Isahluko 40
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,
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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.”
11
Futhi lapho bonke abaJuda ababekwaMowabi, naphakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakwa-Edomi, nababesemazweni onke sebezwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele ishiyile insali kwaJuda nokuthi ibeke phezu kwabo uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba abe ngumbusi phezu kwabo,
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bonke abaJuda babuya ezindaweni zonke ababexoshelwe kuzo, bafika ezweni lakwaJuda kuGedaliya eMispa, babutha kakhulu iwayini nezithelo.
13
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazisendle beza kuGedaliya eMispa,
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bathi kuye: “Uyazi yini ukuthi uBahalisi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni uthume u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale na?” Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu akabakholwanga.
15
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wakhuluma kuGedaliya eMispa ngasese, wathi: “Mangihambe ngimbulale u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kungaziwa muntu; ubeyakukubulalelani, ukuze bonke abaJuda ababuthene kuwe bahlakazake, insali yakwaJuda ichithwe, na?”
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Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya: “Awuyikwenza le nto, ngokuba ukhuluma amanga ngo-Ishmayeli.”