1 UZedekiya unyana kaYosiya wabekwa waba ngukumkani wakwaJuda, emiselwa ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare waseBhabheli. Wangena ezihlangwini zikaKoniya unyana kaJoyakim
2 owayengazange awahoye, yena namaphakathi akhe, nabantu belizwe, amazwi *kaNdikhoyo awayeshunyayelwa ngumshumayeli uJeremiya.
3 Ke yena uZedekiya wathumela uYukali unyana kaShelemiya, ekunye nombingeleli uZefaniya unyana kaMaseya, ukuba baye kumshumayeli uJeremiya, bafike bathi: “Khawusithandazele kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu.”
4 Ngelo xesha wayesakhululekile uJeremiya, esenokuhamba-hamba phakathi kwabantu, kuba wayengekavalelwa entolongweni.
5 Umkhosi wokumkani waseJiputa wawuselundulukile, aza amaKaledi awayengqinge iJerusalem, akuziva ezo ndaba, arhoxa.
6 Lavakala ilizwi likaNdikhoyo kumshumayeli uJeremiya, lisithi:
7 “Utsho uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli ukuthi: ‘Mxeleleni ukumkani wakwaJuda obenithume kum nithi ndithi: Nanko umkhosi wokumkani waseJiputa obuze kuncedisana nani ubuyela kwakwelakowawo eJiputa.
8 Wona ke amaKaledi aza kubuya aze kuhlasela esi sixeko, asithimbe, asitshabalalise ngomlilo.’
9 “Utsho ke uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Nize ningazikhohlisi nibe amaKaledi aza kuniyeka. Unakanye ukuba aniyeke!
10 Ndithi nokuba beningade niwubhuqe wonke umkhosi wamaKaledi onihlaselayo, kusale nje iingxwelerha ezintenteni, zona kanye beziya kuvuka zisitshabalalise ngomlilo esi sixeko.’ ”
11 Wakuba urhoxile eJerusalem umkhosi wamaKaledi emva kokuva iindaba ngomkhosi waseJiputa,
12 uJeremiya wanduluka kweso sixeko, esinga kummandla wakwaBhenjamin, esiya kuthatha isabelo sakhe kubantu balapho.
13 Uthe akufika kwisango leJerusalem ekuthiwa lelakwaBhenjamin, umshumayeli uJeremiya wabanjwa nguIriya, unyana kaShelemiya owayezalwa nguHananiya, owayeyintloko yabalindi, wathi: “Ubhacela kumaKaledi!”
14 UJeremiya uthe: “Hayi, uyaxoka! Andibhaceli kumaKaledi.” UIriya akazange afune nokuva oku, usuke wambamba, wamsa kwiziphathamandla.
15 Zona zacaphuka, zathi makakatswe, avalelwe entolongweni endlwini kaJonatan unobhala, eyayenziwe intolongo.
16 Wavalelwa uJeremiya esiseleni esinamagunjana, apho wahlala khona ithuba elide.
17 Emva koko ukumkani uZedekiya wathi makasiwe kuye ebhotwe, apho wambuza khona ngasese esithi: “Ngaba unalizwi livela kuNdikhoyo?”Waphendula wathi uJeremiya: “Ewe, ndinalo. Wena uza kunikezelwa esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli.”
18 Uqokele wathi uJeremiya, ebhekisa kukumkani uZedekiya: “Ndone ngantoni na kuwe, okanye kumaphakathi nakubantu bakho, sendibona ndifakwe entolongweni nje?
19 Baphi ngoku abo bashumayeli benu babesithi: ‘Ukumkani waseBhabheli akayi kunihlasela nina neli lizwe’?
20 Ndinesicelo, mhlekazi omhle! Ndicela ukuba ndingabuye ndisiwe kulaa ndlu kanobhala uJonatan, hleze ndifele khona!”
21 Wayalela ke ukumkani uZedekiya ukuba uJeremiya makagcinwe enkundleni yabalindi, anikwe iqhekeza lesonka kude kuphele ukutya esixekweni. Kwaba njalo ke ukuhlala kukaJeremiya kwinkundla yabalindi.