Ukubanjwa kukaJeremiya
1UZedekiya unyana kaYosiya wabekwa waba ngukumkani wakwaJuda, emiselwa ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare waseBhabheli. Wangena ezihlangwini zikaKoniya unyana kaJoyakim 2owayengazange awahoye, yena namaphakathi akhe, nabantu belizwe, amazwi *kaNdikhoyo awayeshunyayelwa ngumshumayeli uJeremiya.
3Ke yena uZedekiya wathumela uYukali unyana kaShelemiya, ekunye nombingeleli uZefaniya unyana kaMaseya, ukuba baye kumshumayeli uJeremiya, bafike bathi: “Khawusithandazele kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu.”
4Ngelo xesha wayesakhululekile uJeremiya, esenokuhamba-hamba phakathi kwabantu, kuba wayengekavalelwa entolongweni. 5Umkhosi wokumkani waseJiputa wawuselundulukile, aza amaKaledi awayengqinge iJerusalem, akuziva ezo ndaba, arhoxa.
6Lavakala ilizwi likaNdikhoyo kumshumayeli uJeremiya, lisithi: 7“Utsho uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli ukuthi: ‘Mxeleleni ukumkani wakwaJuda obenithume kum nithi ndithi: Nanko umkhosi wokumkani waseJiputa obuze kuncedisana nani ubuyela kwakwelakowawo eJiputa. 8Wona ke amaKaledi aza kubuya aze kuhlasela esi sixeko, asithimbe, asitshabalalise ngomlilo.’
9“Utsho ke uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Nize ningazikhohlisi nibe amaKaledi aza kuniyeka. Unakanye ukuba aniyeke! 10Ndithi nokuba beningade niwubhuqe wonke umkhosi wamaKaledi onihlaselayo, kusale nje iingxwelerha ezintenteni, zona kanye beziya kuvuka zisitshabalalise ngomlilo esi sixeko.’ ”
11Wakuba urhoxile eJerusalem umkhosi wamaKaledi emva kokuva iindaba ngomkhosi waseJiputa, 12uJeremiya wanduluka kweso sixeko, esinga kummandla wakwaBhenjamin, esiya kuthatha isabelo sakhe kubantu balapho. 13Uthe akufika kwisango leJerusalem ekuthiwa lelakwaBhenjamin, umshumayeli uJeremiya wabanjwa nguIriya, unyana kaShelemiya owayezalwa nguHananiya, owayeyintloko yabalindi, wathi: “Ubhacela kumaKaledi!”
14UJeremiya uthe: “Hayi, uyaxoka! Andibhaceli kumaKaledi.” UIriya akazange afune nokuva oku, usuke wambamba, wamsa kwiziphathamandla. 15Zona zacaphuka, zathi makakatswe, avalelwe entolongweni endlwini kaJonatan unobhala, eyayenziwe intolongo.
16Wavalelwa uJeremiya esiseleni esinamagunjana, apho wahlala khona ithuba elide. 17Emva koko ukumkani uZedekiya wathi makasiwe kuye ebhotwe, apho wambuza khona ngasese esithi: “Ngaba unalizwi livela kuNdikhoyo?”
Waphendula wathi uJeremiya: “Ewe, ndinalo. Wena uza kunikezelwa esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli.”
18Uqokele wathi uJeremiya, ebhekisa kukumkani uZedekiya: “Ndone ngantoni na kuwe, okanye kumaphakathi nakubantu bakho, sendibona ndifakwe entolongweni nje? 19Baphi ngoku abo bashumayeli benu babesithi: ‘Ukumkani waseBhabheli akayi kunihlasela nina neli lizwe’? 20Ndinesicelo, mhlekazi omhle! Ndicela ukuba ndingabuye ndisiwe kulaa ndlu kanobhala uJonatan, hleze ndifele khona!”
21Wayalela ke ukumkani uZedekiya ukuba uJeremiya makagcinwe enkundleni yabalindi, anikwe iqhekeza lesonka kude kuphele ukutya esixekweni. Kwaba njalo ke ukuhlala kukaJeremiya kwinkundla yabalindi.
