UJeremiya Uhlala NoGedaliya
1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuSimakade, ngemva kokuba uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, isimkhululile eRama, ngesikhathi imthatha, wayesaboshwe ngamaketanga phakathi kwabo bonke abathunjwa baseJerusalema nakwaJuda, abathunjelwa eBhabhele. 2Induna yabalindi yamthatha uJeremiya, yathi kuye: “USimakade uNkulunkulu wakho ukhulumile konke lokhu okubi ngale ndawo, 3uSimakade usekulethile, wakwenza njengokusho kwakhe, ngokuba nonile kuSimakade, kanililalelanga izwi lakhe, yingakho nehlelwe yilokhu. 4Bheka, manje ngiyakukhulula namuhla emaketangeni asezandleni zakho. Uma kukuhle kuwe ukuba uye nami eBhabhele, woza, ngiyakukunakekela, kodwa uma ungafuni ukuya nami eBhabhele, hlala. Uyabona, lonke izwe liphambi kwakho; yana lapho ufisa ukuya khona.”
5Engakathathi isinqumo, yathi kuye: “Buyela kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, inkosi yaseBhabhele embeke ukuba abe ngumbusi obusa imizi yakwaJuda, uyohlala naye phakathi kwabantu, noma-ke uyakuya noma kuphi lapho uthanda ukuya khona.”
Induna yabalindi yayisimnika umphako nesipho, yamdedela ukuba ahambe. 6UJeremiya wayesehamba, waya kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, owayeseMizpha, wahlala naye nabantu ababesele ezweni.
UGedaliya Ungumbusi KwaJuda
7Bonke abakhuzi bempi ababesehlane namabutho abo, bezwa ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhele ibeke uGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, ukuba abe ngumbusi ezweni, nokuthi inikele kuye abesilisa, abesifazane, abantwana, nezimpofana zezwe abangathunjelwanga eBhabhele; 8zaya kuGedaliya eMizpha: kwakungu-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani noJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, uSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, amadodana ka-Efayi waseNethofa, uJezaniya indodana kaMahakhi, bona nabantu babo. 9UGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, wafunga kubo nakubantu babo, wathi: “Ningesabi ukuzinikela kumaKhaledi, hlalani ezweni, nikhonze enkosini yaseBhabhele, ukuze konke kunihambele kahle. 10Bhekani, mina ngizohlala eMizpha, ngiwakhonze amaKhaledi ayofika kithina; kodwa nina, zibutheleni ngezitsha zenu iwayini, izithelo, namafutha, nihlale emizini yenu eniyithathileyo.”
11Kwathi ukuba bonke abaJuda ababekwaMowabi, kwa-Amoni, kwa-Edomi, nakuwo wonke amanye amazwe, sebezwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhele iyishiyile insali kwaJuda, nokuthi ibeke uGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, ukuba abe ngumbusi wabo, 12bonke abaJuda babuya kuzo zonke izindawo ababexoshelwe kuzo, babuyela ezweni lakwaJuda, kuGedaliya eMizpha, bazibuthela iwayini nezithelo, okuningi kakhulu.
Ukubulawa KukaGedaliya
13UJohanani, indodana kaKhareya, nabo bonke abakhuzi bempi ababesendle, beza kuGedaliya eMizpha, 14bathi kuye: “Uyazi yini ukuthi uBhahalisi, inkosi yabakwa-Amoni, uthumele u-Ishmayeli, indodana kaNethaniya, ukuba akubulale na?”
Kepha uGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, akazange abakholwe.
15UJohanani, indodana kaKhareya, wakhuluma ngasese kuGedaliya eMizpha, wathi: “Mangihambe ngiyombulala u-Ishmayeli, indodana kaNethaliya, akekho oyokwazi lokhu. Ufunelani ukukubulala, enze ukuba bonke abaJuda abaqoqene kuwe bahlakazeke, ibhubhe insali yakwaJuda na?”
16Kepha uGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, wathi kuJohanani, indodana kaKhareya: “Awuzukuyenza leyo nto, ngokuba uqamba amanga ngo-Ishmayeli.”
