21 Inkosi yaseBabele yabashaya, yababulala eRibila ezweni laseHamati. Wathunjwa kanjalo uJuda ezweni lakubo.
22 Abantu abaseleyo ezweni lakwaJuda abashiyiwe nguNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele, phezu kwabo wenza uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani abe ngumbusi.
23 Zonke izinduna zempi, zona nabantu bazo, sezizwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele imenzile uGedaliya umbusi ezweni, zaya kuGedaliya eMispa: u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, noJohanani indodana kaKhareya, noSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti waseNethofa, noJahazaniya indodana yomMahakha, bona nabantu babo.
24 UGedaliya wafunga kubo nakubantu babo, wathi kubo: “Ningesabi izinceku zamaKaledi; hlalani ezweni, niyikhonze inkosi yaseBabele, kuyakuba kuhle kini.”
25 Kepha kwathi ngenyanga yesikhombisa wafika u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ka-Elishama wozalo lwenkosi, abantu abayishumi benaye, wamshaya uGedaliya waze wafa, kanye nabaJuda namaKaledi ayenaye eMispa.
26 Abantu bonke, abancane nabakhulu, nezinduna zempi basuka baya eGibithe, ngokuba besaba amaKaledi.
27 Kwathi ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nesikhombisa wokuthunjwa kukaJehoyakini inkosi yakwaJuda ngenyanga yeshumi nambili ngolwamashumi amabili nesikhombisa lwenyanga, u-Evili Merodaki inkosi yaseBabele, ngomnyaka wokuqala wokubusa kwakhe, waphakamisa ikhanda likaJehoyakini inkosi yakwaJuda, wamkhipha etilongweni,