< U-Ezra 8 >
1 Laba bazinhloko zezimuli lalabo ababhalisa kubo abeza lami sisuka eBhabhiloni ngesikhathi sokubusa kweNkosi u-Athazekisisi:
2 abesizukulwane sikaFinehasi, uGeshomu; abesizukulwane sika-Ithamari, uDanyeli; abesizukulwane sikaDavida, uHathushi
3 owesizukulwane sikaShekhaniya; abesizukulwane sikaPharoshi, uZakhariya, okwabhalisa kanye laye amadoda alikhulu lamatshumi amahlanu;
4 abesizukulwane sikaPhahathi-Mowabi: kwakungu-Eliyehonayi indodana kaZerahiya oweza lamadoda angamakhulu amabili;
5 abesizukulwane sikaZathu, kwakunguShekhaniya indodana kaJahaziyeli, oweza lamadoda angamakhulu amathathu;
6 abesizukulwane sika-Adini, kwakungu-Ebhedi indodana kaJonathani, oweza lamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu;
7 abesizukulwane sika-Elamu, kwakunguJeshaya indodana ka-Athaliya, oweza lamadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa;
8 abesizukulwane sikaShefathiya, kwakunguZebhadiya indodana kaMikhayeli, oweza lamadoda angamatshumi ayisificaminwembili;
9 abesizukulwane sikaJowabi, kwakungu-Obhadaya indodana kaJehiyeli, oweza lamadoda angamakhulu amabili aletshumi lasificaminwembili;
10 abesizukulwane sikaBhani, kwakunguShelomithi indodana kaJosifiya, oweza lamadoda alikhulu lamatshumi ayisithupha,
11 abesizukulwane sikaBhebhayi, kwakunguZakhariya indodana kaBhebhayi, oweza lamadoda angamatshumi amabili lasificaminwembili;
12 abesizukulwane sika-Azigadi, kwakunguJohanani indodana kaHakathani, oweza lamadoda alikhulu letshumi;
13 abesizukulwane sika-Adonikhamu, abokucina, kwakungu-Elifelethi, uJuweli loShemaya, beza lamadoda angamatshumi ayisithupha;
14 abesizukulwane sikaBhigivayi, kwakungu-Uthayi loZakhuri, abeza lamadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa.
15 Ngababuthanisa eMgelweni wamanzi agelezela ku-Ahava, samisa khona okwensuku ezintathu. Ngathi sengihlola phakathi kwabantu labaphristi, kangitholanga loyedwa wamaLevi khona.
16 Yikho ngasengibiza u-Eliyezari, lo-Ariyeli, loShemaya, lo-Elinathani, loJaribi, loNathani, loZakhariya loMeshulami ababengabakhokheli, loJoyaribi lo-Elinathani ababengabantu abafundileyo,
17 ngabathumela ku-Ido, lezihlobo zakhe, izinceku zethempelini eKhasifiya, ukwenzela ukuthi basilethele izikhonzi zendlu kaNkulunkulu.
18 Ngoba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethu, basilethela uSherebhiya, indoda emadodeni, owesizukulwane sikaMahili indodana kaLevi, indodana ka-Israyeli, lamadodana kaSherebhiya labafowabo, amadoda alitshumi lasificaminwembili;
19 loHashabhiya, kanye loJeshaya owesizukulwane sikaMerari, kanye labafowabo labantwababo, bonke babengamadoda angamatshumi amabili.
20 Bona beza lezinceku zethempelini ezingamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amabili ezazimiswe nguDavida lezinduna zakhe ukuncedisa abaLevi. Bonke babhalwa phansi amabizo abo.
21 Khonapho, ekhunjini loMgelo we-Ahava, ngamemezela ukuzila ukudla, ukuze sizehlise phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu simcele asiphe uhambo oluhle, thina labantwabethu, lempahla zethu zonke.
22 Ngaba lenhloni ukucela enkosini amabutho labagadi bamabhiza ukuthi basivikele ezitheni endleleni ngoba inkosi sasiyitshele sathi, “Isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu wethu siphezu kwakhe lowo okhangele kuye, kodwa ulaka lwakhe olukhulu luyavutha kulabo abamfulathelayo.”
23 Ngakho sazila ukudla, samncenga uNkulunkulu wethu ngakho lokhu, wawuphendula umkhuleko wethu.
24 Ngasengisehlukanisa kwabanye abaphristi abalitshumi lambili abangabakhokheli, ndawonye loSherebhiya, loHashabhiya labalitshumi labafowabo,
25 ngabalinganisela umnikelo wesiliva legolide lempahla ezaziyizipho ezasisuka enkosini, labacebisi bayo, lezikhulu zayo labako-Israyeli bonke ababekhona lapho, siyisipho sendlu kaNkulunkulu.
26 Ngabalinganisela amathalenta angamakhulu ayisithupha lamatshumi amahlanu esiliva, impahla zesiliva ezilobunzima obungamathalenta alikhulu, amathalenta alikhulu egolide,
27 imiganu yegolide engamatshumi amabili kuthiwa intengo yayo ingaba ngamadariki ayinkulungwane, lezitsha ezimbili ezethusi elilolongiweyo eliligugu njengegolide.
28 Ngathi kubo, “Lina kanye lempahla lezi lingcwelisiwe eNkosini. Isiliva legolide kungumnikelo wokuzithandela kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho benu.
29 Kulindeni ngonanzelelo lize liyokulinganisa emakamelweni endlu kaThixo eJerusalema phambi kwabakhokheli babaphristi lamaLevi labayizinhloko zezimuli zako-Israyeli.”
30 Kwathi-ke abaphristi labaLevi basemukela isiliva legolide lempahla ezingcwele ezazilinganisiwe ukuze zisiwe endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu eJerusalema.
31 Ngosuku lwetshumi lambili lwenyanga yokuqala saphakama sasuka eMgelweni we-Ahava saqonda eJerusalema. Isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasiphezu kwethu, wasivikela ezitheni lasezigebengwini indlela yonke.
32 Ngakho safika eJerusalema, saphumula khona okwensuku ezintathu.
33 Ngosuku lwesine sangena endlini kaNkulunkulu salinganisa isiliva legolide lempahla zonke ezingcwelisiweyo sazibeka ezandleni zikaMeremothi indodana ka-Uriya umphristi. U-Eliyezari indodana kaFinehasi laye wayekhona, labaLevi oJozabhadi indodana kaJeshuwa loNowadiya indodana kaBhinuwi.
34 Konke kwakukhona ngenani lakho langesisindo, kwathi isisindo sonke salotshwa phansi ngasonaleso isikhathi.
35 Yikho izithunywa ezabuya ebugqilini zenza umnikelo wokutshiswa kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: inkunzi ezilitshumi lambili ezika-Israyeli wonke, inqama ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lesithupha, amawundlu amaduna angamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa kanye lomnikelo wesono oyizimpongo ezilitshumi lambili. Konke lokhu kwakungumnikelo wokutshiswa kuThixo.
36 Bathi njalo bethula imilayo yenkosi kuzikhulu zenkosi lakubabusi bangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, okwathi-ke bona bancedisa abantu kanye lasendlini kaNkulunkulu.
