1 Abanye babadala bako-Israyeli beza kimi bahlala phambi kwami. 2 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi: 3 “Ndodana yomuntu, abantu laba sebebeke izithombe ezinhliziyweni zabo, bafaka lezikhubekiso ezimbi phambi kobuso babo. Ngibavumele ukungibuza na? 4 Ngakho khuluma labo ubatshele uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Lapho loba nguphi umʼIsrayeli ebeka izithombe enhliziyweni yakhe, afake lesikhubekiso esibi phambi kobuso bakhe abesesiyaphrofetha, mina Thixo ngizamphendula mina ngokwami ngokuhambelana lokukhonza kwakhe izithombe okukhulu. 5 Ngizakwenza lokhu ukuze ngizibambe futhi inhliziyo zabantu bako-Israyeli asebengidelile bonke ngenxa yezithombe zabo.’

6 Ngakho-ke tshono endlini ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Phendukani! Tshiyani izithombe zenu lilahle imikhuba yenu enengayo!

7 Lapho owako-Israyeli loba omunye wabezizweni ohlala ko-Israyeli ezehlukanisa lami abeke izithombe enhliziyweni yakhe njalo afake lesikhubekiso esibi phambi kobuso bakhe, abesesiya kumphrofethi ukuyabuza ngami, mina Thixo ngizamphendula mina ngokwami. 8 Ngizamelana lalowomuntu ngobuso bami njalo ngimenze isibonelo kanye lesiga. Ngizamsusa ebantwini bami. Lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.

9 Njalo nxa umphrofethi ekhohliseke ukuba akhulume isiphrofethi, mina Thixo yimi engikhohlise umphrofethi lowo, njalo ngizakwelula isandla sami ngimelane laye ngimbhubhise phakathi kwabantu bami u-Israyeli. 10 Bazathwala icala labo, umphrofethi uzakuba lecala njengalowo ombuzayo. 11 Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli kabasayikungifulathela kumbe bazingcolise futhi ngazozonke izono zabo. Bazakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’ ”

12 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi: 13 “Ndodana yomuntu, nxa ilizwe lisona kimi ngokungathembeki besengiselula isandla sami ukuba ngivale ukulethwa kokudla kwalo, ngithumele indlala kulo ibulale abantu bakhona kanye lezifuyo zabo, 14 lanxa amadoda amathathu la, uNowa, loDanyeli kanye loJobe, angabe ayekhona kulo, ayezazihlenga wona kuphela ngokulunga kwawo, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.

15 Loba nxa ngingathuma izilo zeganga ukuba zidabule phakathi kwalelolizwe zilitshiye lingaselabantwana njalo libe lugwadule okwenza kungabi lamuntu odlula phakathi kwalo ngenxa yezilo, 16 ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, lanxa amadoda la amathathu engabe ayekhona kulo ayengeke awahlenge amadodana awo kumbe amadodakazi. Wona kuphela yiwo ayengahlengwa, kodwa ilizwe lalizachitheka.

17 Loba nxa ngingaletha inkemba imelane lalelolizwe ngithi, ‘Inkemba kayidlule phakathi kwelizwe lonke,’ ngibulale abantu kanye lezifuyo zabo, 18 ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, lanxa amadoda la amathathu kungabe ayekulo, ayengeke awahlenge amadodana awo kumbe amadodakazi. Wona kuphela yiwo ayengahlengwa.

19 Loba nxa ngithumela isifo kulelolizwe, ngithululele ulaka lwami phezu kwalo ngokuchithwa kwegazi, sibulale abantu balo kanye lezifuyo zabo, 20 ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, lanxa uNowa, loDanyeli kanye loJobe bengabe bekulo bebengeke bahlenge indodana kumbe indodakazi. Bebengazihlenga bona kuphela ngokulunga kwabo.

21 Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Kuzakuba kubi kakhulu okunjani na lapho sengithumela eJerusalema izahlulelo zami ezine, inkemba lendlala lezilo zeganga kanye lesifo ukuba kubulale abantu balo kanye lezifuyo zabo! 22 Kodwa kuzakuba labanye abasilayo, amadodana lamadodakazi abazakhutshelwa ngaphandle kwalo. Bazakuza kuwe, njalo lapho ubona ukuziphatha kwabo lezenzo zabo, uzaduduzeka ngomonakalo engiwehlisela phezu kweJerusalema, wonke umonakalo engawehlisela phezu kwalo. 23 Uzaduduzeka lapho usubona ukuziphatha kwabo kanye lezenzo zabo, ngoba uzakwazi ukuthi angenzanga lutho phakathi kwalo kungekho sizatho, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.”