UJoromiya uyatjhatjhululwa
1Ilizwi lafika kuJoromiya livela kuSomnini ngemva kobana uNebuzaradani umphathi wobuzimba amtjhaphulule eRama. Ubegade afunyene uJoromiya abotjhwe ngamakhamandela hlangana nabo boke abathunjwa beJerusalema nebakwaJuda ebebasiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabheli. 2Kwathi lokha umphathi wobuzimba nafunyana uJoromiya, wathi kuye: “USomnini uZimakho nguye owabikezela phezu kwendawo le. 3Nje-ke uSomnini ukwenzile lokho; iye, njengombana atjho phambilini. Koke lokhu kungebanga lokobana nina bantu nonile phambi kwakaSomnini. Azange nimlalele, ngalokho kunehlele lokho. 4Manje-ke, qala ngikutjhaphulule emakhamandeleni asezandleni zakho namhlanje. Nakukuhle kuwe kobana ukhambe nami eBhabheli, yeke namba sikhambe, ngizakutlhogomela. Kodwana nakube akusikuhle kuwe, kulungile ungahlala. Qala, inarha ibanzi phambi kwakho, ungase uziyele nanyana kukuphi lapha uthanda ukuya khona. 5Nakube indawo leyo ayinabahlali, buyela kuGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu omsa kaTjhafani, obekwe yikosi yeBhabheli phezu kwemizana yakwaJuda, uyokuhlala naye lapho hlangana nabantu; nakungasinjalo ungase uziyele nanyana kukuphi lapha uthanda khona.”
Ngemva kobana umphathi wobuzimba amuphe isipho begodu ayale bona aphiwe isibonelelo, wamtjhaphulula. 6UJoromiya waya kuGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu eMitsipha wayokuhlala naye hlangana nabantu abasala enarheni.
UGedaliya uyabulawa
7Kwathi lokha zoke iinduna zeenqhema zamajoni nebegade zisemmangweni namajoni lawo, nazizwa bona ikosi yeBhabheli ibeke uGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu njengombusi phezu kwenarha nokobana imbeke phezu kwamadoda nabafazi kanye nabantwana ebebadududu enarheni, abangazange basiwe ekuthunjweni eBhabheli, 8zeza kuGedaliya eMitsipha. Zona bekungu-Itjhimayeli umsa kaNetaniya, uJorhanani noJonathani amadodana kaKhareyarhi, uSeraya umsa kaTanirhumethi, amadodana ka-Efayi umNethofathi kanye noJezaniya umsa kaMakathi namajonazo. 9UGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu omsa kaTjhafani, wenza isifungo sokubaqinisekisa kanye namajonazo wathi: “Ningesabi ukusebenzela amaKasidi. Hlalani enarhenapha, nisebenzele ikosi yeBhabheli yeke kuzanikhambela kuhle. 10Mina ngizakuhlala eMitsipha kobana nginijamele phambi kwamaKasidi eza kithi. Kodwana nina buthani iwayini, iinthelo zehlobo kanye namafutha we-oliva bese nikufaka ngemijekeni yokubulungela. Hlalani emizini enizayiphatha.”
11Woke amaJuda ebegade ahlangana nama-Amoni kwaMowabi, kwa-Edomu nakizo zoke iinarha ezinye ezwa bonyana ikosi yeBhabheli itjhiyele uJuda imisalela beyabeka uGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu omsa kaTjhafani njengombusi phezu kwayo. 12Nje-ke woke eza enarheni yakwaJuda kuGedaliya eMitsipha avela kizo zoke iinarha ebekarhatjheke kizo. Abutha ngobunengi iwayini neenthelo zehlobo.
13UJonathani umsa kaKhareyarhi kanye nazo zoke iinduna zeenqhema zamajoni ebezisese semmangweni zeza kuGedaliya eMitsipha 14zathi kuye: “Sicabanga bona uyazi bonyana uBhalisi, ikosi yama-Amoni, uthumele u-Itjhimayeli umsa kaNetaniya kobana azokubulala.” Kodwana uGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu azange abakholwe.
15Yeke uJonathani umsa kaKhareyarhi wakhuluma ngasese noGedaliya eMitsipha wathi: “Ngivumela ngiyokubulala u-Itjhimayeli umsa kaNetaniya, akunamuntu ozakwazi indaba le. Kubayini kufanele akubulale, abangele amaJuda akubhodileko kobana ahlakazeke bese imisalela yakwaJuda ibhubhe na?”
16Kodwana uGedaliya umsa ka-Arhikhamu wathi kuJonathani umsa kaKhareyarhi: “Ungenzi into enjalo! Urhwayela u-Itjhimayeli.”
