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,
8 zaya kuGedaliya eMispa: u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, noJohanani noJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, noSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti, namadodana ka-Efayi waseNethofa, noJahazaniya indodana yomMahakha, bona nabantu babo.
9 UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani wafunga kubo nakubantu babo, wathi: “Ningesabi ukukhonza amaKaledi: hlalani ezweni, niyikhonze inkosi yaseBabele, kuyakuba kuhle kini.
10 Bhekani, mina ngiyakuhlala eMispa, ngiwakhonze lawo maKaledi ayakufika kithina, kepha nina, buthani iwayini, nezithelo, namafutha, nikubeke ezitsheni zenu, nihlale emizini yenu eniyithathileyo.”