UZedekiya Ucela Ukukhulekelwa NguJeremiya KuSimakade
1UZedekiya, indodana kaJosiya, wabusa eyinkosi esikhundleni sikaKhoniya, indodana kaJehoyakimi, owayebekwe nguNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ukuba abe yinkosi kwaJuda. 2Kepha uZedekiya, izinceku zakhe, nabantu bezwe abawalalenga amazwi kaSimakade awakhuluma ngomlomo kaJeremiya, umphrofethi.
3UZedekiya, inkosi, wathumela uJehukhali, indodana kaShelemiya, noZefaniya, indodana kaMahaseya, umphristi, kumphrofethi uJeremiya, wathi: “Ake usikhulekele kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu.”
4UJeremiya wayesekhululekile ukuba ahambe phakathi kwabantu, ngoba babengakamfaki ejele. 5Impi kaFaro yayikhuphukile ivela eGibhithe, okwathi lapho amaKhaledi ayevimbezele iJerusalema ezwa lokho, asuka eJerusalema.
6Izwi likaSimakade lafika kumphrofethi uJeremiya, lathi: 7“Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: niyakusho kanje enkosini yakwaJuda enithumileyo ukuba nizobuza kimi, nithi: ‘Uyabona-ke, impi kaFaro ephume ukuzonisiza izophenduka ibuyele ezweni lakubo eGibhithe. 8AmaKhaledi azobuya alwe nalo muzi, awudle, awushise ngomlilo.’
9“Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ningazikhohlisi, nithi: ‘AmaKhaledi ayakusuka kithi noma kanjani, ahambe,’ ngokuba awayukuhamba. 10Noma beningayibhubhisa yonke impi yamaKhaledi alwa nani, kusale kuphela izinkubela kubo, zona beziyakuvuka, kube yileyo naleyo ethendeni layo, ziwushise ngomlilo lo muzi.”
Ukubanjwa Nokufakwa Ejele KukaJeremiya
11Kwathi lapho impi yamaKhaledi isisukile eJerusalema, ngenxa yempi kaFaro, 12uJeremiya wasuka eJerusalema, waya ezweni lakwaBhenjamini ukuba ayokwamukela khona isabelo sakhe phakathi kwabantu. 13Kwathi lapho engasesangweni kwaBhenjamini, bheka, umphathi wabalindi okwakuthiwa ngu-Iriya, indodana kaShelemiya kaHananiya; wambamba uJeremiya, umphrofethi, wathi: “Uhlubukela kumaKhaledi.”
14UJeremiya, wathi: “Amanga lawo. Angihlubukeli kumaKhaledi.”
Kepha akamlalelanga. U-Iriya wambopha uJeremiya wamyisa ezikhulwini. 15Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya, zamshaya, zamfaka ejele, endlini kaJonathani, umbhali, eyayenziwe ijele.
16UJeremiya esefakwe emgodini, endlini eyijele, wahlala lapho isikhathi eside. 17UZedekiya, inkosi, wathumela ukuba alandwe; inkosi yambuza ngasese esigodlweni sayo, yathi: “Likhona yini izwi elivela kuSimakade na?”
UJeremiya, wathi: “Likhona.”
Wathi futhi: “Uyakunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBhabhele.”
18UJeremiya wayesethi enkosini uZedekiya: “Ngoneni kuwe, nasezincekwini zakho, nakulaba bantu ukuba ningifake ejele na? 19Baphi manje abaphrofethi benu ababephrofetha, bethi: ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhele ayizukukuhlasela wena naleli lizwe na?’ 20Ngakho-ke ake ulalele nkosi yami, nkosi, ake kuzwakale ukunxusa kwami engikwethula kuwe, ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani, umbhali, funa ngifele khona.”
21UZedekiya, inkosi, wayeseyala ukuba uJeremiya bambeke egcekeni labalindi, bamnika nsuku zonke iqebelengwane lesinkwa elivela emgwaqweni wababhakizinkwa, kwaze kwaphela sonke isinkwa emzini. UJeremiya wahlala-ke egcekeni labalindi.
