UJeremiya
38 UShefathiya indodana kaMathani, loGedaliya indodana kaPhashuri, loJukhali+ indodana kaShelemiya kanye loPhashuri+ indodana kaMalikhija bezwa uJeremiya ekhuluma labo bonke abantu esithi: 2 “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova, ‘Lowo ozasala edolobheni leli uzabulawa yinkemba kumbe yindlala loba yisifo esitshabalalisayo.+ Kodwa lowo ozazinikela* kumaKhaledi uzaqhubeka ephila futhi umvuzo wakhe kuzakuba yimpilo yakhe.’*+ 3 UJehova uthi, ‘Loba sekutheni idolobho leli lizanikelwa ebuthweni lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni futhi izalinqoba.’”+
4 Izikhulu zathi enkosini: “Sicela ukuthi umuntu lo abulawe+ ngoba amazwi awakhulumayo enza amabutho asele edolobheni leli kanye labo bonke abantu baphele amandla. Umuntu lo kafuni abantu laba babe lokuthula, ufuna behlelwe ngumonakalo.” 5 INkosi uZedekhiya yaphendula yathi: “Usezandleni zenu. Phela mina ngeke ngenelise ukulivimba.”
6 Ngakho zathatha uJeremiya zamehlisa ngentambo emgodini kaMalikhija indodana yenkosi. Umgodi lo wawusegumeni labalindi+ futhi wawungelamanzi, ulodaka kuphela. UJeremiya waqalisa ukutshona edakeni.
7 U-Ebhedi-meleki+ umTopiya owayeyisiphathamandla* esigodlweni senkosi wezwa ukuthi uJeremiya wayefakwe emgodini. Ngalesosikhathi inkosi yayihlezi egedini lakoBhenjamini.+ 8 Yikho u-Ebhedi-meleki waphuma endlini yenkosi* wayakhuluma lenkosi wathi: 9 “Awu nkosi yami, lokho amadoda la akwenze uJeremiya umphrofethi kubi kakhulu! Amphosele emgodini futhi uzafela khona ngenxa yendlala, njengoba kungaselasinkwa edolobheni.”+
10 Inkosi yasisithi ku-Ebhedi-meleki umTopiya: “Thatha amadoda angu-30 lapha lihambe liyekhipha umphrofethi uJeremiya emgodini engakafi.” 11 Ngakho u-Ebhedi-meleki wathatha amadoda wahamba lawo endlini yenkosi.* Bafika endlini engaphansi kwaleyo okwakugcinwa kuyo inotho,+ bathatha amalembu adabukileyo lezigqoko ezindala bakwehlisela kuJeremiya emgodini ngezintambo. 12 U-Ebhedi-meleki umTopiya wasesithi kuJeremiya: “Ngicela ufake amalembu lezigqoko lezo emakhwapheni ukuze intambo zingakulimazi.” UJeremiya wasesenza njalo. 13 Bamdonsa uJeremiya ngezintambo bamkhipha emgodini. Ngemva kwalokho uJeremiya waqhubeka ehlala egumeni labalindi.+
14 INkosi uZedekhiya yabiza uJeremiya umphrofethi yathi abuye egedini lesithathu lendlu kaJehova. Inkosi yasisithi kuJeremiya: “Kulento engifuna ukukubuza yona, ungangifihleli lutho.” 15 UJeremiya wasesithi kuZedekhiya: “Nxa ngingakutshela uzangibulala. Lanxa ngingakweluleka awusoze ungilalele.” 16 Ngakho iNkosi uZedekhiya yafunga kuJeremiya ensitha yathi: “Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo osinika ukuphila, angisoze ngikubulale futhi angisoze ngikunikele ezandleni zamadoda afuna ukukubulala.”
17 UJeremiya wasesithi kuZedekhiya: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi, ‘Nxa ungazinikela* ezikhulwini zenkosi yeBhabhiloni awusoze ubulawe, ledolobho leli alisoze litshiswe ngomlilo. Wena labemuli yakho lizaqhubeka liphila.+ 18 Kodwa nxa ungayekela ukuzinikela* ezikhulwini zenkosi yeBhabhiloni, idolobho leli lizanqotshwa ngamaKhaledi alitshise ngomlilo+ njalo wena awusoze uphunyuke esandleni sawo.’”+
19 INkosi uZedekhiya yasisithi kuJeremiya: “Ngesaba amaJuda ahlamukele kumaKhaledi ngoba nxa nginganikelwa kuwo angangenza isihluku.” 20 Kodwa uJeremiya wathi: “Awusoze unikelwe kuwo. Ngicela ulalele ilizwi likaJehova engikutshela lona. Ungenza njalo kuzakuhambela kuhle futhi uzaqhubeka uphila. 21 Kodwa nxa ungayekela ukuzinikela* kumaKhaledi, nanku uJehova angitshengise khona: 22 Bonke abesifazana abasele endlini yenkosi* yakoJuda bayakhitshwa bahanjiswe ezikhulwini zenkosi yeBhabhiloni+ futhi bathi,
‘Amadoda obuwathembile akuyengile futhi akwehlule.+
Enze unyawo lwakho lwatshona edakeni.
Khathesi asekutshiyile abuyela emuva.’
23 Wonke amakhosikazi akho lamadodana akho azahanjiswa kumaKhaledi futhi wena awusoze uphunyuke esandleni sawo. Inkosi yeBhabhiloni izakubamba+ njalo idolobho leli lizatshiswa ngomlilo ngenxa yakho.”+
24 UZedekhiya wasesithi kuJeremiya: “Ungatsheli muntu izinto lezi ukuze ungabulawa. 25 Nxa izikhulu zingezwa ukuthi ngikhulume lawe besezibuya zithi kuwe, ‘Sicela usitshele ukuthi utheni enkosini. Ungasifihleli lutho, asisoze sikubulale.+ Inkosi itheni kuwe?’ 26 Kumele uphendule uthi, ‘Bengicela enkosini ukuthi ingangibuyiseli endlini kaJehonathani ukuze ngingafeli khona.’”+
27 Ngemva kwesikhathi izikhulu zeza kuJeremiya zaqalisa ukumbuza. UJeremiya wazitshela konke inkosi eyayithe azitshele khona. Ngakho azisatshongo lutho kuye ngoba akulamuntu owayezwile ukuthi babexoxe ngani. 28 UJeremiya waqhubeka esegumeni labalindi+ kwaze kwaba lilanga iJerusalema eyanqotshwa ngalo. Wayelokhu elapho ngesikhathi iJerusalema inqotshwa.+