1 Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi esemvumele ukuba asuke eRama ngokumthatha eboshiwe ngamaketanga phakathi kwabo bonke abathunjwa baseJerusalema nakwaJuda ababeyakuthunjelwa eBabele.
2 Induna yabalindi yamthatha uJeremiya, yathi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakhuluma lokhu okubi kule ndawo;
3 usekulethile uJehova, wakwenza njengokukhuluma kwakhe, ngokuba nonile kuJehova, kanililalelanga izwi lakhe; ngalokho le nto inehlele.
4 Bheka, manje sengiyakukhulula namuhla emaketangeni asezandleni zakho. Uma kukuhle emehlweni akho ukuya nami eBabele, woza ngiyakukubheka; kepha uma kukubi emehlweni akho ukuya nami eBabele, kuyeke; bheka, izwe lonke lisebusweni bakho; lapho kukuhle nalapho kulungile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, yiya lapho.”
5 Engakabuyi, yathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, inkosi yaseBabele emenze abe ngumbusi phezu kwemizi yakwaJuda, uhlale naye phakathi kwabantu; noma lapho kulungile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, yiya lapho.” Induna yabalindi yayisimnika umphako nesipho, yamvumela ukuba ahambe.
6 Wayesehamba uJeremiya, waya kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, eMispa, wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele ezweni.
7 Zonke izinduna zempi ezazisendle, zona nabantu bazo, sezizwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele imenzile uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu umbusi ezweni nokuthi inikele kuye abesilisa, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabayizimpofana bezwe abangathunjelwanga eBabele,