UJOROMIYA 39

₁Ngomnyaka wethoba wokubusa kwakaTsedekhiya ikosi yakwaJuda, ngenyanga yetjhumi, uNebukadiretsari ikosi yeBhabheli warhwanta namabuthwakhe woke ajamelene neJerusalema bewayivimbezela. ₂Ngelanga lethoba lenyanga yesine emnyakeni wetjhumi nanye wokubusa kwakaTsedekhiya, umthangala wedorobho waphundluswa. ₃Yeke zoke iinduna zekosi yeBhabheli zangena zayokuhlala esangweni ekuthiwa yiPhakathi. BekunguNerigali-Saretseri oyinduna yesifunda seSamgari noNebu-Sarisekimi oyinduna ekulu yesigodlo kanye nazo zoke iinduna zekosi yeBhabheli. Naye uNerigali-Saretseri loyo bekayinduna ekulu nephezulu.

₄Kwathi lokha uTsedekhiya ikosi yakwaJuda nabo boke abantu abalwako nababona iindunezo, babaleka ngendlela yesivande sekosi, baphuma ngesango elihlangana kwemithangala emibili, batjhiya idorobho ebusuku, banqomba ngemrhobeni weJordani. ₅Kodwana ibutho lamaKasidi labagijimisa, labandezela uTsedekhiya emrhuleni weJerikho. Lambamba lamusa kuNebukadiretsari ikosi yeBhabheli eRibhila enarheni kaRhamathi lapha amgweba khona. ₆ERibhilapho ikosi yeBhabheli yabulala amadodana kaTsedekhiya phambi kwakhe beyabulala boke abosaziwako bakwaJuda. ₇Yagobhodlha amehlo kaTsedekhiya, yambopha ngamakhamandela wekoporo yamusa eBhabheli.

₈AmaKasidi atjhisa isigodlo kanye neenkumba zabantu abe agiriza nemithangala yeJerusalema. ₉UNebuzaradani umphathi wobuzimba wathumba inengi labantu ebebasele ngeJerusalema kanye nabegade bahlubukela kuye nabo boke abanye. ₁₀Kodwana uNebuzaradani umphathi wobuzimba loyo watjhiya abanye babantu abachakileko ebebadududu enarheni yakwaJuda. Ngesikhatheso wabanikela iindiribe namasimu.

₁₁UNebukadiretsari ikosi yeBhabheli gade ayale uNebuzaradani umphathi wobuzimba ngoJoromiya wathi: ₁₂“Mthathe bese uyamtlhogomela. Ungamkhubazi kodwana umenzele koke akufunako.” ₁₃Yeke uNebuzaradani umphathi wobuzimba, uNebutjhazibani oyinduna ekulu yesigodlo, uNerigali-Saretseri induna ekulu nephezulu kanye nazo zoke iinkhulu ezinye zekosi yeBhabheli ₁₄bathumela bonyana kukhutjhwe uJoromiya ngesirhodlweni sabalindi. Bamusa kuGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu omsa kaTjhafani kobana abuyiselwe emzini wekhabo. Yeke wahlala hlangana nabantu balapho.

₁₅Lokha uJoromiya nasavaleleke ngesirhodlweni sabalindi, ilizwi lakaSomnini lafika kuye: ₁₆“Khamba uyokutjela u-Ebede-Meleki umKutjhe uthi, ‘Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uMninimandlawoke, uZimu wakwa-Israyeli: Qala, sele ngizokuzalisekisa amezwami ngokujamelana nedorobheli ngokumbi, ingasi ngokuhle. Ngesikhatheso kuzakwenzeka phambi kwakho. ₁₇Kodwana-ke mhlokho ngizakuphephisa, angeze wanikelwa kilabo obesabako.’ ” Kutjho uSomnini. ₁₈“ ‘Ngambala ngizakwenza uphunyurhe, angeze wabulawa ngesabula, kodwana uzakusinda ngombana wangethemba.’ ” Kutjho uSomnini.