Joromiya
40 Ilizwi elafika kuJoromiya livela kuJehova ngemva kokobana uNebuzaradani+ induna yabonogada amtjhaphulule eRama.+ Wamthatha lapho abotjhwe ngamakhamandela, bekaphakathi kwabo boke abadingisiweko beJerusalema nebakwaJuda ebebasiwe eBhabhiloni. 2 Ngemva kwalokho induna yabonogada yathatha uJoromiya yathi kuye: UJehova uZimakho ubikezele ngehlekelele le endaweni le, 3 begodu uJehova wenze njengombana akhulumile, ngebanga lokuthi nina bantu nonile kuJehova, akhenge nilalele ilizwi lakhe. Kungebangelo lokhu kwenzeke kini.+ 4 Ngiyawatjhaphulula amakhamandela asezandleni zakho namhlanjesi. Nawukubona kukuhle bona ukhambe nami eBhabhiloni asikhambe, ngizokutlhogomela. Kodwana nawungafuni ukuya eBhabhiloni ungayi. Qala! Yoke inarha le iphambi kwakho. Ungaya nanyana kukuphi lapha ufuna khona.”+
5 Kwathi uJoromiya angakakhethi bona uzokuya kuphi, uNebuzaradani wathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya+ indodana ka-Arhikhamu+ indodana ka-Tjhafani,+ loyo ikosi yeBhabhiloni embeke phezu kwamadorobho wakwaJuda, uhlale naye hlangana nabantu namkha uye nanyana kukuphi lapho ufuna khona.”
Yeke induna yabonogada yamnikela isibonelelo sokudla nesipho yamlisa wakhamba. 6 Nje-ke uJoromiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Arhikhamu eMitsipha+ wahlala naye nabantu ebebasele enarheni.
7 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi zoke iinduna zamabutho ebezisemasimini nabantu bazo zezwa bona ikosi yeBhabhiloni ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Arhikhamu phezu kwenarha naphezu kwamadoda, abafazi, nabantwana abavela ebantwini abatlhagako benarha abangakasiwa eBhabhiloni.+ 8 Yeke beza kuGedeliya eMitsipha.+ Bekungu-Itjhimayeli+ indodana kaNetaniya, uJorhanani+ noJonathani amadodana kaKhareyarhi, uSeraya indodana kaTanirhumethi, amadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa noJezaniya+ indodana yomMakathi namasotjabo. 9 UGedaliya indodana ka-Arhikhamu indodana kaTjhafani wafunga kibo nemasotjenabo, wathi: “Ningasabi ukusebenzela amaKhaledi.* Hlalani enarheni nisebenzele ikosi yeBhabhiloni, kuzonikhambela kuhle.+ 10 Kodwana mina, ngizokuhlala eMitsipha bona nginijamele kumaKhaledi* eza kithi. Nina kufuze nibuthelele iwayini, iinthelo zehlobo namafutha niwafake emijekenenu, nihlale emadorobheni eniwathumbileko.”+
11 Woke amaJuda ebewakwaMowabi, kwa-Amoni, kwa-Edomi nawo woke ebewakwezinye iinarha, ezwa bona ikosi yeBhabhiloni ivumele bona abaseleko bahlale kwaJuda nokuthi ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Arhikhamu indodana kaTjhafani phezu kwawo. 12 Nje-ke woke amaJuda athoma ukubuya kizo zoke iindawo ebekarhatjhekele kizo, abuyela enarheni yakwaJuda, kuGedaliya eMitsipha. Abuthelela ngobunengi iwayini neenthelo zehlobo.
13 UJorhanani indodana kaKhareyarhi nazo zoke iinduna zebutho ebezisemasimini, zeza kuGedaliya eMitsipha. 14 Bathi kuye: “Awazi na bona uBhalisi ikosi yama-Amoni+ uthumele u-Itjhimayeli indodana kaNetaniya bona izokubulala?”+ Kodwana uGedaliya indodana ka-Arhikhamu akhenge abakholwe.
15 UJorhanani indodana kaKhareyarhi watjela uGedaliya eMitsipha ngemsitheleni wathi: “Ngifuna ukubulala u-Itjhimayeli indodana kaNetaniya begodu akunamuntu ozokwazi ngalokho. Kubayini kufuze akubulale, begodu kubayini kufuze boke abantu bakwaJuda barhatjheke, abaseleko bakwaJuda batjhatjalaliswe?” 16 Kodwana uGedaliya+ indodana ka-Arhikhamu wathi, kuJorhanani indodana kaKhareyarhi: Ungakwenzi lokhu, ngombana okutjhoko ngo-Itjhimayeli kumamala.”