1 Lavakala ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuJeremiya, akuba ekhululwe nguNebhuzaradan umphathi-balindi bakomkhulu, eRama. UNebhuzaradan wafika uJeremiya ekhonkxiwe ephakathi kwabathinjwa baseJerusalem nakwaJuda, ababesisiwa ekuthinjweni eBhabheli.
2 Akufika kuJeremiya umphathi-balindi wathi: “*NguNdikhoyo uThixo wenu ocwangcise le ntlekele inihleleyo kule ndawo.
3 Uyenzile ke uNdikhoyo loo nto njengokuba wayetshilo. Nifikelwe yile nto ngenxa yokuba nimonile uNdikhoyo anamphulaphula.
4 Uyabona, namhlanje ndiza kukukhulula kula matyathanga ubotshwe izandla ngawo. Ungaya nam eBhabhehli ukuba uyafuna; ndokulungiselela. Phofu ungasala uhlale apha ukuba akufuni, okanye ungaya naphi na apho uthanda khona kweli lizwe.”
5 Kambe ke engekahambi uJeremiya uNebhuzaradan uqokele wenjenje: “Ungabuyela kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam ozalwa nguShafan, omiselwe ukuba alawule iidolophu zakwaJuda ngukumkani waseBhabheli. Ungahlala naye phakathi kwamawenu, okanye uye naphi na apho uthanda khona.” Watsho emnika umphako loo mphathi-balindi kwakunye nesipho, wamndulula uJeremiya.
6 Wesuka apho uJeremiya, waya kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam owayeseMizpa, wafika wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele kwelo lizwe.
7 Ukumkani waseBhabheli wamisela uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam ukuba abe ngumphathiswa welizwe elo, abe phantsi kwakhe loo madoda nabafazi nabantwana kwabo bahlelelekileyo ababengafuduswanga basiwa eBhabheli. Ke abaphathi bamabutho ababesemaphandleni benamadoda awo, bakukuva oku,
8 basuka baya eMizpa apho kuGedaliya. Babekhokelwe ngooIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya, uYohanan noJonatan oonyana bakaKareya, kunye noSeraya unyana kaTanumeti, bekunye noonyana bakaEfayi wakwaNetofa, kunye noYaziya umfo waseMahaka, nabalandeli babo.
9 Wafunga uGedaliya, unyana ka-Ahikam, umzukulwana kaShafan, wathi kubo nabalandeli babo: “Ze ningoyiki ukuwakhonza amaKaledi. Hlalani apha kweli lizwe, nithobele ukumkani waseBhabheli. Xa nenjenjalo niya kulungelwa.
10 Mna ke ndiza kuhlala eMizpa, ndibe ngummeli wenu kumaKaledi asihambelayo. Yiyani kuqokelela iwayini, neziqhamo zasehlotyeni, neoyile yeminquma, nifake koovimba, nihlale kwezo dolophu nizithathileyo.”
11 Athi amaJuda awayekwaMowabhi, nawayekwa-Amon, nakwaEdom, nakuwo onke amanye amazwe, akuva ukuba ukumkani waseBhabheli washiya igcudwana kwaJuda, waza wamisa uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam ozalwa nguShafan ukuba abe ngumphathiswa,
12 asuka onke, abuyela kwelakwaJuda, aya kuGedaliya eMizpa. Ayesuka kumazwe ngamazwe awayethe saa kuwo. Aqokelela intaphane yewayini neziqhamo zasehlotyeni.
13 Kwafika uYohanan unyana kaKareya kuGedaliya eMizpa, ehamba nabanye abaphathi bamabutho awayesemaphandleni,
14 bathi kuye: “Akuvanga na ukuba uBhahalisi ukumkani wama-Amon uthumele uIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya ukuba akugwinte?” UGedaliya yena unyana ka-Ahikam akazange abakholelwe.
15 Emva koko uYohanan unyana kaKareya waya kuGedaliya ngasese apho eMizpa, wathi: “Ndivumele ndiye kubulala uIshamyeli unyana kaNetaniya; akukho mntu uya kuyazi loo nto. Makangayekwa akubulale, aze la maJuda aqokeleleke apha phantsi kwakho athi saa, atshabalale amasalela akwaJuda.”
16 UGedaliya waphendula uYohanan ngelithi: “Uze ungakhe uyenze into enjalo! Bubuxoki le nto wena uyithethayo ngoIshmayeli.”