1Ngomnyaka wakuqala wenkosi yasePhezhiya uKhurosi, ukuze kugcwaliseke ilizwi likaThixo* elakhulunywa nguJeremiya, uThixo* wathinta inhliziyo kaKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya ukuba yenze isimemezelo kuwo wonke umbuso wayo, ukuthi sibhalwe phansi kuthiwe:
2“Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi uKhurosi wasePhezhiya:
3Loba ngubani wabantu bakhe phakathi kwenu angahamba aye eJerusalema koJuda ayekwakha ithempeli likaThixo*, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu oseJerusalema njalo sengathi uNkulunkulu wabo angaba labo.
4Akuthi abantu loba ngabakuyiphi indawo lapho okungabe kuseselensalela kabamuphe isiliva legolide, impahla lezifuyo, leminikelo yokuzithandela yethempeli likaNkulunkulu eJerusalema.’ ”
5Kwasekusithi abazinhloko zemizi yakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kanye labaphristi labaLevi, labo bonke ababethintwe inhliziyo zabo nguNkulunkulu, bazilungisela ukuhamba ukuyakwakha indlu kaThixo* eJerusalema.
6Bonke omakhelwane babo babancedisa ukuzuza izinto zesiliva legolide, impahla lezifuyo, lezipho eziligugu phezu kwayo yonke iminikelo yokuzizwela.
7Phezu kwalokho iNkosi uKhurosi yakhupha zonke izitsha ezazingezethempeli likaThixo* ezazithunjwe nguNebhukhadineza eJerusalema zabekwa ethempelini likankulunkulu wakhe.
8UKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya wathi kazilethwe nguMithiredathi umgcinisikhwama onguye owazibalayo ezibalela uSheshibhazari inkosana yakoJuda.
9Nanzi-ke lezompahla:
10imiganu yegolide ezingubhe yayingamatshumi amathathu (30),