UYehova wakhetha uYeremiya ukuba abe ngumprofeti kumaYuda. Wathi makashumayele aze alumkise abantu ukuba bayeke ukwenza izinto ezimbi. UYeremiya wathi: ‘Yehova, ndiyinkwenkwe njee. Andikwazi ukuthetha nabantu.’ UYehova wathi kuye: ‘Sukoyika. Ndiza kukuxelela into omele uyithethe. Ndiza kukunceda.’

UYehova wathi makabize zonke izikhulu, aqhekeze ijagi yodongwe phambi kwazo aze athi: ‘IYerusalem iza kuqhekezwa ngolu hlobo.’ Akuyenza loo nto, izikhulu zacaphuka. Umbingeleli onguPashure wabetha uYeremiya waza wambophelela iinyawo, izandla nentloko eplangeni. UYeremiya wahlala ubusuku bonke apho engakwazi nokushukuma, wakhutshwa ekuseni. Wathi: ‘Andinakuyimela le. Ndiza kuyeka ukushumayela.’ Kodwa ngaba wayeka nyhani? Akazange ayeke. Wayicingisisa le nto, waza wathi: ‘Umyalezo kaYehova ufana nomlilo ngaphakathi kum. Andinakuyeka ukushumayela.’ Ngoko waqhubeka ebalumkisa abantu.

Emva kweminyaka, kwabakho ukumkani omtsha kwaYuda. Ababingeleli nabaprofeti bobuxoki babengawuthandi umyalezo ababewuxelelwa nguYeremiya. Bathi kwiinkosana: ‘Le ndoda ifanelwe kukufa.’ UYeremiya wathi: ‘Ukuba niyandibulala, nakuba nibulala umntu ongenatyala. Ndinixelela izinto endizithunywe nguYehova.’ Zathi zakuva loo nto iinkosana, zathi: ‘Masingayibulali le ndoda.’

 UYeremiya zange ayeke ukushumayela, yaye yazicaphukisa loo nto iinkosana. Zacela ukumkani ukuba ambulale. Ukumkani wathi zingenza nantoni na ezifuna ukuyenza ngaye. Zamphosa emngxunyeni onzulu onodaka zicinga ukuba uza kufela apho. Ngoko waqalisa ukutshona kolo daka uYeremiya.

UEbhedi-meleki oligosa lenkundla wathi kukumkani: ‘Iinkosana ziphose uYeremiya emngxunyeni! Ukuba siyamyeka, uza kufa.’ Ukumkani wathi kuEbhedi-meleki makahambe namadoda ayi-30 baye kumkhupha. Ngaba asifanele sibe njengoYeremiya, ongazange avumele nantoni na ukuba imyekise ukushumayela?