1 USedekiya, indodana kaJosiya, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikaKhoniya, indodana kaJehoyakimi, wabekwa inkosi ezweni lakwaJuda nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele.
2 Kepha yena nezinceku zakhe nabantu bezwe abawalalelanga amazwi kaJehova awakhulumayo ngesandla sikaJeremiya umprofethi.
3 USedekiya inkosi wathuma uJehukali, indodana kaShelemiya, noZefaniya, indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, kumprofethi uJeremiya, wathi: “Ake usikhulekele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
4 UJeremiya wangena, waphuma phakathi kwabantu, ngokuba babengakamfaki etilongweni.
5 Impi kaFaro yayisiphumile eGibithe; lapho amaKaledi avimbezela iJerusalema ekuzwa, akhuphuka eJerusalema.
6 Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kumprofethi uJeremiya, lithi:
7 “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Niyakusho kanje enkosini yakwaJuda eyanithuma kimi ukubuza kimi, nithi: ‘Bheka, impi kaFaro ephume ukunisiza iyakubuyela eGibithe, izwe lakubo.
8 AmaKaledi ayakubuya, alwe nalo muzi, awuthathe, awushise ngomlilo.’
9 “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Ningazikhohlisi ngokuthi: ‘AmaKaledi ayakusuka nokusuka kithi;’ ngokuba awayikusuka.
10 Ngokuba noma benichithile impi yonke yamaKaledi elwa nani, kwaze kwasala abantu abagwaziweyo bodwa phakathi kwabo, bona bebeyakuvuka, kube yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe, bawushise lo muzi ngomlilo.”
11 Kwathi lapho impi yamaKaledi isikhuphukile eJerusalema ngokwesaba impi kaFaro,
12 uJeremiya waphuma eJerusalema ukuba aye ezweni lakwaBenjamini ukuthola khona isabelo sakhe phakathi kwabantu.
13 Lapho esesangweni lakwaBenjamini, kwakukhona lapho inkosi yabalindi egama layo lalingu-Iriya indodana kaShelemiya kaHananiya; yambamba uJeremiya umprofethi, yathi: “Uyahlubukela kumaKaledi.”
14 Kepha uJeremiya wathi: “Amanga. Angihlubukeli kumaKaledi.” Kepha ayimlalelanga; u-Iriya wayesembamba uJeremiya, wamyisa ezikhulwini.
15 Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya, zamshaya, zamfaka etilongweni endlini kaJonathani umbhali, ngokuba zaziyenze itilongo.
16 Lapho uJeremiya esengene endlini yomgodi ezindlwaneni ezingaphansi, uJeremiya esehlale khona izinsuku eziningi,
17 uSedekiya inkosi wathumela wamlanda; inkosi yambuza ngasese endlini yayo, yathi: “Kukhona izwi elivela kuJehova na?”UJeremiya wathi: “Likhona.” Wathi futhi: “Uyakunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBabele.”
18 UJeremiya wathi futhi enkosini uSedekiya: “Ngoneni kuwe, nasezincekwini zakho, nakulaba bantu ukuba ningifake etilongweni na?
19 Baphi manje abaprofethi benu ababeprofetha kini ngokuthi: ‘Inkosi yaseBabele ayiyikunehlela nina naleli zwe,’ na?
20 Ake uzwe manje, nkosi yami, nkosi; ukunxusa kwami makufike phambi kwakho ukuba ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umbhali, funa ngifele khona.”
21 USedekiya inkosi wayeseyala ukuba bambeke uJeremiya egcekeni letilongo, bamnika imihla ngemihla iqebelengwane lesinkwa livela esiTaladini Sabaphekizinkwa, kwaze kwaphela isinkwa sonke emzini. UJeremiya wahlala-ke egcekeni letilongo.