UJehova wakhetha uJeremiya ukuba abe umprofethi kubantu bakwaJuda. Wamtshela ukuthi ashumayele kubantu futhi abatshele ukuthi kudingeka bayeke ukwenza izinto ezimbi. UJeremiya wathi: ‘Kodwa Jehova, ngisewumfana nje. Angikwazi ukukhuluma nabantu.’ UJehova wathi kuye: ‘Ungesabi. Ngizokusiza futhi ngizokutshela ozokusho kubo.’

UJehova watshela uJeremiya ukuba abize amadoda amadala bese ephihliza isitsha sobumba phambi kwawo, ngemva kwalokho athi kuwo: ‘IJerusalema lizophihlizwa njengalesi sitsha.’ Amadoda amadala athukuthela kakhulu lapho uJeremiya enza lokho. Umpristi obizwa ngokuthi uPhashuri washaya uJeremiya wabe esebophela izandla nezinyawo zakhe ohlakeni lwamapulangwe. Ubusuku bonke uJeremiya wayengakwazi ukunyakaza. UPhashuri waze wamkhulula ngakusasa ekuseni. UJeremiya wabe esethi: ‘Ngeke ngiyimele lento. Ngizoyeka ukushumayela.’ Ingabe wayeka ngempela ukushumayela? Cha. Lapho uJeremiya ecabangisisa ngalokho, wathi: ‘Ngeke ngiyeke ukushumayela ngoba amazwi kaJehova anjengomlilo ngaphakathi kimi.’ Ngakho, uJeremiya waqhubeka nokuxwayisa abantu.

Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, kwabusa inkosi entsha kwaJuda. Abapristi nabaprofethi bamanga babengasithandi isigijimi sikaJeremiya. Ngakho batshela izikhulu ukuthi: ‘Le ndoda ifanelwe ukufa.’ UJeremiya wathi: ‘Uma ningibulala, niyobe nibulala umuntu ongenacala, ngoba ngikhuluma amazwi kaJehova hhayi awami.’ Lapho izikhulu zikuzwa lokhu zathi: ‘Le ndoda akufanele ibulawe.’

 UJeremiya waqhubeka nokushumayela futhi izikhulu zacasuka kakhulu. Zacela imvume enkosini yokubulala uJeremiya. INkosi yathi bangenza noma yini abayithandayo kuJeremiya. Ngakho zathatha uJeremiya zamphonsa emgodini ojulile onodaka zicabanga ukuthi uzofela kuwo. UJeremiya waqala ukubisha odakeni.

U-Ebedi-meleki, isikhulu segceke, wahamba wayotshela inkosi ukuthi: ‘Izikhulu ziphonse uJeremiya emgodini! Uma singamkhiphi kuwo uzofa.’ INkosi yayala u-Ebedi-meleki ukuba ahambe namadoda angu-30 bayokhipha uJeremiya emgodini. Nathi kufanele sibe njengoJeremiya ongavumelanga lutho ukuba lumyekise ukushumayela.