1 Abantu bezwe bathatha uJehowahazi indodana kaJosiya, bambeka inkosi esikhundleni sikayise.
2 UJehowahazi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa izinyanga ezintathu eJerusalema.
3 Inkosi yaseGibithe yamsusa eJerusalema, yathelisa izwe amatalenta* ayikhulu esiliva netalenta legolide.
4 Inkosi yaseGibithe yabeka u-Eliyakimi umfowabo inkosi kwaJuda naseJerusalema, yaguqula igama lakhe labanguJehoyakimi. UNekho wathatha uJehowahazi umfowabo, wamyisa eGibithe.
5 UJehoyakimi wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nanye eJerusalema; wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe.
6 Kwenyukela kuye uNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele, wambopha ngamaketanga ukuba amyise eBabele.
7 UNebukadinesari wayisa ezinye izitsha zendlu kaJehova eBabele, wazibeka ethempelini lakhe eBabele.
8 Ezinye izindaba zikaJehoyakimi, nezinengiso azenzayo, nokunye okufumaniseke kuye, bheka, kulotshiwe encwadini yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda; uJehoyakini indodana yakhe waba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
9 UJehoyakini wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa izinyanga ezintathu nezinsuku eziyishumi eJerusalema; wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.
10 Ekuqaleni komnyaka inkosi uNebukadinesari yathumela yamletha eBabele kanye nezitsha ezinxanelekayo zendlu kaJehova, yabeka uSedekiya, umfowabo, inkosi kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
11 USedekiya wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanye ekuqaleni kwakhe ukubusa, wabusa iminyaka eyishumi nanye eJerusalema.
12 Wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe; akazithobanga phambi kukaJeremiya umprofethi womlomo kaJehova.
13 Wayihlubuka inkosi uNebukadinesari eyayimfungisile uJehova, wenza lukhuni intamo yakhe, wenza lukhuni nenhliziyo yakhe ukuba ingaphendukeli kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
14 Zonke izikhulu zabapristi nabantu baphambuka kakhulu ngezinengiso zabezizwe, bayingcolisa indlu kaJehova ayingcwelisileyo eJerusalema.
15 UJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise wathuma kubo ngezandla zezithunywa zakhe, ethuma njalonjalo, ngokuba wahawukela abantu bakhe nendawo yakhe yokuhlala;
16 kepha baziklolodela izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu, bawadelela amazwi akhe, babaphatha kabi abaprofethi bakhe, yaze yavuka intukuthelo kaJehova ngabantu bakhe, kwaze kwangabakho ukwelashwa.
17 Ngalokho wabehlisela inkosi yamaKaledi eyabulala izinsizwa zabo ngenkemba endlini yabo engcwele, ayihawukelanga nansizwa, nantombi, naxhegu, nogugileyo; wabanikela bonke esandleni sayo.
18 Zonke izitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu, ezinkulu nezincane, nengcebo yendlu kaJehova, nengcebo yenkosi neyezikhulu zayo, konke lokho wakuyisa eBabele.
19 Bayishisa indlu kaNkulunkulu, baludiliza ugange lwaseJerusalema, bazishisa zonke izinqaba ngomlilo, bazichitha zonke izitsha ezinxanelekayo zakhona.
20 Abasele enkembeni wabathumbela eBabele; baba yizinceku zakhe nezamadodana akhe, kwaze kwabusa umbuso wasePheresiya
21 ukuba ligcwaliseke izwi likaJehova ngomlomo kaJeremiya, lize laneliswe izwe ngamasabatha alo sonke isikhathi liyincithakalo laligcina isabatha kuze kugcwaliswe iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa.
22 Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya ukuba kufezeke izwi likaJehova ngomlomo kaJeremiya uJehova wavusa umoya kaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya ukuba amemezele embusweni wakhe wonke, alobe futhi ngokuthi:
23 “Usho kanje uKoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya, uthi: ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu wezulu unginikile yonke imibuso yomhlaba; ungiyalile ukumakhela indlu eJerusalema lakwaJuda. Noma ngumuphi phakathi kwenu kubo bonke abantu bakhe, uNkulunkulu makabe naye, akhuphuke.’ ”