Verse 1: USedekiya, indodana kaJosiya, waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikaKhoniya, indodana kaJehoyakimi, wabekwa inkosi ezweni lakwaJuda nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele.
Verse 2: Kepha yena nezinceku zakhe nabantu bezwe abawalalelanga amazwi kaJehova awakhulumayo ngesandla sikaJeremiya umprofethi.
Verse 3: USedekiya inkosi wathuma uJehukali, indodana kaShelemiya, noZefaniya, indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, kumprofethi uJeremiya, wathi: “Ake usikhulekele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
Verse 4: UJeremiya wangena, waphuma phakathi kwabantu, ngokuba babengakamfaki etilongweni.
Verse 5: Impi kaFaro yayisiphumile eGibithe; lapho amaKaledi avimbezela iJerusalema ekuzwa, akhuphuka eJerusalema.
Verse 6: Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kumprofethi uJeremiya, lithi:
Verse 7: “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Niyakusho kanje enkosini yakwaJuda eyanithuma kimi ukubuza kimi, nithi: ‘Bheka, impi kaFaro ephume ukunisiza iyakubuyela eGibithe, izwe lakubo.
Verse 8: AmaKaledi ayakubuya, alwe nalo muzi, awuthathe, awushise ngomlilo.’
Verse 9: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Ningazikhohlisi ngokuthi: ‘AmaKaledi ayakusuka nokusuka kithi;’ ngokuba awayikusuka.
Verse 10: Ngokuba noma benichithile impi yonke yamaKaledi elwa nani, kwaze kwasala abantu abagwaziweyo bodwa phakathi kwabo, bona bebeyakuvuka, kube yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe, bawushise lo muzi ngomlilo.”
Verse 11: Kwathi lapho impi yamaKaledi isikhuphukile eJerusalema ngokwesaba impi kaFaro,
Verse 12: uJeremiya waphuma eJerusalema ukuba aye ezweni lakwaBenjamini ukuthola khona isabelo sakhe phakathi kwabantu.
Verse 13: Lapho esesangweni lakwaBenjamini, kwakukhona lapho inkosi yabalindi egama layo lalingu-Iriya indodana kaShelemiya kaHananiya; yambamba uJeremiya umprofethi, yathi: “Uyahlubukela kumaKaledi.”
Verse 14: Kepha uJeremiya wathi: “Amanga. Angihlubukeli kumaKaledi.” Kepha ayimlalelanga; u-Iriya wayesembamba uJeremiya, wamyisa ezikhulwini.
Verse 15: Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya, zamshaya, zamfaka etilongweni endlini kaJonathani umbhali, ngokuba zaziyenze itilongo.
Verse 16: Lapho uJeremiya esengene endlini yomgodi ezindlwaneni ezingaphansi, uJeremiya esehlale khona izinsuku eziningi,
Verse 17: uSedekiya inkosi wathumela wamlanda; inkosi yambuza ngasese endlini yayo, yathi: “Kukhona izwi elivela kuJehova na?” UJeremiya wathi: “Likhona.” Wathi futhi: “Uyakunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBabele.”
Verse 18: UJeremiya wathi futhi enkosini uSedekiya: “Ngoneni kuwe, nasezincekwini zakho, nakulaba bantu ukuba ningifake etilongweni na?
Verse 19: Baphi manje abaprofethi benu ababeprofetha kini ngokuthi: ‘Inkosi yaseBabele ayiyikunehlela nina naleli zwe,’ na?
Verse 20: Ake uzwe manje, nkosi yami, nkosi; ukunxusa kwami makufike phambi kwakho ukuba ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umbhali, funa ngifele khona.”
Verse 21: USedekiya inkosi wayeseyala ukuba bambeke uJeremiya egcekeni letilongo, bamnika imihla ngemihla iqebelengwane lesinkwa livela esiTaladini Sabaphekizinkwa, kwaze kwaphela isinkwa sonke emzini. UJeremiya wahlala-ke egcekeni letilongo.