1Kwathi ngenyanga yesikhombisa uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya kaElishama, wozalo lwenkosi nowezikhulu zenkosi, wafika namadoda ayishumi kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa, badla khona isinkwa kanyekanye eMispa.
2Wayesesuka uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya namadoda ayishumi ayenaye, bamshaya uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ngenkemba, bambulala, yena inkosi yaseBabele ebimenzé umbusi ezweni.
3UIshmayeli wabulala nabo bonke abaJuda ababenaye uGedaliya eMispa, namaKaledi, amadoda empi ayefunyanwa khona.
4Kwathi ngosuku lwesibili esembulele uGedaliya, kungaziwa-muntu,
5kwafika amadoda angamashumi ayisishiyagalombili evela eShekemi, naseShilo, naseSamariya, izilevu zawo ziphuculiwe nezingubo zikletshuliwe, bezisikile, bephethe iminikelo yempuphu nempepho ezandleni zabo ukuba bakulethe endlini kaJehova.
6UIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphuma eMispa ukubahlangabeza, ehamba ekhala. Kwathi lapho esehlangana nabo, wathi kubo: Ngenani kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu.
7Kwathi sebengenile phakathi komuzi, uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wababulala, wabalahla emgodini, yena namadoda ayenaye.
8Kepha kwafunyanwa amadoda ayishumi phakathi kwabo asho kuIshmayeli, athi: Ungasibulali, ngokuba sinokolweni, nebhali*, namafutha, nezinyosi okubekelelwe endle. Wayesebayeka, akababulalanga kanye nabafowabo.
9Umgodi uIshmayeli alahla kuwo zonke izidumbu zabantu ayebabulele wawungumgodi omkhulu owenziwa yinkosi uAsa ngenxa kaBahasha inkosi kaIsrayeli; uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wawugcwalisa ngababuleweyo.
10UIshmayeli wayesethumba bonke abantu abaseleyo eMispa, amadodakazi enkosi nabo bonke abantu ababesele eMispa, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ayebanikele kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, yebo, uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wabathumba, wahamba ukuba adlulele kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
11Kepha lapho uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye sebezwile konke okubi uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya abekwenzile,
12bathatha bonke abantu, baya ukulwa noIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, bamfumana ngasemanzini amaningi aseGibeyoni.
13Kwathi lapho bonke abantu ababenoIshmayeli bembona uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye, bathokoza.
14Base bephenduka bonke abantu uIshmayeli ayebathumbile eMispa, babuya, baya kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya.
15Kepha uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphunyuka kuJohanani enamadoda ayisishiyagalombili, waya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
16UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye base bethatha yonke insali yabantu ayeyibuyisile kuIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya eMispa, yena esembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, amadoda empi, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabathenwa ayebabuyisile eGibeyoni.
17Bahamba, bahlala endaweni yokuphumula eKimihamu elingaseBetlehema ukuba bahambe, bangene eGibithe
18ngenxa yamaKaledi, ngokuba babewesaba, lokhu uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ebembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, inkosi yaseBabele eyamenza umbusi ezweni.
