UJeremiya 40
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini emva kokuthi uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi esemyekele wahamba esuka eRama, esemthethe ebotshiwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda, abasiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo emva kokuba uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, esemkhulule eRama. Wayefice uJeremiya ebotshwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda ababesiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
2 Induna yabalindi yasimthatha uJeremiya yathi kuye: INkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, yakhuluma lokhu okubi ngalindawo.
Umlawuli wabalindi esethole uJeremiya wathi kuye, “UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wamisela indawo le umonakalo lo.
3 INkosi isikulethile yakwenza njengokutsho kwayo, ngoba lonile eNkosini, kalilalelanga ilizwi layo; ngakho loludaba lwenzakele kini.
Khathesi uThixo usewulethile; usenze ayethe uzakwenza. Konke lokhu kwenzakala ngoba lina bantu lona kuThixo njalo kalimlalelanga.
4 Khathesi-ke, khangela, lamuhla ngiyakukhulula kulamaketane asezandleni zakho. Uba kukuhle emehlweni akho ukuya lami eBhabhiloni, woza, ngimise ilihlo lami phezu kwakho; kodwa uba kukubi emehlweni akho ukuya lami eBhabhiloni, yekela. Bona, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; lapho kukuhle kuqondile emehlweni akho ukuhamba, hamba uye khona.
Kodwa lamhla ngiyakukhulula amaketane ezihlakaleni zakho. Hamba lami eBhabhiloni, nxa uthanda, ngizakugcina; kodwa nxa ungafuni, ungahambi. Khangela, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; yana loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.”
5 Kodwa engakabuyeli, wathi: Buyela kuGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, emmisileyo inkosi yeBhabhiloni abe phezu kwemizi yakoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu; kumbe loba kungaphi lapho kuqondile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, hamba. Ngakho induna yabalindi yasimnika umphako lesipho, yamyekela ukuthi ahambe.
Kodwa-ke kwathi uJeremiya engakasuki ukuba ahambe, uNebhuzaradani wengeza wathi, “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, osebekwe yinkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abuse amadolobho akoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu, kumbe uye loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.” Emva kwalokho umlawuli wamnika umphako lesipho wasesithi kahambe.
6 Ngakho uJeremiya wafika kuGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu eMizipa, wahlala laye phakathi kwabantu ababesele elizweni.
Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami eMizipha wahlala phakathi kwabantu ababetshiywe elizweni.
7 Kwathi zonke induna zamabutho ezazisegangeni, zona kanye lamadoda azo, besizwa ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni ibekile uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu abe phezu kwelizwe, lokuthi inikele kuye amadodana labesifazana labantwana, lakwabangabayanga belizwe, kulabo ababengathunjelwanga eBhabhiloni,
Kwathi zonke izikhulu zabalawuli bamabutho lamabutho azo ayesegangeni sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayisibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami ukuba abe ngumbusi welizwe njalo imenze waba ngumphathi wamadoda labesifazane kanye labantwana ababengabayanga bokucina elizweni njalo ababengasiwanga ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni,
8 khona beza kuGedaliya eMizipa, oIshmayeli, indodana kaNethaniya, loJohanani, loJonathani, amadodana kaKareya, loSeraya, indodana kaTanihumethi, lamadodana kaEfayi, umNetofa, loJezaniya, indodana yomMahakathi, bona lamadoda abo.
baya kuGedaliya eMizipha kungu-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani loJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, loSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, lamadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, loJezaniya indodana yomMahakhathi kanye labantu babo.
9 UGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, wasefunga kibo lamadoda abo, esithi: Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya; hlalani elizweni, liyisebenzele inkosi yeBhabhiloni; khona kuzalilungela.
UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, wafunga isifungo ebathembisa labantu babo, wathi, “Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya. Hlalani elizweni lisebenzele inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, konke kuzalilungela.
10 Khangelani-ke, mina ngihlala eMizipa ukuma phambi kobuso bamaKhaladiya azafika kithi; kodwa lina buthani iwayini lezithelo zehlobo lamafutha, likufake ezitsheni zenu, lihlale emizini yenu eliyithetheyo.
Mina ngokwami ngizahlala eMizipha ukuba ngilimele kumaKhaladiya eza kithi, kodwa lina vunani iwayini lezithelo zasehlobo kanye lamafutha, likufake ezimbizeni zokugcinela, lihlale emadolobheni eseliwaphethe.”
11 Futhi, lapho wonke amaJuda ayekoMowabi laphakathi kwabantwana bakoAmoni leEdoma lawayekuwo wonke amazwe esezwile ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni itshiyile insali yakoJuda, lokuthi yabeka phezu kwabo uGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani;
Kwathi bonke amaJuda baseMowabi, e-Amoni le-Edomi lawo wonke amanye amazwe sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayitshiye insalela koJuda njalo ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami indodana kaShafani, ukuba ngumbusi wabo,
12 wonke amaJuda asebuya esuka endaweni zonke ayexotshelwe khona, eza elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipa; abutha iwayini lezithelo zehlobo, kwaba kunengi kakhulu.
bonke babuyela elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipha, bevela kuwo wonke amazwe ababehlakazekele kuwo. Bavuna iwayini elinengi lezithelo zasehlobo.
13 UJohanani indodana kaKareya lazo zonke induna zamabutho ayesegangeni basebesiza kuGedaliya eMizipa,
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilokhu zisegangeni, baya kuGedaliya eMizipha
14 bathi kuye: Uyakwazi isibili yini ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni uthume uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukukutshaya empilweni? Kodwa uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu kabakholwanga.
bathi kuye, “Kawazi na ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yama-Amoni usethume u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale?” Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami kakukholwanga lokho.
15 UJohanani indodana kaKareya wasekhuluma loGedaliya ensitha eMizipa esithi: Ake ungiyekele ngihambe ngiyetshaya uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kungabi lamuntu okwaziyo. Uzakutshayelani empilweni, ukuze bahlakazeke bonke abakoJuda ababuthene kuwe, kubhubhe insali yakoJuda?
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wasekhuluma ngasese loGedaliya eMizipha esithi, “Yekela ngihambe ngiyebulala u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kakho ozakwazi lokho. Kungani kumele akubulale enze ukuba abakoJuda bonke ababuthene kuwe bahlakazeke, lensalela yakoJuda ibhubhe na?”
16 Kodwa uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKareya: Ungayenzi le indaba, ngoba uqamba amanga ngoIshmayeli.
Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya, “Ungenzi into enjalo. Lokhu okutshoyo ngo-Ishumayeli akusiqiniso.”
