UJehova wakhetha uJeremiya ukuthi abe ngumphrofethi koJuda. Wathi atshele abantu ukuthi bayekele ukwenza izinto ezimbi. UJeremiya wathi: ‘Kodwa Jehova angikwazi ukukhuluma ngoba ngingumntwana nje.’ UJehova wathi kuye: ‘Ungesabi. Ngizakutshela ukuthi uthini. Ngizakuncedisa.’

UJehova watshela uJeremiya ukuthi abize abadala bakoJuda, abulale udiwo phambi kwabo, abesesithi: ‘IJerusalema lizaphahlazwa njengodiwo lolu.’ UJeremiya wathi esekwenzile lokho, abadala bakoJuda bazonda kakhulu. Umphristi okuthiwa nguPhashuri watshaya uJeremiya wasembopha izandla lenyawo. Ubusuku bonke uJeremiya wayengenelisi ukwenza lutho. Kwathi uPhashuri emkhulula ekuseni ngelanga elalandelayo, uJeremiya wathi: ‘Kangisenelisi. Sengiyekela ukutshumayela.’ Kodwa wayekela yini? Hatshi. UJeremiya wacabangisisa wasesithi: ‘Ilizwi likaJehova linjengomlilo ovalelwe ngaphakathi kwami. Angisoze ngiyekele ukutshumayela.’ UJeremiya waqhubeka exwayisa abantu.

Kwadlula iminyaka eminengi, kwasekusiba lenkosi entsha koJuda. Abaphristi labaphrofethi bamanga babewuzonda umlayezo kaJeremiya. Batshela izikhulu bathi: ‘Umuntu lo kumele afe.’ UJeremiya wathi: ‘Nxa lingangibulala, liyabe libulele umuntu ongelacala. Ngikhuluma engikutshelwa nguJehova.’ Izikhulu zathi zisizwa lokho zathi: ‘Umuntu lo akumelanga abulawe.’

 UJeremiya waqhubeka etshumayela futhi izikhulu zazonda kakhulu. Zacela inkosi ukuthi ibulale uJeremiya. Inkosi yathi zenze loba yini eziyifunayo kuJeremiya. Izikhulu zaphosela uJeremiya emgodini olodaka njalo otshonayo zifuna afele khona. UJeremiya waqalisa ukutshona edakeni.

Isikhulu esithile okuthiwa ngu-Ebhedi-Meleki satshela inkosi sathi: ‘Izikhulu ziphosele uJeremiya emgodini. Uzakufa nxa singayekela ukumkhipha.’ Inkosi yathi u-Ebhedi-Meleki athathe amadoda angu-30 bayekhipha uJeremiya emgodini. UJeremiya kazange avumele lutho ukuthi lumenze ayekele ukutshumayela. Thina akumelanga senze njengaye yini?