15. Ngokuba nishilo ukuthi: “UJehova usivusele abaprofethi eBabele.”
16. Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova ngenkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide nangabo bonke abantu abahlala kulo muzi, abafowenu abangayanga nani ekuthunjweni,
17. yebo, usho uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma kubo inkemba, nendlala, nesifo, ngibenze babe njengamakhiwane amabi angenakudliwa ngobubi bawo.
18. Ngiyakubalandela ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, ngibenze babe yingebhe emibusweni yonke yomhlaba, babe yisiqalekiso, nesimangaliso, nento encimfelwayo, nehlazo ezizweni zonke engibaxoshele kuzo,
19. ngokuba abawalalelanga amazwi ami,” usho uJehova, “engawathuma kubo ngezinceku zami abaprofethi, ngibathuma njalonjalo; yebo, kanilalelanga,” usho uJehova.
20. Kepha yizwani manje izwi likaJehova nina nonke bathunjwa, enginithumile eBabele niphuma eJerusalema.
21. Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngo-Ahabi indodana kaKholaya nangoSedekiya indodana kaMahaseya abaprofetha amanga kini egameni lami, uthi: “Bheka, ngiyakubanikela esandleni sikaNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele; uyakubabulala phambi kwamehlo enu.
22. Kubona kuyakuthathwa isiqalekiso yibo bonke abathunjwa bakwaJuda abaseBabele ngokuthi: ‘UJehova makakwenze ukuba ube njengoSedekiya no-Ahabi abosiwa ngomlilo yinkosi yaseBabele,’
23. ngokuba benzile ubuwula kwa-Israyeli, baphinga nabafazi babakhelwane babo, bakhuluma amazwi amanga egameni lami engingabayalanga ngawo; yimi engikwaziyo, ngingufakazi,” usho uJehova.
24. KuShemaya waseNehelamu uyakusho ukuthi:
25. “Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Ngenxa yokuba uthumile egameni lakho izincwadi kubo bonke abantu baseJerusalema, nakuZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, nakubo bonke abapristi, ngokuthi:
26. ‘UJehova ukubeke umpristi esikhundleni sikaJehoyada umpristi ukuba nibe yizinduna zabo bonke abantu abahlanyayo nabaprofethayo endlini kaJehova ukuze ubafake esitokisini* nasemaketangeni;
27. manje awumsolanga ngani uJeremiya wase-Anathoti, oprofetha kini na?
28. Ngokuba ngalokho uthumile kithi eBabele, wathi: Kuse kude; yakhani izindlu, nihlale kuzo; tshalani amasimu, nidle izithelo zawo.’ ”
29. UZefaniya umpristi wayifunda le ncwadi ezindlebeni zikaJeremiya umprofethi.
30. Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuJeremiya, lithi:
31. “Thuma kubo bonke abathunjwa, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova ngoShemaya waseNehelamu, uthi: Ngenxa yokuba uShemaya eprofethile kini, mina ngingamthumile, wanenza ukuba nethembe emangeni,
32. ngalokho usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Bhekani, ngiyakumhambela uShemaya waseNehelamu nenzalo yakhe; akayikuba namuntu oyakuhlala phakathi kwalaba bantu, angaboni okuhle engiyakwenzela khona abantu bami, usho uJehova, ngokuba ukhulume ukuhlubuka kuJehova.’ ”