Ezra
8 Yilaba-ke ababeyizinhloko ezindlini zoyise+ futhi nakhu ukubhalwa kwabo ngokohlu lozalo,+ kwalabo abakhuphuka nami bephuma eBhabhiloni phakathi nokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita+ inkosi: 2 Emadodaneni kaFinehasi,+ uGereshomu; emadodaneni ka-Itamari,+ uDaniyeli;+ emadodaneni kaDavide,+ uHathushi; 3 emadodaneni kaShekaniya, wamadodana kaPharoshi,+ uZakariya, futhi wabhaliswa kanye nabesilisa abayikhulu namashumi amahlanu babhaliswa; 4 emadodaneni kaPhahati-mowabi,+ u-Eliyeho-enayi indodana kaZeraya, kanye nabesilisa abangamakhulu amabili; 5 emadodaneni kaZathu,+ uShekaniya indodana kaJahaziyeli, kanye nabesilisa abangamakhulu amathathu; 6 emadodaneni ka-Adini,+ u-Ebhedi indodana kaJonathani, kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi amahlanu; 7 emadodaneni ka-Elamu,+ uJeshaya indodana ka-Athaliya, kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi ayisikhombisa; 8 emadodaneni kaShefathiya,+ uZebadiya indodana kaMikayeli, kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi ayisishiyagalombili; 9 emadodaneni kaJowabe, u-Obadiya indodana kaJehiyeli, kanye nabesilisa abangamakhulu amabili neshumi nesishiyagalombili; 10 emadodaneni kaBhani,+ uShelomiti indodana kaJosifiya, kanye nabesilisa abayikhulu namashumi ayisithupha; 11 emadodaneni kaBebayi, uZakariya indodana kaBebayi,+ kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili; 12 emadodaneni ka-Azigadi,+ uJohanani indodana kaHakathani, kanye nabesilisa abayikhulu neshumi; 13 emadodaneni ka-Adonikamu,+ ababengabokugcina, kwakuyilawa amagama abo: u-Elifeleti, uJeheyeli noShemaya, kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi ayisithupha; 14 emadodaneni kaBhigivayi,+ u-Uthayi noZabibudi, kanye nabesilisa abangamashumi ayisikhombisa.
15 Ngabaqoqela emfuleni+ ofika e-Ahava;+ saqhubeka sikanise khona izinsuku ezintathu, ukuze ngihlolisise abantu+ nabapristi,+ kodwa angitholanga muntu wamadodana kaLevi+ lapho. 16 Khona-ke ngathumela ku-Eliyezeri, u-Ariyeli, uShemaya naku-Elinathani nakuJaribi naku-Elinathani nakuNathani nakuZakariya nakuMeshulami, abayizinhloko, nakuJoyaribi naku-Elinathani, abafundisi.+ 17 Ngabe sengibanika umyalo ngokuphathelene no-Ido oyinhloko endaweni yaseKhasifiya, ngabeka emlonyeni wabo amazwi+ ababezowakhuluma ku-Ido nakubafowabo amaNethini+ endaweni yaseKhasifiya, ukuba basilethele izikhonzi+ zendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu. 18 Ngakho, ngokwesandla esihle+ sikaNkulunkulu wethu esasiphezu kwethu, basilethela indoda enokuqonda+ evela emadodaneni kaMaheli+ engumzukulu kaLevi+ indodana ka-Israyeli, okungukuthi, uSherebiya+ namadodana akhe nabafowabo, ishumi nesishiyagalombili; 19 noHashabiya ekanye noJeshaya ovela emadodaneni kaMerari,+ abafowabo, namadodana abo, amashumi amabili. 20 KumaNethini, lawo uDavide nezikhulu abawanikela enkonzweni yamaLevi, amaNethini angamakhulu amabili namashumi amabili, wonke ayeshiwo ngamagama awo.
21 Khona-ke ngamemezela ukuzila ukudla khona emfuleni i-Ahava, ukuba sizithobe+ phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu, ukuba sifune kuye indlela elungile+ ngathi nangabancane bethu+ nangayo yonke impahla yethu. 22 Ngoba ngaba namahloni okucela enkosini ibutho lempi+ nezinkweli zamahhashi+ ukuze kusisize ekumelaneni nesitha endleleni, ngoba sasithé enkosini: “Isandla+ sikaNkulunkulu wethu siphezu kwabo bonke abamfuna ngenxa yokuhle,+ kodwa amandla akhe nolaka lwakhe+ kumelene nabo bonke abamshiyayo.”+ 23 Ngakho-ke sazila ukudla+ futhi senza isicelo+ kuNkulunkulu wethu ngokuphathelene nalokhu, kangangokuthi wancengeka.+
24 Ngahlukanisa abayishumi nambili ezinduneni zabapristi, okungukuthi uSherebiya,+ uHashabiya,+ kanye nabayishumi kubafowabo. 25 Ngabe sengibakalela isiliva negolide nezinto zokusetshenziswa,+ umnikelo wendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu owawunikelwe yinkosi+ nabeluleki bayo+ nezikhulu zayo nawo wonke ama-Israyeli+ ayetholakala. 26 Kanjalo ngakalela esandleni sabo amathalenta esiliva+ angamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi amahlanu kanye nezinto zokusetshenziswa zesiliva eziyikhulu ezingabiza amathalenta amabili, negolide elingamathalenta ayikhulu, 27 nezitsha ezincane zegolide ezingamashumi amabili ezingabiza amadarike ayinkulungwane nezinto zokusetshenziswa ezimbili zethusi elihle, elibomvu ngokukhazimulayo, elifiseleka njengegolide.
28 Khona-ke ngathi kubo: “Ningcwele+ kuJehova, nalezi zinto+ zingcwele, futhi isiliva negolide lingumnikelo wokuzithandela onikwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu. 29 Hlalani niphapheme futhi niqaphe kuze kube yilapho nikukala+ phambi kwezinduna zabapristi namaLevi nezikhulu obaba bakwa-Israyeli eJerusalema, emahholo okudlela+ endlu kaJehova.” 30 Abapristi namaLevi bamukela isisindo sesiliva negolide nezinto zokusetshenziswa, ukuze bakuyise eJerusalema endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu.+
31 Ekugcineni sasuka emfuleni i-Ahava+ ngosuku lweshumi nambili lwenyanga yokuqala+ sesiya eJerusalema, futhi isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu luqobo saba phezu kwethu, kangangokuthi wasikhulula+ entendeni yesandla sesitha nakubantu abaqamekela endleleni. 32 Ngakho safika eJerusalema+ sahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu. 33 Ngosuku lwesine salikala isiliva negolide+ nezinto zokusetshenziswa+ endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu esandleni sikaMeremoti+ indodana ka-Urija umpristi ekanye no-Eleyazare indodana kaFinehasi kukhona noJozabhadi+ indodana kaJeshuwa noNowadiya indodana kaBhinuyi+ amaLevi, 34 ngesibalo nangesisindo sakho konke, okwathi ngemva kwalokho sonke isisindo sabhalwa phansi ngaleso sikhathi. 35 Labo abaphuma ekuthunjweni, ababekade bedingisiwe,+ baletha imihlatshelo yokushiswa+ kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, izinkunzi+ eziyishumi nambili zika-Israyeli wonke, izinqama+ ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesithupha, amawundlu angamaduna angamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa, izimpongo+ eziyishumi nambili njengomnikelo wesono, konke kungumnikelo wokushiswa oya kuJehova.
36 Khona-ke sanika ababusi bezifunda+ benkosi nababusi+ ngaphesheya koMfula+ imithetho+ yenkosi, futhi basiza abantu+ nendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.