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,