U-Ezra

10 U-Ezra wathi esathandaza+ evuma izono zabantu bakibo, ekhala njalo elele ethe mbo phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, kwabuthana kuye ixuku elikhulu lamadoda labesifazana labantwana bako-Israyeli futhi abantu babekhala ezimathonsi. 2 UShekhaniya indodana kaJehiyela+ omunye wamadodana ka-Elami+ wathi ku-Ezra: “Kasizange sithembeke kuNkulunkulu wethu ngoba sithethe abafazi kwezinye izizwe.+ Lanxa kunjalo, ithemba lisesekhona ku-Israyeli. 3 Yikho-ke asenzeni isivumelwano loNkulunkulu wethu,+ sixotshe bonke abafazi esabathatha ezizweni kanye labantwababo. Kasilandeleni okutshiwo nguJehova kanye lalabo abahlonipha imilayo kaNkulunkulu wethu.+ Kasenzeni okutshiwo nguMthetho. 4 Vuka ngoba indaba le iqondane lawe njalo lathi siyakusekela. Qina, wenze okumele ukwenze.”

5 U-Ezra wasevuka wathi abaphristi abakhokhelayo lamaLevi kanye labo bonke abako-Israyeli bafunge ukuthi bazakwenza lokho okukhulunyiweyo.+ Lakanye bafunga. 6 U-Ezra wasesuka phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso waya endlini* kaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibhi. Kodwa kazange afike adle loba anathe amanzi ngoba wayelila ngenxa yokungathembeki okwakwenziwe ngabantu ababevela ekuthunjweni.+

7 Ngemva kwalokho bamemezela kulo lonke elakoJuda leJerusalema batshela bonke abavela ekuthunjweni ukuthi babuye bazobuthana eJerusalema. 8 Izikhulu labadala bavumelana ukuthi loba ngubani owayezathatha insuku ezintathu engafikanga uzathathelwa yonke impahla yakhe axotshwe ebantwini bako-Israyeli.*+ 9 Ngakho wonke amadoda akoJuda lawakoBhenjamini abuthana eJerusalema kungakadluli amalanga amathathu njalo kwakumhlaka 20 ngenyanga yesi-9. Bonke abantu babehlezi egumeni lendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, beqhaqhazela ngenxa yendaba ababeyibizelwe langenxa yezulu elikhulu elalisina.

10 U-Ezra umphristi wasesukuma wathi kubo: “Kalizange lithembeke kuNkulunkulu ngoba lithethe abafazi kwezinye izizwe.+ Lokhu sekwenze langezelela icala lika-Israyeli. 11 Ngakho vumani izono zenu kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabokhokho benu lenze intando yakhe. Zehlukaniseni labantu bezinye izizwe labafazi benu bezizweni.”+ 12 Ibandla lonke laseliphendula ngelizwi elikhulu lathi: “Kungumlandu wethu ukuthi senze konke okutshoyo. 13 Kodwa ngeke senelise ukuqhubeka simi phandle ngoba yisikhathi sezulu njalo abantu banengi. Indaba le ngeke ilungiswe ngelanga elilodwa loba amabili ngoba ukuhlamuka esikwenzileyo kukhulu kakhulu. 14 Yikho sicela ukuthi izikhulu zethu ezisikhokhelayo zimele ibandla lonke+ lokuthi bonke abasemadolobheni ethu abathethe abafazi bezizweni babuye ngesikhathi esibekiweyo njalo babuye labadala labahluleli bedolobho ngalinye ukuze sehlise ulaka lukaNkulunkulu mayelana lendaba le.”

