UJeremiya Ukhululwa Ubuyiselwe
Ekhululwe emaketangweni eRama yisikhulu saseBhabhiloni esimtshela ukuthi angaya lapho ethanda khona, uJeremiya uhlala noGedaliya eMispa. AmaJuda ayesabalele ayabuya avune kakhulu. Exwayiswa ukuthi u-Ishmayeli uyeza ukuzombulala, uGedaliya uyala ukukholwa.
40 1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuBaba wethu emva kokuba uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, emkhululile eRama, emthathe eboshwe ngamaketanga phakathi kwazo zonke izithunjwa zaseJerusalema nezaseJuda ezaziyiswa eBabiloni. 2Induna yabalindi yamthatha uJeremiya yathi kuye: “UNkulunkulu wakho umemezele le nhlekelele ngokumelene nale ndawo. a a v2 La mazwi aphuma enduneni yaseBabiloni, hhayi komunye wabakaNkulunkulu — ngakho ubiza uSimakade ngoNkulunkulu wokwahlulela, kodwa hhayi ngoBaba; leyo sondelelano ingeyabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. 3USimakade uyilethile wenza njengoba nje asho, ngokuba nina nonke nonile kuSimakade, anamlalela — ngakho lokhu kwenzekile kini. 4Bheka, namuhla ngiyakukhulula emaketangeni asezandleni zakho. Uma kukuhle ukuza nami eBabiloni, woza — ngiyakukunakekela. Uma kungenjalo, ungezi: izwe lonke liphambi kwakho; hamba lapho kubonakala kufanele khona.” 5Ngaphambi kokuba uJeremiya ahambe, uNebuzaradani wathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, indodana kaShafani, lowo inkosi yaseBabiloni eyamisa phezu kwemizi yakwaJuda — hlala naye phakathi kwabantu, noma uye lapho ucabanga ukuthi kungcono khona.” Khona-ke induna yabalindi yamnika ukudla, nesipho, yammukisa.
6UJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa, wahlala naye phakathi kwalabo ababesele ezweni.
UGedaliya Uqoqa Insali
7Kwathi lapho zonke izinduna zasemasimini nabantu bazo zizwa ukuthi inkosi yaseBabiloni ibekile uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu phezu kwezwe, imphathise amadoda, nabesifazane, nezingane — abampofu kunabo bonke bezwe ababengathunjelwanga eBabiloni. 8Kwafika kuGedaliya eMispa: u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, noJohanani noJonathani amadodana kaKareya, noSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti, namadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, noJezaniya indodana yomMahakha — bona nabantu babo. 9UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, indodana kaShafani, wafunga kubo nakubantu babo: “Ningesabi ukukhonza amaBabiloni. Hlalani ezweni, nikhonze inkosi yaseBabiloni, kuyakulunga kini. b b v9 NgesiHeberu: amaKhaledi — asetshenziswe lapha ukuchaza izikhulu namabutho aseBabiloni. 10Mina ngizakuhlala eMispa, ngimele nina phambi kwamaBabiloni eza kithi. Kodwa qoqani iwayini, nezithelo zehlobo, namafutha, nikugcine ezimbizeni zenu, nihlale emizini eniyithathile.”
11NamaJuda onke aseMowabi, nakwa-Amoni, nakwa-Edomi, nakuwo wonke amazwe nawo ezwa ukuthi inkosi yaseBabiloni ishiye insali kwaJuda, yabeka phezu kwabo uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, indodana kaShafani. 12Onke amaJuda abuya evela kuzo zonke izindawo ayehlakazeke kuzo, afika kuGedaliya eMispa kwaJuda, aqoqa iwayini eliningi nezithelo zehlobo.
13UJohanani indodana kaKareya nazo zonke izinduna zamabutho ezazisemaphandleni bafika kuGedaliya eMispa, 14bathi: “Awazi yini ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yakwa-Amoni uthume u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale na?” Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu akabakholwanga.
15Khona-ke uJohanani indodana kaKareya wathi kuGedaliya eMispa ngasese: “Ake ngimbulale u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya — akekho oyakwazi. Umvumelani ukuba athathe ukuphila kwakho, ahlakaze onke amaJuda abuthene kuwe, kufe insali yakwaJuda na?”
16Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKareya: “Ungakwenzi lokhu; uqamba amanga ngo-Ishmayeli.”
