Ukuvuma kwabantu izono
1Kwathi u-Ezra asathandaza njalo avuma izono, alila begodu azilahlele phasi phambi kwethempeli lakaZimu, ihlangano ekulu yamadoda, abafazi nabantwana ephuma kwa-Israyeli, yabuthana kuye. Nayo yalila kabuhlungu. 2UTjhekaniya umsa kaJerhiyeli weenzukulwana zaka-Elamu, wakhuluma no-Ezra wathi: “Akhange sithembeke kuZimethu ngokuthatha abafazi abatjhili bezizwe zenarha le. Nokho ngaphandle kwalokho kusekhona ithemba ku-Israyeli. 3Nje-ke asenzeni isivumelwano noZimethu sokobana siqotjhe abafazaba nabantwababo, kube njengombana ikosanami iluleka kanye nalabo abesaba umyalo kaZimethu. Lokho akwenziwe ngokomthetho. 4Yeke sikima ngombana kumsebenzakho lokho, thina sijame nawe. Qina idolo, ukwenze lokho.”
5Nje-ke u-Ezra wasikima wafungisa abarholi babaphristi, amaLevi nama-Israyeli woke bonyana benze njengombana kukhulunyiwe. Ngendlela leyo benza isifungo.
6U-Ezra wasuka phambi kwethempeli lakaZimu waya ngelawini lakaJorhanani umsa ka-Eliyatjhibu, wahlala khonapho angadli godu angaseli amanzi ngombana gade alilela ukungathembeki kwabathunjwa. 7Kwakhutjhwa isimemezelo kilo loke lakwaJuda neJerusalema kobana abathunjwa ababuyileko kufuze bahlangane eJerusalema. 8Kwathiwa loyo ongeze afike phakathi kwamalanga amathathu, ngokwesiphakamiso seenkhulu nabaphathi, kufuze alobe yoke ipahlakhe, kuthi naye mbala angasabalwa emphakathini wabathunjwa.
9Woke amadoda wakwaJuda newakwaBhenjamini abuthana eJerusalema emalangeni amathathu. Inyanga yethoba beyinamalanga amatjhumi amabili lokha nakwenzeka lokho. Nje-ke abantwabo bahlala ecabazini phambi kwethempeli lakaZimu. Bebathuthumela ngendaba leyo nangenca yezulu elalina liwuluka. 10U-Ezra umphristi wasikima wathi kibo: “Madoda, niphambukile ngokuthatha abafazi abatjhili, ngalokho nandise icala kwa-Israyeli. 11Nje-ke vumani izono kuSomnini uZimu waboyihlo, nenze intandwakhe. Hlukanani nabantu bezizwe zenarha le begodu nihlukane nabafazi abatjhili.”
12Ihlangano yaphendula ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: “Kunjalo uqinisile! Kufuze senze njengombana utjhwile! 13Manje abantu banengi begodu sikhathi sezulu elinengi, yeke asizukukghona ukujama ebalenapha. Indaba le, akusiyo yelanga linye namkha amabili ngombana siphambuke khulu ngayo. 14Iinkhulu zethu azijamele yoke ihlangano, kuthi boke emadorobhenethu abathethe abafazi abatjhili beze ngeenkhathi ezijanyisiweko neenkhulu kanye nabagwebi bamadorobho woke. Lokho akwenziwe ukuze kusuke ubukhali obuvuthako bakaZimethu phezu kwethu mayelana nendaba le.”
15Kwaba nguJonathani umsa ka-Asaheli noJarhizeya umsa kaTikhiva kwaphela abaphikisana nendaba leyo, basekelwa nguMetjhulamu noTjhabetayi umLevi.
16Abathunjwa ababuyileko benza njengombana bekuphakanyisiwe. U-Ezra umphristi wakhetha amadoda aziinhloko zemindeni yaboyise, enye nenye itloliswe ngokwebizo layo begodu ijamele umndenayo. Ngelanga lokuthoma enyangeni yetjhumi, bahlala phasi kobana baqalisise indaba leyo. 17Kwathi ngomnyaka olandelako lokha inyanga yokuthoma nayinelanga, bafika esiphethweni sendaba yabantu abathethe abafazi abatjhili.
18Ebegade bathethe abafazi abatjhili phakathi kweenzukulwana zabaphristi ngilaba:
Eenzukulwaneni zakaJetjhuwa, umsa kaJotsadakhi nezabafowabo bekunguMaseya, u-Eliyezeri, uJaribi noGedaliya.
19(Bona baqinisekisa bonyana bazokuqotjha abafazi babo abatjhili. Mayelana nomnikelo wehlawulo, banikela omunye nomunye ngeqama eliphuma emhlambini bona kuhlanjululwe icala labo.)
20Eenzukulwaneni zaka-Imeri
21eenzukulwaneni zakaRharimu
kunguMaseya, u-Eliya, uTjhemaya uJerhiyeli no-Uziya;
22eenzukulwaneni zakaPhatjhirhuri
kungu-Eliyowenayi, uMaseya, u-Itjhimayeli, uNetaneli, uJozabadi no-Elasa.
23KumaLevi:
kunguJozabadi, uTjhimeyi, uKhelaya (okutjho uKelitha), uPetarhiya, uJuda no-Eliyezeri.
24Kubavumi:
Kubalindisango:
kunguTjhalumu, uThelemu no-Uri.
25Kuma-Israyeli:
eenzukulwaneni zakaParotjhi
kunguRamiya, uJiziya, uMalikiya, uMiyamini, u-Elazara, uMalikiya noBhenaya;
26eenzukulwaneni zaka-Elamu
kunguMataniya, uZakariya, uJerhiyeli, u-Abidi, uJeremothi no-Eliya;
27eenzukulwaneni zakaZatu
kungu-Eliyowenayi, u-Eliyatjhibu, uMataniya, uJeremothi, uZabadi no-Aziza;
28eenzukulwaneni zakaBebayi
kunguJorhanani, uRhananiya, uZabayi no-Atilayi;
29eenzukulwaneni zakaBhani
kunguMetjhulamu, uMaluki, u-Adaya, uJatjhubi, uTjheyali noJeremothi;
30eenzukulwaneni zakaParhathi-Mowabi
kungu-Adina, uKelali, uBhenaya, uMaseya, uMataniya, uBhetsaleli, uBhinuyi noManase;
31eenzukulwaneni zakaRharimu
kungu-Eliyezeri, uJitjhiya, uMalikiya, uTjhemaya, uSimiyoni, 32uBhenjamini, uMaluki noTjhemariya;
33eenzukulwaneni zakaRhatjhumu
kunguMatenayi, uMatata, uZabadi, u-Elifelethi, uJeremayi, uManase noTjhimeyi;
34eenzukulwaneni zakaBani
kunguMadayi, u-Amramu, u-Uweli, 35uBhenaya, uBedeya, uKeluhu, 36uVaniya, uMeremothi, u-Eliyatjhibu, 37uMataniya, uMatenayi noJasayi;
38eenzukulwaneni zakaBhinuyi
kunguTjhimeyi, 39uTjhelemiya, uNatani, u-Adaya, 40uMakinadibayi, uTjhatjhayi, uTjharayi, 41u-Azariyeli, uTjhelemiya, uTjhemariya, 42uTjhalumu, u-Amariya noJosefa;
43eenzukulwaneni zakaNebo
kunguJehiyeli, uMatitiya, uZabadi, uZebina, uJadayi, uJuweli noBenaya.
44Boke labo bekungibo abathethe abafazi abatjhili. Abanye babafazabo bebababelethele abantwana.
