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1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema lebutho lakhe lonke wayivimbezela.
2 Ngosuku lwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga yesine, yomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya umduli wedolobho wadilizwa.
3 Emva kwalokho zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni zafika zahlala eSangweni laPhakathi: kwakunguNerigali-Shareza oweSamugari, loNebho-Sarisekhimi induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza, indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.
4 Kwathi lapho uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lamabutho wonke bebabona babaleka. Basuka edolobheni ebusuku ngendlela yasesivandeni senkosi, baphuma ngesango eliphakathi kwemiduli, baqonda e-Arabha.
5 Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lafica uZedekhiya emagcekeni aseJerikho. Lamthumba, laselimusa kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni eRibhila, elizweni laseHamathi, lapho amgweba khona.
6 Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yawabulalela khona eRibhila amadodana kaZedekhiya emehlweni akhe, yabulala lezikhulu zasesikhosini zonke zakoJuda.
7 Emva kwalokho uZedekhiya yamkhupha amehlo yasimbopha ngamaketane ethusi ukuba imuse eBhabhiloni.
8 AmaKhaladiya atshisa isigodlo ngomlilo lezindlu zabantu, badiliza lemiduli yeJerusalema.
9 UNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, wathatha abantu ababesele edolobheni ndawonye lalabo ababebalekele kuye kanye labanye abantu wabasa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
10 Kodwa uNebhuzaradani watshiya elizweni lakoJuda abanye babantu abangabayanga ababengelalutho olungolwabo; njalo ngalesosikhathi wabapha izivini lamasimu.
11 UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wayelaye uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini ngoJeremiya wathi,
12 “Umthathe, umgcine kuhle; ungamlimazi kodwa umenzele konke akucelayo.”
13 Ngakho uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi, loNebhushazibhani induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni
14 bathumela ukuba uJeremiya asuswe egumeni labalindi. Bamnikela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, ukuba ambuyisele kibo. Ngakho wahlala labantu bakibo.
15 UJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni labalindi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi,
16 “Hamba ku-Ebhedi-Meleki umKhushi uthi kuye, ‘UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Sekuseduze ukuba ngigcwalise amazwi ami ngedolobho leli ngokulehlisela umonakalo, hatshi ukuphumelela. Ngalesosikhathi azagcwaliseka phambi kwamehlo enu.
17 Kodwa ngizakuhlenga ngalolosuku, kutsho uThixo; kawuyikunikelwa kulabo obesabayo.
18 Ngizakusindisa, kawuyikubulawa ngenkemba kodwa uzaphunyuka lokuphila kwakho, ngoba ungithembile, kutsho uThixo.’ ”