UJeremiya 41
1 Kwasekusithi ngenyanga yesikhombisa kwafika uIshmayeli, indodana kaNethaniya, indodana kaElishama, owenzalo yesikhosini, lezinduna zenkosi, lamadoda alitshumi laye, kuGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu eMizipa, badla isinkwa khona ndawonye eMizipa.
Ishmael was a member of the king’s family. He had been one of King Zedekiah’s important officials. In October of that year, he went to Mizpah with ten other men to [talk with] Gedaliah. While they were eating together,
2 UIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wasesukuma, lamadoda alitshumi ayelaye, bamtshaya uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu indodana kaShafani ngenkemba, bambulala yena inkosi yeBhabhiloni eyayimbeke phezu kwelizwe.
Ishmael and the other ten men jumped up, and with their swords they killed Gedaliah—the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed to be their governor!
3 UIshmayeli wabulala lawo wonke amaJuda ayelaye, eloGedaliya, eMizipa, lamaKhaladiya atholakala khona, amadoda empi.
Ishmael [and the other men] also killed all the Jews and the soldiers from Babylonia who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.
4 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesibili esembulele uGedaliya, kungelamuntu okwaziyo,
The next day, before anyone had found out that Gedaliah had been murdered,
5 kwafika amadoda evela eShekema, eShilo, leSamariya, amadoda angamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, ephucile indevu, lezigqoko zidatshuliwe, ezisikile, elomnikelo wokudla lempepha esandleni sawo, ukukuletha endlini yeNkosi.
eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria [cities] came to worship at the temple of Yahweh [in Mizpah]. They had shaved off their beards and torn their clothes and cut themselves [to show that they were mourning]. And they had brought grain offerings and incense [to burn on the altar].
6 UIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wasephuma eMizipa ukuwahlangabeza, ehamba, ehamba ekhala inyembezi. Kwasekuthi lapho ehlangana lawo, wathi kuwo: Wozani kuGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu.
Ishmael went out of the city to meet them, crying as he went. When he reached them, he said, “Come [and see what has happened to] Gedaliah!”
7 Kwasekusithi sebefikile phakathi komuzi, uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wawabulala wawaphosela phakathi komgodi, yena lamadoda ayelaye.
But as soon as they had all entered the town, Ishmael and his men killed [most of] them and threw their corpses into a well.
8 Kodwa kwatholakala amadoda alitshumi phakathi kwawo, athi kuIshmayeli: Ungasibulali, ngoba sileziphala ensimini, ingqoloyi lebhali lamafutha loluju. Ngakho wawayekela, kaze awabulala phakathi kwabafowabo.
There were [only] ten of them whom they (spared/did not kill). They were not killed because they promised to Ishmael that [if he allowed them to remain alive, they would bring him] lots of wheat and barley and olive oil and honey that they had hidden.
9 Njalo umgodi uIshmayeli ayephosele kuwo zonke izidumbu zabantu ayebatshayile kanye loGedaliya, wawuyiwo inkosi uAsa eyawenzayo ngenxa kaBahasha inkosi yakoIsrayeli; lowo uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wawugcwalisa ngababuleweyo.
The well where Ishmael’s men had thrown the corpses of the men whom they had murdered was the deep well that King Asa’s [men] had dug [in order that they would have water in the city] if the army of King Baasha of Israel would surround the city. Ishmael’s men filled that well with corpses.
10 UIshmayeli wasethumba yonke insali yabantu ababeseMizipa, amadodakazi enkosi, labo bonke abantu ababesele eMizipa, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi eyayibamisele uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu. UIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wasebathumba, wahamba ukuthi achaphele kubantwana bakoAmoni.
Then Ishmael [and his men] captured the king’s daughters and some of the other people who had been left in Mizpah by Nebuzaradan in order that Gedaliah would take care of them. Ishmael and his men took those people and started back toward the Ammon area.
11 Kwathi uJohanani indodana kaKareya lazo zonke induna zamabutho ezazilaye besizwa konke okubi uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ayekwenzile,
But Johanan and all the other leaders of the Israeli soldiers who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia heard about what Ishmael [and his men] had done.
12 bathatha wonke amadoda, bayakulwa loIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya; bamfica emanzini amanengi aseGibeyoni.
So they [immediately] went with all their men to stop them. They caught up with them at the large pool near Gibeon [city].
13 Kwasekusithi bonke abantu ababeloIshmayeli bebona uJohanani indodana kaKareya lazo zonke induna zamabutho ezazilaye, bathokoza.
When all the people whom Ishmael and his men had captured saw Johanan and the soldiers who were with him, they [shouted] joyfully.
14 Basebetshibilika abantu bonke uIshmayeli ayebathumbe besuka eMizipa, baphenduka baya kuJohanani indodana kaKareya.
So all those who had been captured in Mizpah escaped, and they started to help Johanan.
15 Kodwa uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphunyuka wasuka phambi kukaJohanani, lamadoda ayisificaminwembili, waya ebantwaneni bakoAmoni.
But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and fled to the Ammon area.
16 UJohanani indodana kaKareya lazo zonke induna zamabutho ezazilaye basebethatha yonke insali yabantu ayebabuyisile besuka kuIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya eMizipa, esetshaye uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu, amadoda, amadoda empi, labafazi, labantwana, labathenwa, ayebabuyisile bevela eGibeyoni.
Then Johanan and the men who were with him [gathered together] all the people whom they had rescued at Gibeon. They included soldiers and women and children and some of the king’s palace officials. They were all people whom Ishmael [and his men] had captured after they had killed Gedaliah.
17 Basebesuka bayahlala eGeruthi-Kimihamu eseduze leBhethelehema, ukuyangena eGibhithe
They took them all to Geruth-Kimham [village] near Bethlehem. And they all prepared to go to Egypt.
18 ngenxa yamaKhaladiya; ngoba babewesaba, ngoba uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wayebulele uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu, inkosi yeBhabhiloni eyayimmise phezu kwelizwe.
They were worried about what the soldiers of Babylonia [would do to them when they found out] that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, who had been appointed by the King of Babylonia to be their governor.
