Ukulahlwa Kwabesifazane Bezizwe Nezingane Zabo
1Kwathi u-Ezra esakhuleka evuma izono, ekhala, ezilahle phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, isixuku esikhulu sabakwa-Israyeli sabuthana lapho, amadoda, abesifazane, nezingane, bonke babekhala kalusizi. 2UShekhaniya, indodana kaJehiyeli, wozalo luka-Elamu, wathi ku-Ezra: “Asethembekanga kuNkulunkulu ngokuthi siganwe ngabesifazane bezizwe, kodwa noma kunjalo u-Israyeli usenalo ithemba. 3Manje-ke masenze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu wethu sokubalahla bonke laba besifazane nezingane zabo, ngokwesiluleko senkosi yami nalabo abayesabayo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wethu; makwenziwe njengokumisiweyo emthethweni. 4Vuka wenze okuthile, ngokuba lolu daba luqondene nawe; sinawe; qina, ukwenze lokhu.”
5U-Ezra wasukuma, wafungisa abaholi babaphristi, abaLevi no-Israyeli wonkana ukuthi bayokwenza njengoba eshilo. Bafunga-ke. 6U-Ezra wasuka phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, waya endlini kaJehohanani, indodana ka-Eliyashibhi, wahlala lapho ubusuku bonke, engadli lutho, futhi engaphuzi lutho, ngokuba wayelila ngenxa yokungethembeki kwabantu ababebuye ekuthunjweni.
7Bathumela isimemezelo kulo lonke elakwaJuda naseJerusalema, kubo bonke ababebuye ekuthunjweni, ukuba bahlangane eJerusalema, 8nokuthi uma bengafinyelelanga emhlanganweni ngezinsuku ezintathu, bayokwephucwa yonke impahla yabo, badingiswe enhlanganweni yabathunjwa ngokwesinqumo sabaphethe nezikhulu.
9Bonke abantu bakwaJuda nabakwaBhenjamini babuthana eJerusalema ezinsukwini ezintathu; kwakuyinyanga yesishiyagalolunye, ngolwama-20 lwenyanga. Bonke abantu bahlala phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, beqhaqhazela ngenxa yobucayi balolu daba, nangenxa yemvula enkulu. 10U-Ezra, umphristi, wayesesukuma, wathi kubo: “Nonile, naganwa ngabesifazane bezizwe, ngaleyo ndlela nathasisela icala lika-Israyeli. 11Ngakho-ke vumani izono zenu kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu, nenze intando yakhe; zehlukaniseni kubantu bezwe nakubafazi bezizwe.”
12Inhlangano yonke yaphendula ngezwi elikhulu, yathi: “Siyavuma! Kufanele senze njengoba usho! 13Kepha kunabantu abaningi lapha, futhi lina kakhulu, asikwazi ukuma phandle. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, lolu daba alusilo olosuku olulodwa noma ezimbili, ngokuba iningi lethu liyachaphazeleka kulolu daba. 14Vumelani abaholi bethu kube yibona abazosimela kulolu daba, bamele inhlangano yonke. Makuthi bonke emizini yakithi abaganwe ngabesifazane bezizwe beze ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo, behambisana namalunga nabehluleli bemizi yonke, luze lusuke kithi ulaka lukaNkulunkulu maqondana nalolu daba.”
15UJonathani, indodana ka-Asaheli noJahazeya, indodana kaThikhiva, bamelana nalesi sinqumo, besekwa ngoMeshulami noShabhethayi, abaLevi.
16Ababuye ekuthunjweni benza kanjalo. U-Ezra umphristi waqoka amadoda, izinhloko zemindeni ngokwezindlu zokhokho bazo, yileyo naleyo ibizwe ngegama. Lawo madoda ahlangana ngosuku lokuqala, ngenyanga yeshumi, ukuze aphande kabanzi ngalolu daba. 17Aluphothula lolo daba lwalawo madoda ayethathe abesifazane babezizwe, ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala.
Uhla Lwamadoda Abayenganwe Ngabesifazane Bezizwe
18Abafunyaniswa phakathi kwabozalo lwabaphristi ukuthi baganwe ngabesifazane babezizwe yilaba:
kwabozalo lukaJeshuwa: indodana kaJozadaki, nakubafowabo, nguMahaseya, u-Eliyezeri, uJaribi noGedaliya.
19Bavuma ukuthi bazobalahla abafazi babo; lokhu benecala, banikela ngenqama, yaba wumhlatshelo wezono zabo.
20Kwabozalo luka-Imeri: nguHanani noZebhadiya.
21Kwabozalo lukaHarimi: nguMahaseya, u-Elija, uShemaya, uJehiyeli no-Uziya.
22Kwabozalo lukaPhashuri: ngu-Eliyohenayi, uMahaseya, u-Ishmayeli, uNethaneli, uJozabhadi no-Eleyasa.
23KubaLevi: nguJozabhadi, uShimeyi, uKhelaya onguKhelitha, uPhethahiya, uJuda no-Eliyezeri.
24Kubahlabeleli: ngu-Eliyashibhi.
Kubalindisango: nguShalumi, uTheleme no-Uri.
25Kwabanye bakwa-Israyeli:
kwabozalo lukaPharoshi: nguRamiya, u-Iziya, uMalikhiya, uMijamini, u-Eleyazare, uMalikhiya noBhenaya.
26Kwabozalo luka-Elamu: nguMathaniya, uZakhariya, uJehiyeli, u-Abhidi, uJeremothi no-Eliya.
27Kwabozalo lukaZathu: ngu-Eliyohenayi, u-Eliyashibhi, uMathaniya, uJeremothi, uZabhadi no-Aziza.
28Kwabozalo lukaBhebayi: nguJehohanani, uHananiya, uZabhayi no-Athilayi.
29Kwabozalo lukaBhani: nguMeshulamu, uMalukhi, u-Adaya, uJashubhi, uSheyali noJeremothi.
30Kwabozalo lukaPhahathi Mowabi: ngu-Adina, uKhelali, uBhenaya, uMahaseya, uMathaniya, uBhezaleli, uBhinuwi noManase.
31Kwabozalo lukaHarimi: ngu-Eliyezeri, uJishiya, uMalikhiya, uShemaya, uShimeyoni, 32uBhenjamini, uMalukhi noShemariya.
33Kwabozalo lukaHashumi: nguMathenayi, uMathatha, uZabhadi, u-Elifelethi, uJeremayi, uManase noShimeyi.
34Kwabozalo lukaBhani: nguMahadayi, u-Amramu, u-Uweli, 35uBhenaya, uBhedeya, uKheluhi, 36uVaniya, uMeremothi, u-Eliyashibhi, 37uMathaniya, uMathenayi noJahasu. 38Kwabozalo lukaBhinuwi: nguShimeyi, 39uShelemiya, uNathani, u-Adaya, 40uMakhenadebhayi, uShashayi, uSharayi, 41u-Azareli, uShelemiya, uShemariya, 42uShalumi, u-Amariya noJosefa.
43Kwabozalo lukaNebho: nguJehiyeli, uMathithiya, uZabhadi, uSebhina, u-Ido, uJoweli noBhenaya.
44Bonke labo babeganwe ngabesifazane babezizwe, base bebalahla bonke abesifazane bezizwe ababebaganile nabantwana babo.
