Ezra

1 Ngonyaka wokuqala kaKumkani uKoreshi+ wasePersi, uYehova wenza ukuba uKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi enze isaziso kubo bonke ubukumkani bakhe, aze asibhale phantsi,+ ukuze kwenzeke ngokwelizwi uYehova awalithetha ngoYeremiya.+ Esi saziso sasisithi:

2 “Uthi uKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi, ‘UYehova uThixo wamazulu uzinike mna zonke izizwe* zomhlaba,+ yaye undithumile ukuba ndimakhele indlu eYerusalem+ ekwaYuda. 3 Nabani na phakathi kwenu ongowakhe, kwanga uThixo wakhe anganaye. Makahambe aye eYerusalem, ekwaYuda, ayokuphinda akhe indlu kaYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, uThixo wokwenene, owayenendlu eseYerusalem.* 4 Nabani na ohambayo,+ nokuba uhlala phi na, makancedwe ngabamelwane bakhe bamnike isilivere negolide, impahla nemfuyo, nezinye izinto zokwenza umnikelo wokuzithandela endlini yoThixo wokwenene+ eyayiseYerusalem.’”

5 Iintloko zezindlu zakwaYuda nakwaBhenjamin, ababingeleli nabaLevi, bonke ababeqhutywa ngumoya kaThixo, balungiselela ukuhamba bayokwakha indlu kaYehova eyayiseYerusalem. 6 Bonke abamelwane babo babanceda ngokubanika izitya zesilivere nezegolide, impahla, imfuyo nezinto ezixabisekileyo, ukongezelela kwizinto zokwenza iminikelo yokuzithandela.

7 UKumkani uKoreshi wakhupha nempahla yendlu kaYehova eyayifakwe nguNebhukadenetsare endlini yothixo wakhe, eyithathe eYerusalem.+ 8 UKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi wathi mayigadwe nguMiteredati umgcini-mali, owayibalayo waza wayidlulisela kuSheshbhatsare*+ isikhulu sakwaYuda.

9 Kwakhutshwa ezi zinto: iibhaskithi zegolide eziyi-30, iibhaskithi zesilivere eziyi-1 000, ezinye iibhaskithi eziyi-29, 10 izitya ezincinci zegolide eziyi-30, izitya ezincinci zesilivere eziyi-410, nezinye izitya eziyi-1 000. 11 Xa zizonke izitya zegolide nezesilivere zaziyi-5 400. USheshbhatsare wazibuyisela eYerusalem xa kwakubuya abathinjwa+ ababesuka eBhabhiloni.