< UJeremiya 37 >
1 Inkosi uZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya wabusa-ke esikhundleni sikaKoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi, uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ambeka abe yinkosi elizweni lakoJuda.
2 Kodwa kawalalelanga, yena lenceku zakhe labantu belizwe, amazwi eNkosi eyayiwakhulume ngesandla sikaJeremiya umprofethi.
3 Inkosi uZedekhiya yasithuma uJehukali indodana kaShelemiya loZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya umpristi kuJeremiya umprofethi, isithi: Ake usikhulekele eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu.
4 UJeremiya wangena-ke waphuma phakathi kwabantu, ngoba babengakamfaki entolongweni.
5 Ibutho likaFaro laliphumile-ke eGibhithe; kwathi amaKhaladiya ayevimbezela iJerusalema esizwa amahungahunga ngabo, enyuka asuka eJerusalema.
6 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya umprofethi lisithi:
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Lizakutsho njalo enkosini yakoJuda elithume kimi ukungibuza: Khangela, ibutho likaFaro eliphumele ukulisiza lizabuyela elizweni lalo, iGibhithe.
8 AmaKhaladiya azabuya futhi, alwe emelene lalumuzi, awuthumbe, awutshise ngomlilo.
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Lingakhohlisi imiphefumulo yenu lisithi: AmaKhaladiya isibili azasuka kithi; ngoba kawayikusuka.
10 Ngoba loba lilitshaya ibutho lonke lamaKhaladiya alwa emelene lani, kusale amadoda agwaziweyo phakathi kwabo, azasukuma, yileyo laleyo ethenteni layo, awutshise lumuzi ngomlilo.
11 Kwasekusithi ibutho lamaKhaladiya selenyukile lisuka eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho likaFaro,
12 uJeremiya waphuma eJerusalema ukuya elizweni lakoBhenjamini ukuthi amonyuke phakathi kwabantu.
13 Kwasekusithi esesesangweni lakoBhenjamini, kwakukhona lapho induna yabalindi obizo layo lalinguIrija, indodana kaShelemiya, indodana kaHananiya; yasimbamba uJeremiya umprofethi, isithi: Uhlubukela kumaKhaladiya.
14 UJeremiya wasesithi: Ngamanga; kangihlubukeli kumaKhaladiya. Kodwa kamlalelanga; ngokunjalo uIriya wambamba uJeremiya, wamletha kuziphathamandla.
15 Iziphathamandla zasezithukuthela ngoJeremiya, zamtshaya, zamfaka entolongweni, endlini kaJonathani umbhali, ngoba zaziyenze yaba yintolongo.
16 UJeremiya esengene endlini yomgodi lezitokisini, uJeremiya esehlale khona insuku ezinengi,
17 inkosi uZedekhiya yasithuma, yamthatha; inkosi yasimbuza endlini yayo ensitha yathi: Likhona yini ilizwi elivela eNkosini? UJeremiya wasesithi: Likhona. Wathi: Uzanikelwa esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni.
18 UJeremiya wathi futhi enkosini uZedekhiya: Ngoneni kuwe lezincekwini zakho lakulababantu ukuthi lingifake entolongweni?
19 Bangaphi khathesi abaprofethi benu abaprofetha kini besithi: Inkosi yeBhabhiloni kayiyikufika imelane lani kumbe imelane lalelilizwe?
20 Khathesi-ke, ake uzwe, nkosi yami, nkosi, kakuthi ukuncenga kwami kuwe phambi kwakho, ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umbhali, hlezi ngifele khona.
21 Ngakho inkosi uZedekhiya yalaya ukuthi bamfake uJeremiya egumeni lentolongo, lokuthi anikwe isinkwa sibe sinye ngosuku esivela esitaladini sabaphekizinkwa, size siphele sonke isinkwa emzini. Ngokunjalo uJeremiya wahlala egumeni lentolongo.
