UJeremiya
40 Leli izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova ngemva kokuba uNebuzaradani + induna yonogada emkhululile eRama. + Wayemthathile waya naye eRama eboshwe ngozankosi, ephakathi kwabo bonke abantu baseJerusalema nabakwaJuda ababedingiswa beyiswa eBhabhiloni. 2 Induna yonogada yamthatha uJeremiya yathi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wabikezela ngale nhlekelele eyehlele le ndawo, 3 uJehova uyilethile njengoba nje asho, ngoba nina nonile kuJehova, anililalelanga izwi lakhe. Yingakho nehlelwe yile nhlekelele. + 4 Namuhla ngiyabakhipha ozankosi abasezandleni zakho. Uma uthanda ukuya nami eBhabhiloni, asihambe, ngizokunakekela. Kodwa uma ungathandi ukuya nami eBhabhiloni, ungahambi. Bheka! Lonke izwe liphambi kwakho. Hamba uye nomaphi lapho ukhetha ukuya khona.” +
5 Lapho uJeremiya esangabaza ukubuyela emuva, uNebuzaradani wathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya + indodana ka-Ahikamu + indodana kaShafani, + lowo inkosi yaseBhabhiloni emmise phezu kwamadolobha akwaJuda, uhlale naye phakathi kwabantu; noma uye nomaphi lapho ukhetha ukuya khona.”
Induna yonogada yamnika ukudla nesipho yase imdedela. 6 Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa + wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele ezweni.
7 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi zonke izinduna zamabutho empi ezazikulo lonke izwe namadoda angaphansi kwazo, zezwa ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayimise uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu phezu kwezwe nokuthi yayimmise phezu kwamadoda, abesifazane nezingane kubantu abampofu bezwe, ababengadingiselwanga eBhabhiloni. + 8 Ngakho zeza kuGedaliya eMispa. + Kwakungu-Ishmayeli + indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani + noJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, uSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti, amadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa noJezaniya + indodana yomMahakhati, zikanye namadoda angaphansi kwazo. 9 UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani wafunga kuzo nasemadodeni angaphansi kwazo, wathi: “Ningesabi ukukhonza amaKhaledi. Hlalani ezweni nikhonze inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, kuzonihambela kahle. + 10 Mina ngizohlala eMispa ukuze nginikhulumele* kumaKhaledi eza kithi. Kodwa nina kufanele niqoqe iwayini, izithelo zasehlobo namafutha nikufake ezitsheni zenu nihlale emadolobheni eniwathathile.” +
11 Wonke amaJuda ayekwaMowabi, kwa-Amoni, kwa-Edomi nalawo ayekuwo wonke amanye amazwe, ezwa ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayivumele abathile ukuba basale kwaJuda nokuthi yayimise phezu kwabo uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani. 12 Ngakho wonke amaJuda aqala ukubuya kuzo zonke izindawo ayehlakazekele kuzo, eza ezweni lakwaJuda kuGedaliya eMispa. Aqoqa iwayini nezithelo zasehlobo okuningi kakhulu.
13 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zamabutho empi ezazikulo lonke izwe, beza kuGedaliya eMispa. 14 Bathi kuye: “Awazi yini ukuthi uBhahalisi, inkosi yakwa-Amoni, + uthume u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale?” + Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu akazange abakholwe.
15 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wakhuluma noGedaliya ngasese eMispa wathi: “Ngifuna ukuhamba ngiyobulala u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, akekho umuntu ozokwazi. Kungani kufanele akubulale futhi kungani bonke abantu bakwaJuda ababuthanele kuwe kumele bahlakazeke, nabasele kwaJuda bashabalale?” 16 Kodwa uGedaliya + indodana ka-Ahikamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya: “Ungayenzi leyo nto, ngoba amanga lawa owashoyo ngo-Ishmayeli.”