UJeremiya 39 - IBhayibhili Elingcwele LesiNdebele

¹ Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema lebutho lakhe lonke wayivimbezela.

² Ngosuku lwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga yesine, yomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya umduli wedolobho wadilizwa.

³ Emva kwalokho zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni zafika zahlala eSangweni laPhakathi: kwakunguNerigali-Shareza oweSamugari, loNebho-Sarisekhimi induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza, indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.

⁴ Kwathi lapho uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lamabutho wonke bebabona babaleka. Basuka edolobheni ebusuku ngendlela yasesivandeni senkosi, baphuma ngesango eliphakathi kwemiduli, baqonda e-Arabha.

⁵ Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lafica uZedekhiya emagcekeni aseJerikho. Lamthumba, laselimusa kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni eRibhila, elizweni laseHamathi, lapho amgweba khona.

⁶ Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yawabulalela khona eRibhila amadodana kaZedekhiya emehlweni akhe, yabulala lezikhulu zasesikhosini zonke zakoJuda.

⁷ Emva kwalokho uZedekhiya yamkhupha amehlo yasimbopha ngamaketane ethusi ukuba imuse eBhabhiloni.

⁸ AmaKhaladiya atshisa isigodlo ngomlilo lezindlu zabantu, badiliza lemiduli yeJerusalema.

⁹ UNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, wathatha abantu ababesele edolobheni ndawonye lalabo ababebalekele kuye kanye labanye abantu wabasa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.

¹⁰ Kodwa uNebhuzaradani watshiya elizweni lakoJuda abanye babantu abangabayanga ababengelalutho olungolwabo; njalo ngalesosikhathi wabapha izivini lamasimu.

¹¹ UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wayelaye uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini ngoJeremiya wathi,

¹² “Umthathe, umgcine kuhle; ungamlimazi kodwa umenzele konke akucelayo.”

¹³ Ngakho uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi, loNebhushazibhani induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni

¹⁴ bathumela ukuba uJeremiya asuswe egumeni labalindi. Bamnikela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, ukuba ambuyisele kibo. Ngakho wahlala labantu bakibo.

¹⁵ UJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni labalindi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi,

¹⁶ “Hamba ku-Ebhedi-Meleki umKhushi uthi kuye, ‘UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Sekuseduze ukuba ngigcwalise amazwi ami ngedolobho leli ngokulehlisela umonakalo, hatshi ukuphumelela. Ngalesosikhathi azagcwaliseka phambi kwamehlo enu.

¹⁷ Kodwa ngizakuhlenga ngalolosuku, kutsho uThixo; kawuyikunikelwa kulabo obesabayo.

¹⁸ Ngizakusindisa, kawuyikubulawa ngenkemba kodwa uzaphunyuka lokuphila kwakho, ngoba ungithembile, kutsho uThixo.’ ”