UJeremiya
39 Ngomnyaka wesi-9 wokubusa kukaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, uNebhukhadinezari* inkosi yeBhabhiloni weza lebutho lakhe lonke bafika bavimbezela iJerusalema.+
2 Mhlaka 9 ngenyanga yesine, ngomnyaka wesi-11 wokubusa kukaZedekhiya, badiliza umduli wedolobho.+ 3 Zonke izikhulu zenkosi yeBhabhiloni zangena edolobheni zahlala egedini eliphakathi laphakathi.+ KwakuloNerigali-sharezeri uSamugari,* loNebho-sarisekhimi uRabhisarisi,* loNerigali-sharezeri uRabhimagi* lazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
4 UZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lawo wonke amabutho bathi bebabona babaleka+ baphuma edolobheni ebusuku ngendlela eqonda engadini yenkosi. Baphuma ngegedi eliphakathi kwemiduli emibili, babaleka ngendlela eqonda e-Arabha.+ 5 Kodwa amabutho amaKhaledi abaxotshanisa, amthola uZedekhiya emagcekeni eJerikho.+ Ambamba amhambisa kuNebhukhadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni owayeseRibhila+ elizweni leHamathi.+ UNebhukhadinezari wamgweba uZedekhiya. 6 Inkosi yeBhabhiloni yathi amadodana kaZedekhiya abulawe phambi kwamehlo akhe khonapho eRibhila. Yaphinda yathi kubulawe lezikhulu zonke zakoJuda.+ 7 Ngemva kwalokho uNebhukhadinezari wabulala uZedekhiya amehlo wamenza waba yisiphofu, wasembopha ngamaketane ekhopha ukuze amhambise eBhabhiloni.+
8 AmaKhaledi atshisa indlu yenkosi* lezindlu zabantu,+ adiliza lemiduli yeJerusalema.+ 9 UNebhuzaradani+ induna yabalindi wathumba bonke abantu ababesele edolobheni wabahambisa eBhabhiloni. Wathatha labo ababehlamukele kuye labo bonke nje abantu ababesele.
10 Kodwa watshiya elizweni lakoJuda abantu ababezidubekela, bengabayanga bokucina. Ngalelolanga wabanika amasimu amagilebisi lamanye amasimu ababezasebenza kuwo.*+
11 UNebhukhadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni wakhuluma ngoJeremiya kuNebhuzaradani induna yabalindi wathi: 12 “Mthathe kodwa ungamenzi lutho. Umgcine futhi umuphe konke akucelayo.”+
13 Ngakho uNebhuzaradani induna yabalindi, loNebhushazibhani uRabhisarisi,* loNerigali-sharezeri uRabhimagi* lazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi yeBhabhiloni bathuma amadoda 14 ayathatha uJeremiya egumeni labalindi,+ asemhambisa kuGedaliya+ indodana ka-Ahikhamu+ indodana kaShafani+ ukuze aye laye endlini yakhe. Ngakho uJeremiya wayesehlala labantu.
15 Ngesikhathi uJeremiya evalelwe egumeni labalindi,+ ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuye lathi: 16 “Hamba uyetshela u-Ebhedi-meleki+ umTopiya uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Sengiwagcwalisa amazwi ami engawakhuluma ngedolobho leli ngisithi ngizalehlisela umonakalo, angisoze ngilenzele okuhle. Ngalelolanga uzakubona lokho kusenzakala.”’
17 “‘Kodwa wena ngizakukhulula ngalelolanga, awusoze unikelwe ebantwini obesabayo,’ kutsho uJehova.
18 “‘Ngizakusindisa loba sekutheni, awusoze ubulawe ngenkemba. Umvuzo wakho kuzakuba yimpilo yakho*+ ngoba ungithembile,’+ kutsho uJehova.”