Jeremiya Chapter 38

1. UShefathiya indodana kaMathani, noGedaliya indodana kaPhashuri, noJukali indodana kaShelemiya, noPhashuri indodana kaMalikhiya bawezwa amazwi uJeremiya awakhulumayo kubo bonke abantu ukuthi:

2. “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Osele kulo muzi uyakufa ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, kepha ophumela kumaKaledi uyakuphila, nokuphila kwakhe kuyakuba yimpango kuye, aphile.’

3. Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Lo muzi uyakunikelwa nokunikelwa esandleni sempi yenkosi yaseBabele, iwuthathe.’ ”

4. Zase zithi izikhulu enkosini: “Makabulawe lo muntu, njengokuba edangalisa izandla zamadoda empi asele kulo muzi nezandla zabantu bonke ngokukhuluma amazwi anjalo kubo, ngokuba lo muntu akafuni ukuthula kwalaba bantu, ubafunela okubi.”

5. USedekiya inkosi wayesethi: “Bhekani, usesandleni senu, ngokuba inkosi ayinamandla okuphambana nani ngalutho.”

6. Zase zimthatha uJeremiya, zamphonsa emgodini kaMalikhiya indodana yenkosi owawusegcekeni letilongo, bamehlisa uJeremiya ngezintambo. Emgodini kwakungekho manzi, udaka lodwa; uJeremiya washona odakeni.

7. U-Ebedi Meleki umKushe, umthenwa, owayesendlini yenkosi, esezwile ukuthi bamfake uJeremiya emgodini, inkosi ihlezi esangweni lakwaBenjamini,

8. u-Ebedi Meleki waphuma endlini yenkosi, wakhuluma enkosini, wathi:

9. “Nkosi yami, nkosi, laba bantu benzile okubi ngakho konke abakwenzile kuJeremiya umprofethi, abamphonsile emgodini; uyakufela endaweni lapho ekhona ngokulamba, ngokuba akusekho ukudla emzini.”

10. Inkosi yayisimyala u-Ebedi Meleki umKushe, ithi: “Thatha lapha abantu abangamashumi amathathu, uhambe nabo, umkhiphe uJeremiya umprofethi emgodini, engakafi.”

11. U-Ebedi Meleki wabathatha abantu, wahamba nabo, waya endlini yenkosi phansi kwendlu yengcebo, wakhipha khona amadlephudlephu amadala namanikiniki abolileyo, wawehlisela kuJeremiya emgodini ngezintambo.

12. U-Ebedi Meleki umKushe wathi kuJeremiya: “Faka lawa madlephudlephu amadala namanikiniki abolileyo emakhwapheni phansi kwezintambo.” UJeremiya wenze njalo.

13. Base bemdonsa uJeremiya ngezintambo, bamkhipha emgodini; uJeremiya wahlala egcekeni letilongo.

14. USedekiya inkosi wathumela wamthatha uJeremiya umprofethi, wamzisa kuye esikhaleni sesithathu esisendlini kaJehova; inkosi yathi kuJeremiya: “Ngithanda ukubuza into kuwe, ungangifihleli lutho.”

15. UJeremiya wathi kuSedekiya: “Uma ngikutshela, awuyikungibulala nokungibulala na? Uma ngikululeka, awuyikungilalela.”

16. Inkosi uSedekiya yayisifunga ngasese kuJeremiya, yathi: “Kuphila kukaJehova owasenzela lo mphefumulo, angiyikukubulala, futhi angiyikukunikela esandleni salawa madoda afuna ukuphila kwakho.”

17. Wayesethi uJeremiya kuSedekiya: “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uma uphuma nokuphuma, uye ezikhulwini zenkosi yaseBabele, umphefumulo wakho uyakuphila, futhi lo muzi awuyikushiswa ngomlilo, uphile wena nendlu yakho;

18. kepha uma ungaphumi uye ezikhulwini zenkosi yaseBabele, lo muzi uyakunikelwa esandleni samaKaledi, awushise ngomlilo, ungaphunyuki esandleni sabo.’ ”

19. Inkosi uSedekiya yathi kuJeremiya: “Ngiyesaba abaJuda abahlubukele kumaKaledi, funa nginikelwe esandleni sabo, bangiklolodele.”

20. Kepha uJeremiya wathi: “Abayikukunikela. Ake ulilalele izwi likaJehova kulokhu engikukhulumayo kuwe; kuyakuba kuhle kuwe, umphefumulo wakho uphile.

21. Kepha uma wala ukuphuma, yileli zwi uJehova angibonisile lona lokuthi:

22. Bheka, bonke abesifazane abasele endlini yenkosi yakwaJuda bayakukhishelwa izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele; bheka, bayakuthi: “ ‘Abahlobo bakho abakhulu bakududile, bakwahlula; kepha lapho izinyawo zakhe zishone exhaphozini, babuyele emuva.’

23. “Bayakukhiphela amaKaledi bonke abafazi bakho nabantwana bakho; awuyikuphunyuka esandleni sabo, kepha uyakubanjwa ngesandla senkosi yaseBabele, wenze ukuba lo muzi ushiswe ngomlilo.”

24. USedekiya wayesethi kuJeremiya: “Makungabikho muntu owazi lawa mazwi, funa ufe.

25. Uma izikhulu zizwa ukuthi ngikhulumile nawe, bese zifika kuwe, zithi kuwe: ‘Ake usitshele okukhulumileyo enkosini, ungasifihleli khona, asiyikukubulala, nalokho inkosi eyakukhuluma kuwe,’

26. uyakuthi kubo: ‘Nganxusa enkosini ukuba ingangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani, funa ngifele khona.’ ”

27. Zonke izikhulu zafika kuJeremiya, zambuza. Wazitshela onke lawa mazwi inkosi emyale ngawo. Zathula, zasuka kuye, ngokuba indaba ayizwakalanga.

28. Kepha uJeremiya wasala egcekeni letilongo, kwaze kwafika usuku elanqotshwa ngalo iJerusalema.