1 Ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuZakhariya ngelanga lesine lenyanga yesificamunye, inyanga ethiwa nguKhisilevu. 2 Abantu baseBhetheli babethume uShareza loRegemi-Meleki, kanye lamadoda asuka kubo ukuyancenga uThixo uSomandla 3 ngokucela abaphristi bendlu kaThixo uSomandla labaphrofethi ukuthi, “Ngilile yini njalo ngizile ukudla ngenyanga yesihlanu njengalokhu engihlala ngikwenza okweminyaka eminengi na?”

4 Laselifika ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla kimi lisithi: 5 “Buza bonke abantu belizwe kanye labaphristi uthi, ‘Lapho lalizila ukudla lilila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa esidlule kambe lalizilela mina ngeqiniso na? 6 Njalo nxa lalisidla, linatha, angithi lalizikholisela lina na? 7 Kawasiwo yini la amazwi amenyezelwa nguThixo ngabaphrofethi bamandulo lapho iJerusalema lamadolobho aseduzane ayelokuthula ephumelela, leNegebi kanye lamaqaqa asentshonalanga kwakhiwe kuhle na?’ ”

8 Laphinde lafika njalo ilizwi likaThixo kuZakhariya lathi: 9 “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Yahlulelani ngobuqotho; litshengise isihawu lozwelo omunye komunye. 10 Lingamcindezeli umfelokazi noma intandane, lowezizweni noma umyanga. Lingakhumbulelani okubi ezinhliziyweni zenu.’

11 Kodwa bala ukulalela; baqholoza bafulathela njalo bagcika indlebe zabo. 12 Benza inhliziyo zabo zaba lukhuni njengelitshe kabaze balalela umlayo loba amazwi kaThixo uSomandla ayewathumile ngoMoya ngabaphrofethi bamandulo. Yikho uThixo uSomandla wathukuthela kabuhlungu.

13 ‘Ngababiza, kodwa kabalalelanga; yikho labo sebememeza kangibalalelanga,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla. 14 ‘Ngabachithachitha ngesivunguzane baya ezizweni zonke lapho ababa yizihambi khona. Ilizwe lasala selilihlane nje kungasahlaleki kulo futhi kungasedluleki khona. Balenza lajujuka kanjalo ilizwe elihle laba yinkangala.’ ”