UJeremiya Uphonswa Emgodini
Izikhulu zithi umlayezo kaJeremiya ovela kuBaba wethu wokuzinikela uwukuvukela umbuso, zimehlisele emgodini wamanzi onodaka ukuze afe yindlala. U-Ebedi-Meleki umKushi uncenga inkosi, amkhiphe ngamadwala nangezintambo. UZedekiya uphinda ubuza ngasese, unikezwa impilo yakhe uma ezinikela, kodwa akakwazi ukukwamukela.
38 1UShefathiya indodana kaMathani, uGedaliya indodana kaPashuri, uJukali indodana kaShelemiya, noPashuri indodana kaMalikhiya bezwa uJeremiya etshela bonke abantu:
2“Nakhu okushiwo uBaba wethu: Lowo ohlala kuleli dolobha uyakufa ngenkemba, ngendlala, nangesifo, kodwa lowo ozinikela kumaBabiloni uyakuphila, aphephise ukuphila kwakhe njengempango. 3Nakhu okushiwo uBaba wethu: Leli dolobha liyakunikelwa nakanjani ebuthweni lenkosi yaseBabiloni, futhi iyakulithumba.”
4Izikhulu zathi enkosini: “Bulala lo muntu. Amazwi anjalo abuthakathalisa izandla zamabutho asele kuleli dolobha nabantu bonke. Akafuni okuhle kwabo kodwa ukulimala kwabo.”
5INkosi uZedekiya yathi: “Bheka, usezandleni zenu; inkosi ayikwazi lutho ukumelana nani.”
6Bamthatha uJeremiya bamphonsa emgodini kaMalikhiya indodana yenkosi, egcekeni labalindi, bemehlisa ngezintambo. Wawungenamanzi, kuphela udaka, uJeremiya washona kulo.
7Kodwa u-Ebedi-Meleki umKushi, isikhulu sasesigodlweni, wezwa ukuthi babeke uJeremiya emgodini. Ngesikhathi inkosi ihlezi eSangweni lakwaBenjamini, 8u-Ebedi-Meleki waphuma esigodlweni wakhuluma nenkosi: 9“Nkosi yami, lawa madoda enze okubi kukho konke akwenze kuJeremiya umprofethi, emphonsa emgodini ukuba afe yindlala, njengoba lingasekho isinkwa edolobheni.”
10Inkosi yayala u-Ebedi-Meleki umKushi: “Thatha amadoda angamashumi amathathu lapha kanye nawe, ukhuphule uJeremiya umprofethi emgodini engakafi.”
11U-Ebedi-Meleki wathatha amadoda, waya esigodlweni, egumbini elingaphansi kwendlu yomcebo, wathatha amanikiniki amadala nezingubo ezigugile, wakwehlisela ngezintambo kuJeremiya emgodini. 12U-Ebedi-Meleki umKushi wathi kuJeremiya: “Faka lawa manikiniki nalezi zingubo ezigugile ngaphansi kwamakhwapha akho, ngaphansi kwezintambo.” UJeremiya wenze njalo. 13Bamdonsa uJeremiya bamkhuphula emgodini ngezintambo; uJeremiya wahlala egcekeni labalindi.
Inkosi Izwa Izwi LikaBaba
14INkosi uZedekiya yathumela uJeremiya umprofethi, yamletha emnyango wesithathu wendlu kaBaba wethu. Inkosi yathi kuJeremiya: “Ngizakukubuza into; ungangifihleli lutho.”
15UJeremiya wathi kuZedekiya: “Uma ngikutshela, awuyikungibulala na? Futhi uma ngikweluleka, awuyikulalela.”
16INkosi uZedekiya yafunga ngasese kuJeremiya: “Kuphila kukaBaba wethu, owasenzela lokhu kuphila, angiyikukubulala, angiyikukunikela kulawa madoda afuna ukuphila kwakho.”
17UJeremiya wathi kuZedekiya: “Nakhu okushiwo uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, uBaba ka-Israyeli: Uma uzinikela ezikhulwini zenkosi yaseBabiloni, ukuphila kwakho kuyakusindiswa, leli dolobha ngeke lishiswe ngomlilo, wena nabendlu yakho niyakuphila. 18Kodwa uma wenqaba ukuzinikela ezikhulwini zenkosi yaseBabiloni, leli dolobha liyakunikelwa kumaBabiloni, ayakulishisa, futhi ngeke uphunyuke kuwo.”
19INkosi uZedekiya yathi kuJeremiya: “Ngesaba amaJuda asebalekele kumaBabiloni; mhlawumbe ngizakunikelwa kuwo ukuba angiphathe kabi.”
20UJeremiya wathi: “Ngeke bakunikele. Lalela izwi likaBaba wethu njengoba ngikutshela, ukuze kukuhambele kahle, kusindiswe ukuphila kwakho. 21Kodwa uma wenqaba ukuzinikela, nakhu izwi uBaba wethu angibonisa lona:
22“Bheka! Bonke abesifazane abasele esigodlweni senkosi yakwaJuda bayakukhishelwa ezikhulwini zenkosi yaseBabiloni, bathi: ‘Abangani bakho obabethemba bakudukisile bakwehlula; izinyawo zakho zashona odakeni, bona bakufulathele.’”
23“Bonke abafazi bakho nabantwana bakho bayakuyiswa kumaBabiloni, wena ngeke uphunyuke esandleni sawo kodwa uyakubanjwa yinkosi yaseBabiloni, leli dolobha lishiswe ngomlilo.”
24UZedekiya wathi kuJeremiya: “Makungabi khona noyedwa owazi ngale ngxoxo, funa ufe. 25Uma izikhulu zizwa ukuthi ngikhulume nawe zize zithi: ‘Sitshele okushilo enkosini nalokho ekushilo kuwe; ungasifihleli lutho, funa sikubulale,’ 26khona-ke uthi kuzo: ‘Bengincenga inkosi ukuba ingangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani ukuba ngiyofela khona.’”
27Zonke izikhulu zeza zabuza uJeremiya, waphendula khona kanye njengoba inkosi yayala. Ngakho zathula, ngokuba ingxoxo yayingezwakalanga. 28UJeremiya wahlala egcekeni labalindi kwaze kwaba yilolo suku iJerusalema lathunjwa ngalo. Kwaba yisimo lesi lapho iJerusalema liwa.
