Jeremiah 37
1 UZedekiya, indodana kaJosiya, wabusa eyinkosi esikhundleni sikaKhoniya, indodana kaJehoyakimi, owayebekwe nguNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ukuba abe yinkosi kwaJuda.
2 Kepha uZedekiya, izinceku zakhe, nabantu bezwe abawalalenga amazwi kaSimakade awakhuluma ngomlomo kaJeremiya, umphrofethi.
3 UZedekiya, inkosi, wathumela uJehukhali, indodana kaShelemiya, noZefaniya, indodana kaMahaseya, umphristi, kumphrofethi uJeremiya, wathi: “Ake usikhulekele kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu.”
4 UJeremiya wayesekhululekile ukuba ahambe phakathi kwabantu, ngoba babengakamfaki ejele.
5 Impi kaFaro yayikhuphukile ivela eGibhithe, okwathi lapho amaKhaledi ayevimbezele iJerusalema ezwa lokho, asuka eJerusalema.
6 Izwi likaSimakade lafika kumphrofethi uJeremiya, lathi:
7 “Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: niyakusho kanje enkosini yakwaJuda enithumileyo ukuba nizobuza kimi, nithi: ‘Uyabona-ke, impi kaFaro ephume ukuzonisiza izophenduka ibuyele ezweni lakubo eGibhithe.
8 AmaKhaledi azobuya alwe nalo muzi, awudle, awushise ngomlilo.’
9 “Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ningazikhohlisi, nithi: ‘AmaKhaledi ayakusuka kithi noma kanjani, ahambe,’ ngokuba awayukuhamba.
10 Noma beningayibhubhisa yonke impi yamaKhaledi alwa nani, kusale kuphela izinkubela kubo, zona beziyakuvuka, kube yileyo naleyo ethendeni layo, ziwushise ngomlilo lo muzi.”
11 Kwathi lapho impi yamaKhaledi isisukile eJerusalema, ngenxa yempi kaFaro,
12 uJeremiya wasuka eJerusalema, waya ezweni lakwaBhenjamini ukuba ayokwamukela khona isabelo sakhe phakathi kwabantu.
13 Kwathi lapho engasesangweni kwaBhenjamini, bheka, umphathi wabalindi okwakuthiwa ngu-Iriya, indodana kaShelemiya kaHananiya; wambamba uJeremiya, umphrofethi, wathi: “Uhlubukela kumaKhaledi.”
14 UJeremiya, wathi: “Amanga lawo. Angihlubukeli kumaKhaledi.” Kepha akamlalelanga. U-Iriya wambopha uJeremiya wamyisa ezikhulwini.
15 Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya, zamshaya, zamfaka ejele, endlini kaJonathani, umbhali, eyayenziwe ijele.
16 UJeremiya esefakwe emgodini, endlini eyijele, wahlala lapho isikhathi eside.
17 UZedekiya, inkosi, wathumela ukuba alandwe; inkosi yambuza ngasese esigodlweni sayo, yathi: “Likhona yini izwi elivela kuSimakade na?” UJeremiya, wathi: “Likhona.” Wathi futhi: “Uyakunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBhabhele.”
18 UJeremiya wayesethi enkosini uZedekiya: “Ngoneni kuwe, nasezincekwini zakho, nakulaba bantu ukuba ningifake ejele na?
19 Baphi manje abaphrofethi benu ababephrofetha, bethi: ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhele ayizukukuhlasela wena naleli lizwe na?’
20 Ngakho-ke ake ulalele nkosi yami, nkosi, ake kuzwakale ukunxusa kwami engikwethula kuwe, ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani, umbhali, funa ngifele khona.”
21 UZedekiya, inkosi, wayeseyala ukuba uJeremiya bambeke egcekeni labalindi, bamnika nsuku zonke iqebelengwane lesinkwa elivela emgwaqweni wababhakizinkwa, kwaze kwaphela sonke isinkwa emzini. UJeremiya wahlala-ke egcekeni labalindi.