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,