22 Ukumkani waseBhabheli uNebhukadenezare wamisela uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam unyana kaShafan wangumlawuli wâbo bantu wabashiyayo kwelakwaJuda.
23 Ke amagosa omkhosi neqela lawo athi akuva ukuba ukumkani waseBhabheli umisele uGedaliya ukuba abe ngumlawuli, asuka aya kuye uGedaliya eMizpa: uIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya, uYohanan unyana kaKareya, uSeraya unyana kaTanumente umNetofa, noYazaniya unyana kaMahakati, bekunye neqela labo.
24 Ke uGedaliya wawaqinisekisa loo madoda efunga esithi: “Musani ukuba naxhala niwoyike amagosa aseBhabheli. Kuphela nina hlalani phantsi nizinze kweli lizwe, nibuse ukumkani waseBhabheli; konke ke konilungela.”
25 Kambe ke kwathi ngenyanga yesixhenxe wasuka uIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya kaElishama, owayengumntwana wegazi, weza neshumi lamadoda, bambulala uGedaliya kunye namadoda akwaJuda namaBhabheli awayekunye naye eMizpa.
26 Ngenxa yesi sihelegu ke bonke abantu, kuqalela komdala kuye komncinci bekunye namagosa omkhosi, bathi ngokoyika amaBhabheli basaba baya kwelaseJiputa.
27 Ke kaloku kwathi ngonyaka wamashumi amathathu anesixhenxe wathinjwayo uJoyakin ukumkani wakwaJuda, nyaka lowo waqala ngawo ukulawula uEvili-merodaki ukumkani waseBhabheli, wasuka wamkhulula uJoyakin entolongweni. Loo nto ke yenzeka ngomhla wamashumi mabini anesixhenxe kwinyanga yeshumi elinambini.
28 Wathetha naye ngobulali, wamnika isihlalo sembeko esingaphezu kwezo zabanye ookumkani awayenabo apho eBhabheli.