UJeremiya 39

₁Kwathi lapho iJerusalema selinqotshiwe ngomnyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaSedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, ngenyanga yeshumi kwafika uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, nempi yakhe yonke eJerusalema, walivimbezela; ₂ngomnyaka weshumi nanye kaSedekiya ngenyanga yesine ngolwesishiyagalolunye lwenyanga umuzi wafohlwa ₃kwangena zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali Sareseri, noSamigari Nebo, noSaresekimi induna yezinceku, noNerigali Sareseri induna yabapristi, kanye nazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele. ₄Kwathi lapho uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda nawo onke amadoda empi bezibona, babaleka, bephuma emzini ebusuku ngendlela yensimu yenkosi ngesango phakathi kwezingange zombili; waphuma ngendlela yase-Araba.

₅Kepha impi yamaKaledi yabaxosha, yamfica uSedekiya emahlane aseJeriko, yambamba, yamkhuphulela kuNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, eRibila ezweni laseHamati, wamahlulela. ₆Inkosi yaseBabele yabulala amadodana kaSedekiya eRibila phambi kwamehlo akhe; futhi inkosi yaseBabele yabulala bonke abakhulu bakwaJuda. ₇Yakhipha namehlo kaSedekiya, yambopha ngamaketanga ukuba imyise eBabele.

₈AmaKaledi ashisa indlu yenkosi nezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, azidiliza izingange zaseJerusalema. ₉Insali yabantu ababesala emzini, nabahlubuki ababehlubukela kuye, nensali yabantu abaseleyo uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabathumbela eBabele. ₁₀Kepha uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabashiya abantu abampofu ababengenalutho ezweni lakwaJuda, wabanika izivini namasimu ngasikhathi sinye.

₁₁UNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, wamyala uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, ngoJeremiya, wathi: ₁₂“Mthathe, umbheke, ungamenzeli lutho olubi, kepha wenze kuye njengokusho kwakhe kuwe.” ₁₃UNebuzaradani induna yabalindi kanye noNebushazibani induna yezinceku, noNerigali Sareseri induna yabapristi, nezikhulu zonke zenkosi yaseBabele base bethumela, ₁₄bathuma bamkhipha uJeremiya egcekeni letilongo, bamnikeza kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba amyise ekhaya; wayesehlala phakathi kwabantu.

₁₅Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuJeremiya esavalelwe egcekeni letilongo, lithi: ₁₆“Hamba ukhulume ku-Ebedi Meleki umKushe, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela amazwi ami kulo muzi kube kubi, kungabi kuhle, abe ngaphambi kwakho ngalolo suku. ₁₇Kepha ngiyakukophula ngalolo suku, usho uJehova, unganikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo. ₁₈Ngokuba ngiyakukukhulula nokukukhulula, awuyikuwa ngenkemba, kepha ukuphila kwakho kuyakuba yimpango kuwe, ngokuba ungethembile, usho uJehova.’ ”