Ezra 8
1 Nantu uhla lwezinhloko zemindeni ezazisekuthunjweni eBhabhele, ezabuya no-Ezra eJerusalema ngesikhathi sokubusa kwenkosi u-Arithahishashitha:
2 Kwabozalo lukaFinehasi, nguGereshomu. Kwabozalo luka-Ithamari, nguDaniyeli. Kwabozalo lukaDavide, nguHathushi,
3 kaShekhaniya. Kwabozalo lukaPharoshi, nguZekhariya namadoda ayi-150 omndeni wakhe.
4 Kwabozalo lukaPhahathi Mowabi, ngu-Eliyehonayi kaZerahiya namadoda angama-200.
5 Kwabozalo lukaZathu, nguShekhaniya kaJahaziyeli namadoda angama-300.
6 Kwabozalo luka-Adini, ngu-Ebhedi kaJonathani namadoda angama-50.
7 Kwabozalo luka-Elamu, nguJeshaya ka-Athaliya namadoda angama-70.
8 Kwabozalo lukaShefathiya, nguZebadiya, indodana kaMikhayeli namadoda angama-80.
9 Kwabozalo lukaJowabe, ngu-Obhadiya, indodana kaJehiyeli namadoda angama-218.
10 Kwabozalo lukaShelomithi, indodana kaJosifiya namadoda ayi-160.
11 Kwabozalo lukaBhebayi, nguZekhariya, indodana kaBhebayi namadoda angama-28.
12 Kwabozalo luka-Azigadi, nguJohanani, indodana kaHakathani namadoda ayi-110.
13 Kwabozalo luka-Adonikamu, ngu-Elifelethi, uJehiyeli, noShemaya namadoda angama-60 afika kamuva.
14 Kwabozalo lukaBhigivayi, ngu-Uthayi, noZakhuri namadoda angama-70.
15 Ngabahlanganisa ndawonye ngasemfuleni oya e-Ahava, sagoba amadlangala lapho izinsuku ezintathu. Lapho ngibuzisisa abantu nabaphristi, ngafumana ukuthi babengekho abozalo lukaLevi.
16 Ngase ngithumela, ngabiza u-Eliyezeri, u-Ariyeli, uShemaya, u-Elinathani, uJaribi, u-Elinathani, uNathani, uZekhariya noMeshulamu ababengabaholi, uJohiyaribhi no-Elinathani ababengabafundisayo,
17 ngabathumela ku-Ido owayengumholi eKhasifiya, ngibatshela ukuthi bayothini ku-Ido nabangani bakhe, izisebenzi zasethempelini eKhasifiya, ukuba basithumelele abantu ababezosebenza endlini kaNkulunkulu.
18 Ngenxa yokuba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasinathi, basithumelela uMahili, indoda enengqondo, wozalo lukaLevi ka-Israyeli noSherebhiya namadodana akhe nabafowabo abali-18;
19 noHashabhiya enoJeshaya, wozalo lukaMerari, nabafowabo namadodana abo angama-20;
20 ngaphezu kwama-220 ezisebenzi zasethempelini ezaziqokwe nguDavide nezikhulu zakhe ukuba belekelele abaLevi, ababizwe bonke ngamagama abo.
21 Ngase ngimemezela ukuzila ngasemfuleni i-Ahava nokuba sizithobe phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu, sizicelele indlela enhle nephephile, thina nabantwana bethu, nayo yonke impahla yethu.
22 Nganginamahloni ukucela enkosini iviyo lamabutho, nagibele amahhashi, ukuze asivikele ezitheni endleleni, njengokuba sasiyitshelile inkosi ukuthi: “Isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu siyabavikela abamfunayo, kodwa amandla akhe nentukuthelo yakhe kumelana nabo bonke abamhlubukayo.”
23 Ngakho-ke sazila, samnxusa uNkulunkulu wethu ngalokhu, wakuzwa ukunxusa kwethu.
24 Ngakho-ke ngaqoka abali-12 kubaholi babaphristi: uSherebhiya, uHashabhiya nabalishumi abayizihlobo zabo.
25 Ngabalinganisela isiliva, igolide, izitsha, neminikelo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu okwakunikelwe yinkosi, abeluleki bayo, izikhulu zayo, nakho konke okwakunikelwe ngabantu bakwa-Israyeli ababelapho;
26 nakhu engabanika khona: amathalenta esiliva angama-650, amathalenta ayizitsha zesiliva alikhulu, amathalenta egolide alikhulu,
27 izindebe zegolide ezingama-20 ezisisindo singamadarikhe ayinkulungwane, nezitsha ezimbili zethusi elicolisekileyo ezazizinhle njengegolide.
28 Ngathi kubo: “Ningcwele kuSimakade, nezitsha zingcwele, isiliva negolide liyiminikelo yesihle kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu.
29 Kuqapheleni, nikugcine nize nikulinganise phambi kwabaphristi abakhulu nabaLevi, nezinhloko zemindeni kwa-Israyeli eJerusalema, emakamelweni endlu kaSimakade.”
30 Abaphristi nabaLevi bathatha isiliva, igolide nezitsha, njengoba kwase kulinganisiwe, bakuyisa eJerusalema endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu.
31 Kwakulusuku lwe-12, ngenyanga yokuqala, ngesikhathi sisuka emfuleni i-Ahava silibhekise eJerusalema. UNkulunkulu wethu wayenathi, esivikela ezitheni ezazisihlasela nezazisilalela unyendle endleleni.
32 Sesifikile eJerusalema, sahlala izinsuku ezintathu.
33 Ngosuku lwesine sisendlini kaNkulunkulu wethu, kwakalwa isiliva, igolide nezitsha, kwase kwedluliselwa kumphristi uMeremothi, indodana ka-Uriya, owayeno-Eleyazare, indodana kaFinehasi nabaLevi, uJozabhadi kaJeshuwa noNowadiya kaBhinuyi.
34 Konke kwabalwa, kwakalwa, kwase kubhalwa phansi isisindo sakho.
35 Bonke labo ababuya ekuthunjweni banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Banikela ngezinkunzi ezili-12 ezazimele u-Israyeli wonkana, izinqama ezingama-96, namawundlu angama-77; banikela ngezimpongo ezili-12 zaba ngumnikelo wesono. Konke lokho kwaba ngumnikelo wokushiswa owanikelwa kuSimakade.
36 Bayethula kubabusi nezikhulu zesifundazwe esisentshonalanga yeYufrathe incwadi ababeyinikwe yinkosi, nabo beseka abantu nendlu kaNkulunkulu.