UJeremiya 39

₁Ngonyaka wesishiyagalolunye wokubusa kwenkosi uZedekiya kwaJuda, ngenyanga yeshumi, inkosi uNebukhadinezari waseBhabhele nayo yonke impi yakhe, bafika eJerusalema, balivimbezela. ₂Ngonyaka we-11 wokubusa kukaZedekiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngosuku lwesishiyagalolunye lwayo, bafohla bangena emzini. ₃Zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhele zangena, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi nendawo: kwakunguNerigali Sarezeri, uSamigari Nebho, uSaresekimi induna yezinceku, uNerigali Sarezeri induna yabaphristi, nazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhele. ₄Kwathi lapho uZedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, nawo wonke amabutho bebabona, baphulukundlela, babaleka ebusuku emizini, bahamba ngendlela yensimu yenkosi, ngesango eliphakathi kwezingange zombili; bahamba ngendlela eya e-Arabha.

₅Kepha impi yamaKhaledi yabahubha, yamfica uZedekiya ezinkalweni eJerikho, yambamba, yamyisa kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, owayeseRibhila eHamathi, wamgweba. ₆Inkosi yaseBhabhele yabulala amadodana kaZedekiya eRibhila phambi kwakhe, ebuka; yabulala nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaJuda. ₇UZedekiya yamkhipha amehlo, yambopha ngamaketanga, wayiswa eBhabhele.

₈AmaKhaledi asishisa ngomlilo isigodlo senkosi nezindlu zabantu, adiliza izingange eJerusalema. ₉Insali yabantu ababesemzini, namambuka ayehlubukele kuye, nalabo bantu ababesele kuNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, wabathumbela eBhabhele. ₁₀UNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, wabashiya abantu abampofu ababengenalutho ezweni lakwaJuda, wabanika izivini namasimu ngalolo lusuku.

₁₁UNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, wamyala uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, ngoJeremiya, wathi: ₁₂“Mthathe, umphathe kahle, ungezi lutho kuye oluzomlimaza, kodwa wenze lokho akutshela khona.”

₁₃UNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, uNebushazibhani induna yezinceku, uNerigali Sarezeri induna yabaphristi, nezikhulu zonke zenkosi yaseBhabhele, bathumela, ₁₄ukuba uJeremiya akhishwe egcekeni labalindi. Bamedlulisela kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, ukuba amyise ekhaya; wayesehlala phakathi kwabantu.

₁₅Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuJeremiya ngesikhathi esavalelwe egcekeni lejele, lathi: ₁₆“Hamba utshele u-Ebhedi Melekhi, umKhushe, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: bheka, ngiyakuwafeza amazwi ami amelene nalo muzi kuyoba ngokubi, hhayi okuhle, ngalolo lusuku ayofezeka phambi kwakho. ₁₇Kepha wena ngiyakukusindisa ngalolo lusuku, kusho uSimakade, awuyukunikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo. ₁₈Impela ngiyakukukhulula, awuyukuwa ngenkemba, kodwa ukuphila kwakho kuyofana nempango kuwe, ngokuba ungethembile, kusho uSimakade.’ ”