15 Kodwa uJonathani indodana ka-Asaheli loJahizeya indodana kaThikhiva abazange bakuvume lokho njalo uMeshulami loShabhethayi+ ababengamaLevi bavumelana labo. 16 Lanxa kunjalo, ababevela ekuthunjweni benza lokho ababekutsheliwe. U-Ezra umphristi labo bonke abakhokheli bezimuli ababelamabizo ayebhaliwe, bahlangana bebodwa mhlaka 1 ngenyanga yetshumi ukuze bahlafune udaba lolu. 17 Yikho mhlaka 1 ngenyanga yokuqala basebeqedelane lamadoda wonke ayethethe abafazi bezizweni, 18 njalo kwatholakala ukuthi lamanye amadodana abaphristi ayethethe abafazi bezizweni:+ Kuzizukulwane zikaJeshuwa+ indodana kaJehozadakhi labafowabo kwakunguMahaseya, lo-Eliyezeri, loJaribi kanye loGedaliya. 19 Yikho bathembisa ukuxotsha abafazi babo njalo ngamunye wayezathatha inqama emhlambini anikele ngayo ngoba babelecala.+

20 Kuzizukulwane zika-Imeri+ kwakunguHanani loZebhadiya. 21 Kuzizukulwane zikaHarimi+ kwakunguMahaseya, lo-Elija, loShemaya, loJehiyela kanye lo-Uziya. 22 Kuzizukulwane zikaPhashuri+ kwakungu-Eliyonayi, loMahaseya, lo-Ishmayeli, loNethaneli, loJozabhadi kanye lo-Eleyasa. 23 KumaLevi kwakunguJozabhadi, loShimeyi, loKhelaya, (okutsho uKhelitha) loPhethahiya, loJuda kanye lo-Eliyezeri. 24 Kubahlabeleli kwakungu-Eliyashibhi, kubalindi bamagedi kwakunguShalumi loThelemu lo-Uri.

25 Kwabanye abako-Israyeli, kuzizukulwane zikaPharoshi+ kwakunguRamiya, lo-Iziya, loMalikhija, loMijamini, lo-Eliyazari, loMalikhija kanye loBhenaya. 26 Kuzizukulwane zika-Elami+ kwakunguMathaniya, loZakhariya, loJehiyela,+ lo-Abhidi, loJeremothi kanye lo-Elija. 27 Kuzizukulwane zikaZathu+ kwakungu-Eliyonayi, lo-Eliyashibhi, loMathaniya, loJeremothi, loZabhadi kanye lo-Aziza. 28 Kuzizukulwane zikaBhebhayi+ kwakunguJehohanani, loHananiya, loZabhayi kanye lo-Athilayi. 29 Kuzizukulwane zikaBhani kwakunguMeshulami, loMalukhi, lo-Adaya, loJashubhi, loSheyali kanye loJeremothi. 30 Kuzizukulwane zikaPhahathi-mowabi+ kwakungu-Adena, loKhelali, loBhenaya, loMahaseya, loMathaniya, loBhezaleli, loBhinuwi kanye loManase. 31 Kuzizukulwane zikaHarimi+ kwakungu-Eliyezeri, lo-Ishija, loMalikhija,+ loShemaya, loShimeyoni, 32 loBhenjamini, loMalukhi kanye loShemariya. 33 Kuzizukulwane zikaHashumi+ kwakunguMathenayi, loMathatha, loZabhadi, lo-Elifelethi, loJeremayi, loManase kanye loShimeyi. 34 Kuzizukulwane zikaBhani kwakunguMahadayi, lo-Amramu, lo-Uweli, 35 loBhenaya, loBhedaya, loKheluhi, 36 loVaniya, loMeremothi, lo-Eliyashibhi, 37 loMathaniya, loMathenayi kanye loJasu. 38 Kuzizukulwane zikaBhinuwi kwakunguShimeyi, 39 loShelemiya, loNathani, lo-Adaya, 40 loMakhinadebhayi, loShashayi, loSharayi, 41 lo-Azareli, loShelemiya, loShemariya, 42 loShalumi, lo-Amariya kanye loJosefa. 43 Emadodeni aseNebho kwakunguJeyiyeli, loMathithiya, loZabhadi, loZebhina, loJadayi, loJoweli kanye loBhenaya. 44 Wonke amadoda la ayethethe abafazi bezinye izizwe+ njalo abaxotsha abafazi laba labantwababo.+