1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, elathi, 2 “Yana endlini yamaRekhabi uwabize ukuba eze kwelinye lamakamelo endlu kaThixo uwanike iwayini anathe.”

3 Ngakho ngayathatha uJazaniya indodana kaJeremiya, indodana kaHabhaziniya, labafowabo kanye lamadodana akhe wonke lomuzi wonke wamaRekhabi. 4 Ngabasa endlini kaThixo, ekamelweni lamadodana kaHanani indoda ka-Igidaliya umuntu kaNkulunkulu. Laliseduze lekamelo lezikhulu elalingaphezu kwelikaMaseya indodana kaShalumi umlindi wesango. 5 Emva kwalokho ngabeka imiganu eyayigcwele iwayini lezinkezo phambi kwabantu bomndeni wamaRekhabi, ngathi kubo, “Nathani iwayini.”

6 Kodwa bona baphendula bathi, “Iwayini kasilinathi ngoba ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi wasinika umlayo lo othi: ‘Lina loba inzalo yenu akumelanga linathe iwayini. 7 Njalo lingakhi zindlu, lingahlanyeli kumbe lilime izivini; lingabi lokunye kwalezizinto, kodwa kumele lihlale emathenteni kokuphela. Ngalokho lizaphila isikhathi eside elizweni elizinzulane kulo.’ 8 Sakulalela konke ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi asilaya khona. Thina labomkethu lamadodana ethu kanye lamadodakazi ethu asikaze silinathe iwayini, 9 kumbe sakhe izindlu zokuhlala kuzo loba sibe lezivini, amasimu kumbe amabele. 10 Sihlala emathenteni njalo siyakulalela konke ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi asilaya khona. 11 Kodwa ekuhlaseleni kukaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ilizwe leli, sathi, ‘Wozani siye eJerusalema sibalekele amabutho amaKhaladiya kanye lawama-Aramu.’ Sahlala kanjalo eJerusalema.”

12 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kuJeremiya lisithi: 13 “UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Hamba uyetshela abantu bakoJuda labahlala eJerusalema ukuthi, ‘Kalifundi sifundo lilalele amazwi ami na?’ kutsho uThixo. 14 ‘UJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi walaya amadodana akhe ukuba anganathi iwayini, njalo umlayo lo wagcinwa. Kuze kube lamhla iwayini kabalinathi ngoba balalela umlayo kakhokho wabo. Kodwa mina sengakhuluma lani njalonjalo, kodwa kalingilalelanga. 15 Ngathuma izinceku zami abaphrofethi kini kanenginengi. Bathi, “Ngamunye wenu kumele liphenduke ezindleleni zenu ezimbi lilungise lezenzo zenu; lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuba libakhonze. Ngalokho lizahlala elizweni engalipha lona lina labokhokho benu.” Kodwa kalinakanga, njalo kalingilalelanga. 16 Inzalo kaJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi iwulandele umlayo eyawuphiwa ngukhokho wayo, kodwa abantu laba mina kabangilalelanga.’

17 Ngakho uThixo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi; ‘Lalelani, ngizakwehlisela phezu kukaJuda laphezu komuntu wonke ohlala eJerusalema wonke umonakalo engabathembisa wona. Ngabatshela, kodwa kabalalelanga; ngababiza, kodwa kabasabelanga.’ ”

18 UJeremiya wasesithi kwabomndeni wamaRekhabi, “UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Liwulalele umlayo kakhokho wenu uJehonadabi layilandela yonke imfundiso yakhe njalo lenza konke alilaya khona.’ 19 Ngakho uThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘UJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi kayikuswela umuntu wokungikhonza.’ ”