1Kwathi ngenyanga yesikhombisa u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ka-Elishama, wozalo lwenkosi nowezikhulu zenkosi, wafika namadoda ayishumi kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa, badla khona isinkwa kanyekanye eMispa. 2Wayesesuka u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya namadoda ayishumi ayenaye, bamshaya uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ngenkemba, bambulala, yena inkosi yaseBabele ebimenze umbusi ezweni. 3U-Ishmayeli wabulala nabo bonke abaJuda ababe naye uGedaliya eMispa, namaKaledi, amadoda empi ayefunyanwa khona.
4Kwathi ngosuku lwesibili esembulele uGedaliya, kungaziwa muntu, 5kwafika amadoda angamashumi ayisishiyagalombili evela eShekemi, naseShilo, naseSamariya, izilevu zawo ziphuculiwe nezingubo ziklejuliwe, bezisikile, bephethe iminikelo yempuphu nempepho ezandleni zabo ukuba bakulethe endlini kaJehova. 6U-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphuma eMispa ukubahlangabeza, ehamba ekhala. Kwathi lapho esehlangana nabo, wathi kubo: “Ngenani kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu.”
7Kwathi sebengenile phakathi komuzi, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wababulala, wabalahla emgodini, yena namadoda ayenaye. 8Kepha kwafunyanwa amadoda ayishumi phakathi kwabo asho ku-Ishmayeli, athi: “Ungasibulali, ngokuba sinokolweni, nebhali,* namafutha, nezinyosi okubekelelwe endle.” Wayesebayeka, akababulalanga kanye nabafowabo. 9Umgodi u-Ishmayeli alahla kuwo zonke izidumbu zabantu ayebabulele wawungumgodi omkhulu owenziwa yinkosi u-Asa ngenxa kaBahasha inkosi ka-Israyeli; u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wawugcwalisa ngababuleweyo.
10U-Ishmayeli wayesethumba bonke abantu abaseleyo eMispa, amadodakazi enkosi nabo bonke abantu ababesele eMispa, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ayebanikele kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, yebo, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wabathumba, wahamba ukuba adlulele kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
11Kepha lapho uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye sebezwile konke okubi u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya abekwenzile, 12bathatha bonke abantu, baya ukulwa no-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, bamfumana ngasemanzini amaningi aseGibeyoni. 13Kwathi lapho bonke abantu ababe no-Ishmayeli bembona uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye, bathokoza. 14Base bephenduka bonke abantu u-Ishmayeli ayebathumbile eMispa, babuya, baya kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya. 15Kepha u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphunyuka kuJohanani enamadoda ayisishiyagalombili, waya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
16UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye base bethatha yonke insali yabantu ayeyibuyisile ku-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya eMispa, yena esembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, amadoda empi, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabathenwa ayebabuyisile eGibeyoni. 17Bahamba, bahlala endaweni yokuphumula eKimihamu elingaseBetlehema ukuba bahambe, bangene eGibithe 18ngenxa yamaKaledi, ngokuba babewesaba, lokhu u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ebembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, inkosi yaseBabele eyamenza umbusi ezweni.
