UJeremiya 40:1-16
40 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya ngesikhathi uNebhuzaradani+ induna yabalindi esemkhulule eRama.+ Wayemlethe lapho ebotshwe ngamaketane ezandleni. Wayephakathi kwabo bonke abantu beJerusalema labakoJuda ababehanjiswa eBhabhiloni.
2 Induna yabalindi yathatha uJeremiya yasisithi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakhuluma ukuthi indawo le izakwehlelwa ngumonakalo lo,
3 futhi uJehova usekwenzile lokho akukhulumayo ngoba lina lona kuJehova njalo alizange lilalele ilizwi lakhe. Yikho lokhu kulehlele.+
4 Lamuhla sengikukhulula amaketane asezandleni zakho. Nxa ukubona kukuhle ukuthi sihambe sonke eBhabhiloni asihambe, mina ngizakugcina. Kodwa nxa ungafuni ukuhamba lami eBhabhiloni ungasala. Khangela! Ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho, yana loba ngaphi lapho ofuna ukuya khona.”+
5 UJeremiya wathi elokhu engakatshibiliki, uNebhuzaradani wathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya+ indodana ka-Ahikhamu+ indodana kaShafani,+ obekwe yinkosi yeBhabhiloni ukuthi akhangele amadolobho akoJuda, uyehlala laye phakathi kwabantu kumbe uye loba ngaphi lapho ofuna khona.”
Induna yabalindi yasinika uJeremiya ukudla lesipho, yamyekela wahamba.
6 Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhamu eMizipha,+ wahlala laye phakathi kwabantu ababesele elizweni.
7 Ngemva kwesikhathi zonke izinduna zamabutho ezazisegangeni lamabutho azo zezwa ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni yayibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhamu ukuthi akhangele ilizwe kanye labantu abangabayanga ababesele elizweni, obaba labomama labantwana ababengahanjiswanga eBhabhiloni.+
8 Ngakho izinduna zamabutho zaya kuGedaliya eMizipha.+ Izinduna lezo kwakungu-Ishmayeli+ indodana kaNethaniya, loJohanani+ loJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, loSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, lamadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, loJezaniya+ indodana kaMahakhathi. Zahamba lamabutho azo.
9 UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhamu indodana kaShafani wafunga phambi kwazo lamabutho azo wathi: “Lingesabi ukuba ngaphansi kwamaKhaledi. Hlalani elizweni libe zinceku zenkosi yeBhabhiloni. Lingenza njalo kuzalihambela kuhle.+
10 Mina ngizahlala eMizipha ukuze ngilimele kumaKhaledi azabuya kithi. Kodwa lina qoqani iwayini, lezithelo zehlobo lamafutha likugcine ezimbizeni ezinkulu njalo lihlale emadolobheni eliwathetheyo.”+
11 Wonke amaJuda ayekoMowabi, lako-Amoni, lako-Edomi kanye lalawo ayekwamanye amazwe, lawo ezwa ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni yayitshiye abanye abantu koJuda lokuthi yayibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhamu indodana kaShafani ukuthi abakhangele.
12 Wonke amaJuda aqalisa ukusuka kuzo zonke izindawo ayesabalele kuzo, abuyela elizweni lakoJuda kuGedaliya eMizipha. Aqoqa iwayini, lezithelo zehlobo kwaba kunengi kakhulu.
13 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya lazo zonke izinduna zamabutho ezazisegangeni beza kuGedaliya eMizipha.
14 Bathi kuye: “Uyakwazi yini ukuthi uBhalisi inkosi yama-Amoni+ uthume u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuthi azokubulala?”+ Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhamu kazange abakholwe.
15 UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wakhuluma ensitha loGedaliya eMizipha wathi: “Ngifuna ukuyabulala u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya njalo akulamuntu ozakwazi ngakho. Kungani kumele akubulale, bonke abantu bakoJuda ababuthene kuwe basabalale futhi abaseleyo bakoJuda batshabalale?”
16 Kodwa uGedaliya+ indodana ka-Ahikhamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya: “Ungakwenzi lokho ngoba okutshoyo ngo-Ishmayeli kungamanga.”
