa kudzimu ukalotesa batungamili babili be kutanga ne balume babo. Ndizo ngwenu, butjilo gwangu ngagube tjakanaka mu mesho enyu.” 15 Ntumwa wa Yahwe kabe eti kuna Elija, “Deluka naye, usintje.” Ndizo Elija kamilika kadeluka kayenda naye kuna mambo, 16 ngono kati kuna mambo, “Tjinoleba Yahwe etji, ‘Apa ndikuti akuna Ndzimu mu Iziraela wamunga bhuzwa, kwamungadzina mukatuma batumwa kunobhuzwa kuna Bhaalezebubu ndzimu we Ekironi kene? Ngoti wathama ikoku, autowomuka mu bulawo gwa ulele muguli, nge malebeswa unowofa.’ ”
17 Ndizo Ahaziya wakafa kuyendidzana nge dama la Yahwe lakalebgwa ndi Elija. Ngono Jehoramu mwana wa tate babe kan'gala thaka kube mambo mu gole le bubili la Jehoramu nkololo wa Jehoshafati mambo we Juda, ngobe Ahaziya wakabe asina mwana we tjilisana.
18 Apa mimwe mishingo ya Ahaziya ne zwaakathama azwizokwagwa mu Lukwalo gwe zwiyitikalo gwa bomambo be Iziraela kene?