UJeremiya 43

₁Kwathi ukuba uJeremiya aqede ukukhuluma kubantu bonke, wonke amazwi kaSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, uSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo ayemthume wona kubo; ₂u-Azariya indodana kaHoshayiya, noJohanani indodana kaKhareya, nabantu bonke abazigqajayo, bathi kuJeremiya: “Uqamba amanga. USimakade uNkulunkulu wethu akakuthumanga ukuba, uthi: ‘Ningahambi niyogogobala eGibhithe,’ ₃kodwa nguBharukhi, indodana kaNeriya, ekuqhatha nathi ukuze sinikelwe esandleni samaKhaledi, asibulale, asithumbele eBhabhele.”

₄UJohanani, indodana kaKhareya, abakhuzi bempi, nabantu bonke kabalilalelanga izwi likaSimakade lokuba bahlale ezweni lakwaJuda. ₅UJohanani, indodana kaKhareya, nabakhuzi bempi, bathatha yonke insali yakwaJuda eyayibuye ezizweni zonke lapho yayixoshelwe khona ukuba izogogobala ezweni lakwaJuda: ₆abesilisa, abesifazane, izingane, amadodakazi enkosi, bonke abantu uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, ayebashiye kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, uJeremiya umphrofethi, noBharukhi indodana kaNeriya, ₇baya eGibhithe, ngokuba kabaligqizanga qakala izwi likaSimakade; baze bafika eThahiphanesi.

₈Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuJeremiya eThahiphanesi, lathi: ₉“Thatha amatshe amakhulu ngezandla zakho, uwambele onqenqemeni lobumba olusekungeneni kwesigodlo sikaFaro, eThahiphanesi. Lokho ukwenze abaJuda bekubuka, ₁₀bese uthi kubo: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: bheka, ngiyakuthumela uNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, inceku yami, ngibeke isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi phezu kwalawa matshe engiwembele lapha, uyakwendlala ithende lakhe lobukhosi phezu kwawo. ₁₁Uyakufika, alihlasele iGibhithe, kufe abafayo, kuthunjwe abathunjwayo, inkemba idle emdlayo. ₁₂Ngiyakuphemba umlilo emathempelini onkulunkulu baseGibhithe, uyakuwashisa, abathumbe abanye onkulunkulu bakhona, ahambe nabo, iGibhithe uyakulembatha njengomelusi embatha ingubo yakhe, aphume kulo engenamyocu. ₁₃Uyakwaphula izinsika zaseBhethi Shemeshi eziseGibhithe; ashise ngomlilo amathempeli onkulunkulu baseGibhithe.’ ”