1Zonke izikhulu zebutho, kanye loJohanani indodana kaKhareya loJezaniya indodana kaHoshayiya, labantu bonke kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu baya
2kuJeremiya umphrofethi bathi kuye, “Ake uzwe isicelo sethu ubakhulekele bonke laba abaseleyo kuThixo* uNkulunkulu wakho. Ngoba njengoba lawe uzibonela khathesi, lanxa sake saba banengi khathesi kusele abalutshwana kuphela.
3Khuleka ukuba uThixo* uNkulunkulu wakho asitshele lapho okumele siye khona lalokho okumele sikwenze.”
4UJeremiya umphrofethi waphendula wathi, “Ngizwile. Ngizakhuleka impela kuThixo* uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba licelile; ngizalitshela konke uThixo akutshoyo ngingalifihleli lutho.”
5Basebesithi kuJeremiya, “UThixo* kabe ngufakazi wethu oqotho lothembekileyo nxa singenzi okuvumelana lakho konke uThixo* uNkulunkulu wakho akuthuma ukuba usitshele khona.
6Lanxa kukuhle kumbe kukubi sizamlalela uThixo* uNkulunkulu wethu esikuthuma kuye, ukuze kusilungele, ngoba sizamlalela uThixo* uNkulunkulu wethu.”
7Emva kwensuku ezilitshumi ilizwi likaThixo* lafika kuJeremiya.
8Ngakho wabiza uJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilaye kanye labantu bonke kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu.
9Wathi kubo, “UThixo*, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, elingithume ukuba ngiyekwethula isicelo senu kuye, uthi:
10‘Lingahlala kulelilizwe ngizalakha, ngingalibhidlizi, ngizalihlanyela ngingalisiphuni, ngoba ngilusizi ngomonakalo engawenza kini.
11Lingayesabi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, eliyesabayo khathesi. Lingayesabi, kutsho uThixo*, ngoba ngilani njalo ngizalihlenga ngilikhulule ezandleni zayo.
12Ngizakuba lesihawu kini ukuze layo ibe lesihawu kini ilibuyisele elizweni lakini.’
13Kodwa lina lingathi, ‘Kasiyikuhlala kulelizwe,’ ngalokho lingalaleli uThixo* uNkulunkulu wenu,
14njalo nxa lisithi, ‘Hatshi, thina sizakuyahlala eGibhithe lapho esingayikubona khona impi loba sizwe icilongo kumbe silambele ukudla,
15zwanini-ke ilizwi likaThixo*, lina abasele koJuda.’ UThixo* uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Nxa liphitshekela ukuya eGibhithe njalo lihambe ukuyahlala khona,
16lapho-ke inkemba eliyesabayo izalifica khona, lendlala eliyesabayo izalilandela eGibhithe, njalo lizafela khonale.
17Ngempela bonke abaphitshekela ukuya eGibhithe ukuba bahlale khona bazakufa ngenkemba, indlala lesifo; kakho lamunye wabo ozasinda loba aphephe kumonakalo engizabehlisela wona.’
18UThixo* uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi, ‘Njengalokhu ukuthukuthela kwami lolaka lwami kwehliselwa phezu kwabantu abahlala eJerusalema, ngokunjalo ulaka lwami luzakwehliselwa phezu kwenu lapho lisiya eGibhithe. Lizakuba yinto yokuthukwa lokwesatshwa, ukulahlwa lokuhlekwa; indawo le kaliyikuyibona futhi.’
19Lina abasele koJuda, uThixo* ulitshelile wathi, ‘Lingayi eGibhithe.’ Wobani leqiniso lalokhu ukuthi: Ngiyalixwayisa lamuhla
20ukuthi lenza iphutha elikhulu kakhulu ngokungithuma kuThixo* uNkulunkulu wenu lisithi, ‘Sikhulekele kuThixo* uNkulunkulu wethu; usitshele konke akutshoyo sizakwenza.’
21Sengilitshelile lamuhla, kodwa lilokhu lingalaleli lokho uThixo* uNkulunkulu wenu angithume ukuthi ngilitshele khona.