1 Zonke izikhulu zebutho, kanye loJohanani indodana kaKhareya loJezaniya indodana kaHoshayiya, labantu bonke kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu baya 2 kuJeremiya 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. 3 Khuleka ukuba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho asitshele lapho okumele siye khona lalokho okumele sikwenze.”

4 UJeremiya umphrofethi waphendula wathi, “Ngizwile. Ngizakhuleka impela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba licelile; ngizalitshela konke uThixo akutshoyo ngingalifihleli lutho.”

5 Basebesithi kuJeremiya, “UThixo kabe ngufakazi wethu oqotho lothembekileyo nxa singenzi okuvumelana lakho konke uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho akuthuma ukuba usitshele khona. 6 Lanxa kukuhle kumbe kukubi sizamlalela uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu esikuthuma kuye, ukuze kusilungele, ngoba sizamlalela uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.”

7 Emva kwensuku ezilitshumi ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuJeremiya. 8 Ngakho wabiza uJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilaye kanye labantu bonke kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu. 9 Wathi kubo, “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, elingithume ukuba ngiyekwethula isicelo senu kuye, uthi: 10 ‘Lingahlala kulelilizwe ngizalakha, ngingalibhidlizi, ngizalihlanyela ngingalisiphuni, ngoba ngilusizi ngomonakalo engawenza kini. 11 Lingayesabi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, eliyesabayo khathesi. Lingayesabi, kutsho uThixo, ngoba ngilani njalo ngizalihlenga ngilikhulule ezandleni zayo. 12 Ngizakuba lesihawu kini ukuze layo ibe lesihawu kini ilibuyisele elizweni lakini.’

13 Kodwa lina lingathi, ‘Kasiyikuhlala kulelizwe,’ ngalokho lingalaleli uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, 14 njalo nxa lisithi, ‘Hatshi, thina sizakuyahlala eGibhithe lapho esingayikubona khona impi loba sizwe icilongo kumbe silambele ukudla, 15 zwanini-ke ilizwi likaThixo, lina abasele koJuda.’ UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Nxa liphitshekela ukuya eGibhithe njalo lihambe ukuyahlala khona, 16 lapho-ke inkemba eliyesabayo izalifica khona, lendlala eliyesabayo izalilandela eGibhithe, njalo lizafela khonale. 17 Ngempela bonke abaphitshekela ukuya eGibhithe ukuba bahlale khona bazakufa ngenkemba, indlala lesifo; kakho lamunye wabo ozasinda loba aphephe kumonakalo engizabehlisela wona.’ 18 UThixo 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.’

19 Lina abasele koJuda, uThixo ulitshelile wathi, ‘Lingayi eGibhithe.’ Wobani leqiniso lalokhu ukuthi: Ngiyalixwayisa lamuhla 20 ukuthi lenza iphutha elikhulu kakhulu ngokungithuma kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu lisithi, ‘Sikhulekele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu; usitshele konke akutshoyo sizakwenza.’ 21 Sengilitshelile lamuhla, kodwa lilokhu lingalaleli lokho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu angithume ukuthi ngilitshele khona. 22 Ngakho khathesi wobani leqiniso ukuthi lizakufa ngenkemba, indlala lesifo endaweni elifuna ukuyahlala kuyo.”