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