Jeremiah 39
1 Ngonyaka wesishiyagalolunye wokubusa kwenkosi uZedekiya kwaJuda, ngenyanga yeshumi, inkosi uNebukhadinezari waseBhabhele nayo yonke impi yakhe, bafika eJerusalema, balivimbezela.
2 Ngonyaka we-11 wokubusa kukaZedekiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngosuku lwesishiyagalolunye lwayo, bafohla bangena emzini.
3 Zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhele zangena, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi nendawo: kwakunguNerigali Sarezeri, uSamigari Nebho, uSaresekimi induna yezinceku, uNerigali Sarezeri induna yabaphristi, nazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhele.
4 Kwathi lapho uZedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, nawo wonke amabutho bebabona, baphulukundlela, babaleka ebusuku emizini, bahamba ngendlela yensimu yenkosi, ngesango eliphakathi kwezingange zombili; bahamba ngendlela eya e-Arabha.
5 Kepha impi yamaKhaledi yabahubha, yamfica uZedekiya ezinkalweni eJerikho, yambamba, yamyisa kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, owayeseRibhila eHamathi, wamgweba.
6 Inkosi yaseBhabhele yabulala amadodana kaZedekiya eRibhila phambi kwakhe, ebuka; yabulala nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaJuda.
7 UZedekiya yamkhipha amehlo, yambopha ngamaketanga, wayiswa eBhabhele.
8 AmaKhaledi asishisa ngomlilo isigodlo senkosi nezindlu zabantu, adiliza izingange eJerusalema.
9 Insali yabantu ababesemzini, namambuka ayehlubukele kuye, nalabo bantu ababesele kuNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, wabathumbela eBhabhele.
10 UNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, wabashiya abantu abampofu ababengenalutho ezweni lakwaJuda, wabanika izivini namasimu ngalolo lusuku.
11 UNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, wamyala uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, ngoJeremiya, wathi:
12 “Mthathe, umphathe kahle, ungezi lutho kuye oluzomlimaza, kodwa wenze lokho akutshela khona.”
13 UNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, uNebushazibhani induna yezinceku, uNerigali Sarezeri induna yabaphristi, nezikhulu zonke zenkosi yaseBhabhele, bathumela,
14 ukuba uJeremiya akhishwe egcekeni labalindi. Bamedlulisela kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, ukuba amyise ekhaya; wayesehlala phakathi kwabantu.
15 Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuJeremiya ngesikhathi esavalelwe egcekeni lejele, lathi:
16 “Hamba utshele u-Ebhedi Melekhi, umKhushe, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: bheka, ngiyakuwafeza amazwi ami amelene nalo muzi kuyoba ngokubi, hhayi okuhle, ngalolo lusuku ayofezeka phambi kwakho.
17 Kepha wena ngiyakukusindisa ngalolo lusuku, kusho uSimakade, awuyukunikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
18 Impela ngiyakukukhulula, awuyukuwa ngenkemba, kodwa ukuphila kwakho kuyofana nempango kuwe, ngokuba ungethembile, kusho uSimakade.’ ”