1 Zedhekia mwanakomana waJosia akagadzwa kuva mambo weJudha naNebhukadhinezari mambo weBhabhironi; iye akabata ushe panzvimbo yaJehoyakini mwanakomana waJehoyakimi. 2 Asi iye kana varanda vake kana vanhu venyika iyoyo, havana kuteerera mashoko akanga ataurwa naJehovha kubudikidza naJeremia muprofita.

3 Kunyange zvakadaro, mambo Zedhekia akatuma Jehukari mwanakomana waSheremia, nomuprista Zefania mwanakomana waMaaseya kuna Jeremia muprofita namashoko aya: “Ndapota tinyengetererewo kuna Jehovha Mwari wedu.”

4 Zvino Jeremia akanga akasununguka kupinda nokubuda pakati pavanhu, nokuti akanga asati apfigirwa mutorongo. 5 Hondo yaFaro yakanga yauya ichibva kuIjipiti, zvino vaBhabhironi vakanga vakakomba Jerusarema vakati vanzwa shoko pamusoro pavo, vakabva paJerusarema.

6 Ipapo shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Jeremia muprofita, richiti, 7 “Zvanzi naJehovha, Mwari weIsraeri: Udza mambo weJudha, iye akakutuma kuzondibvunza, kuti, ‘Hondo yaFaro yakauya kuzokubatsirai, ichadzokera kuIjipiti kunyika yavo. 8 Ipapo vaBhabhironi vachadzokazve vagorwisa guta rino; vacharikunda uye vacharipisa nomoto.’

9 “Zvanzi naJehovha: Musazvinyengera muchifunga kuti, ‘Zvirokwazvo vaBhabhironi vachabva kwatiri.’ Kwete, havangabvi! 10 Kunyange dai mungakunda hondo yose yavaBhabhironi iri kukurwisai uye kugosara vakakuvara bedzi mumatende, ivavo vachauya vagopisa guta rino.”

11 Shure kwokubva kwehondo yavaBhabhironi muJerusarema nokuda kwehondo yaFaro, 12 Jeremia akatanga kubuda muguta kuti aende kunyika yeBhenjamini kundotora mugove wake wenhaka pakati pavanhu ikoko. 13 Asi akati asvika paSuo raBhenjamini, mukuru wavarindi, ainzi Irija mwanakomana waSheremia, mwanakomana waHanania, akamusunga ndokuti, “Iwe wava kutiza uchienda kuvaBhabhironi!”

14 Jeremia akati, “Handizvo, kwete! Handizi kutiza ndichienda kuvaBhabhironi!” Asi Irija haana kuda kumunzwa; asi akasunga Jeremia ndokumuendesa kumachinda. 15 Ivo vakatsamwira Jeremia vakaita kuti arohwe uye kuti aiswe mutorongo mumba maJonatani munyori, yavakanga vaita torongo.

16 Jeremia akaiswa mutorongo romugomba, umo maakagara nguva yakareba. 17 Ipapo mambo Zedhekia akatuma nhume kundomutora akaita kuti aiswe kumuzinda, kwaakamubvunza pakavanda, achiti, “Pane shoko rabva kuna Jehovha here?”

Jeremia akapindura akati, “Hongu, muchaiswa muruoko rwamambo weBhabhironi.”

18 Ipapo Jeremia akati kuna Mambo Zedhekia, “Mhaka yandakapara nemi kana machinda enyu kana navanhu ava, ndeyeiko kuti mundipfigire mutorongo? 19 Varipiko vaprofita venyu vakakuprofitirai vachiti, ‘Mambo weBhabhironi haazi kuzokurwisai kana kurwisa nyika ino’? 20 Asi zvino ishe wangu mambo, ndapota inzwai. Regai ndisvitse kwamuri chikumbiro changu: Musandidzoserazve kumba kwaJonatani munyori nokuti ndingafirako.”

21 Ipapo mambo Zedhekia akarayira kuti Jeremia aiswe muruvazhe rwavarindi uye kuti apiwe chingwa chaibva mumugwagwa wavabiki zuva rimwe nerimwe kusvikira musisina chingwa muguta. Saka Jeremia akaramba ari muruvazhe rwavarindi.