UJeremiya 37:1-21
37 UZedekhiya+ indodana kaJosiya waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikaKhoniya*+ indodana kaJehoyakhimu. Wabekwa nguNebhukhadinezari* inkosi yeBhabhiloni ukuthi abe yinkosi elizweni lakoJuda.+
2 Kodwa uZedekhiya lezinceku zakhe kanye labantu abahlala elizweni abazange bawalalele amazwi uJehova awakhuluma esebenzisa uJeremiya umphrofethi.
3 INkosi uZedekhiya yathuma uJehukhali+ indodana kaShelemiya, loZefaniya+ indodana kaMahaseya umphristi ukuthi baye kuJeremiya umphrofethi bafike bathi kuye: “Sicela usithandazele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
4 UJeremiya wayezihambela ekhululekile phakathi kwabantu ngoba babengakamfaki ejele.+
5 Ngalesosikhathi ibutho likaFaro lalisiza livela eGibhithe.+ Ngakho amaKhaledi ayevimbezele iJerusalema athi ekuzwa lokho asuka eJerusalema.+
6 Ilizwi likaJehova laselifika kuJeremiya umphrofethi lathi:
7 “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ‘Inkosi yakoJuda elithume ukuthi lizobuza kimi kumele liyitshele lithi: “Ibutho likaFaro elizokuncedisa lizabuyela elizweni lalo eGibhithe.+
8 AmaKhaledi azaphenduka alwe ledolobho leli alinqobe, abeselithungela ngomlilo.”+
9 UJehova uthi, “Lingaziyengi lisithi, ‘AmaKhaledi asehambile, awasoze aphinde asihlasele,’ ngoba azaphenduka.
10 Lanxa belinganqoba lonke ibutho lamaKhaledi elilwa lani, kusale abalimeleyo kuphela, bebezaphuma ematendeni abo balithungele ngomlilo idolobho leli.”’”+
11 Ibutho lamaKhaledi lathi selisukile eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho likaFaro,+
12 uJeremiya wasuka eJerusalema esiya elizweni lakoBhenjamini+ ukuze ayethola isabelo sakhe phakathi kwabantu bakibo.
13 Kodwa wathi efika egedini lakoBhenjamini, isikhulu esasikhangela abalindi okwakuthiwa ngu-Irija indodana kaShelemiya, indodana kaHananiya, sambamba uJeremiya umphrofethi sathi kuye: “Usuhlamukela kumaKhaledi!”
14 UJeremiya wathi: “Hatshi! Angihlamukeli kumaKhaledi.” Kodwa u-Irija kazange amlalele uJeremiya. Wambopha wamhambisa ezikhulwini.
15 Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya,+ zamtshaya zamvalela endlini+ kaJehonathani unobhala, eyayenziwe yaba yijele.
16 UJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini esimnyama esasingaphansi kwendlu futhi wahlala lapho okwamalanga amanengi.
17 INkosi uZedekhiya yambizela endlini yayo* yasimbuza ngudlu+ yathi, “Likhona yini ilizwi elivela kuJehova?” UJeremiya waphendula wathi, “Ye likhona!” Waseqhubeka wathi, “Uzanikelwa esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni!”+
18 UJeremiya waphinda wathi enkosini uZedekhiya: “Kanti ngikoneleni wena lezinceku zakho labantu laba ukuthi selingaze lingifake ejele?
19 Khathesi bangaphi abaphrofethi benu ababephrofetha besithi, ‘Inkosi yeBhabhiloni ayisoze ilihlasele ilizwe leli njalo ayisoze ilwe lani’?+
20 Ngicela ungilalele nkosi yami, wamukele isicelo sami. Ngicela ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJehonathani+ unobhala ngoba ngingafela khona.”+
21 Ngakho iNkosi uZedekhiya yathi uJeremiya avalelwe egumeni labalindi.+ Nsuku zonke wayephiwa isinkwa esasivela emgwaqweni wabapheki bezinkwa.+ UJeremiya waphiwa isinkwa leso kwaze kwaba yilapho isinkwa siphela edolobheni+ njalo waqhubeka ehlala egumeni labalindi.
