1 Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo emva kokuba uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, esemkhulule eRama. Wayefice uJeremiya ebotshwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda ababesiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni. 2 Umlawuli wabalindi esethole uJeremiya wathi kuye, “UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wamisela indawo le umonakalo lo. 3 Khathesi uThixo usewulethile; usenze ayethe uzakwenza. Konke lokhu kwenzakala ngoba lina bantu lona kuThixo njalo kalimlalelanga. 4 Kodwa lamhla ngiyakukhulula amaketane ezihlakaleni zakho. Hamba lami eBhabhiloni, nxa uthanda, ngizakugcina; kodwa nxa ungafuni, ungahambi. Khangela, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; yana loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.” 5 Kodwa-ke kwathi uJeremiya engakasuki ukuba ahambe, uNebhuzaradani wengeza wathi, “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, osebekwe yinkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abuse amadolobho akoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu, kumbe uye loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.”

Emva kwalokho umlawuli wamnika umphako lesipho wasesithi kahambe. 6 Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami eMizipha wahlala phakathi kwabantu ababetshiywe elizweni.

7 Kwathi zonke izikhulu zabalawuli bamabutho lamabutho azo ayesegangeni sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayisibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami ukuba abe ngumbusi welizwe njalo imenze waba ngumphathi wamadoda labesifazane kanye labantwana ababengabayanga bokucina elizweni njalo ababengasiwanga ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni, 8 baya kuGedaliya eMizipha kungu-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani loJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, loSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, lamadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, loJezaniya indodana yomMahakhathi kanye labantu babo. 9 UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, wafunga isifungo ebathembisa labantu babo, wathi, “Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya. Hlalani elizweni lisebenzele inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, konke kuzalilungela. 10 Mina ngokwami ngizahlala eMizipha ukuba ngilimele kumaKhaladiya eza kithi, kodwa lina vunani iwayini lezithelo zasehlobo kanye lamafutha, likufake ezimbizeni zokugcinela, lihlale emadolobheni eseliwaphethe.”

11 Kwathi bonke amaJuda baseMowabi, e-Amoni le-Edomi lawo wonke amanye amazwe sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayitshiye insalela koJuda njalo ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami indodana kaShafani, ukuba ngumbusi wabo, 12 bonke babuyela elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipha, bevela kuwo wonke amazwe ababehlakazekele kuwo. Bavuna iwayini elinengi lezithelo zasehlobo.

13 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilokhu zisegangeni, baya kuGedaliya eMizipha 14 bathi kuye, “Kawazi na ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yama-Amoni usethume u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale?” Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami kakukholwanga lokho.

15 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wasekhuluma ngasese loGedaliya eMizipha esithi, “Yekela ngihambe ngiyebulala u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kakho ozakwazi lokho. Kungani kumele akubulale enze ukuba abakoJuda bonke ababuthene kuwe bahlakazeke, lensalela yakoJuda ibhubhe na?”

16 Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya, “Ungenzi into enjalo. Lokhu okutshoyo ngo-Ishumayeli akusiqiniso.”

<- UJeremiya 39UJeremiya 41 ->