U-Ezra 8:18-32 Ibhayibheli Elingcwele (ZUL59)

18. Ngesandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wethu esasiphezu kwethu basilethela umuntu onengqondo wamadodana kaMaheli indodana kaLevi ka-Israyeli, kanye noSherebiya namadodana akhe nabafowabo, beyishumi nesishiyagalombili,

19. noHashabiya enoJeshaya wamadodana kaMerari, nabafowabo namadodana abo, bengamashumi amabili,

20. nakuwo amaNethini* uDavide nezikhulu ababewanikele enkonzweni yamaLevi amaNethini angamakhulu amabili namashumi amabili, abizwa onke ngamagama.

21. Ngase ngimemezela khona ukuzila ukudla ngasemfuleni i-Ahava ukuba sizithobe phambi kukaNkulunkulu, sizifunele kuye indlela emhlophe, thina nabantwana bethu, nemfuyo yethu yonke.

22. Ngokuba nganginamahloni ukucela enkosini impi nabamahhashi ukuba basisize ezitheni zasendleleni, ngokuba sasikhulumile enkosini, sathi: “Isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu siphezu kwabo bonke abamfunayo ukuba kube kuhle, kepha amandla akhe nentukuthelo yakhe kuphezu kwabo bonke abamshiyayo.”

23. Sase sizila-ke, sanxusa uNkulunkulu wethu ngalokho, wasizwa.

24. Ngase ngahlukanisa ezikhulwini zabapristi abayishumi nambili: oSherebiya, noHashabiya, nabafowabo abayishumi kanye nabo,

25. ngabalinganisela isiliva negolide nezitsha, umnikelo wendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, okwakunikelwe ngawo yinkosi nabeluleki bayo, nezikhulu zayo, naye wonke u-Israyeli owayelapho;

26. ngalinganisela ezandleni zabo amatalenta* angamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi ayisihlanu esiliva, namatalenta ayikhulu ayizitsha zesiliva, namatalenta ayikhulu egolide,

27. nezindebe ezingamashumi amabili zegolide ezingamadarike* ayinkulungwane, nezitsha ezimbili zethusi elikhazimulayo nelihle, eliyigugu njengegolide.

28. Ngathi kubo: “Ningcwele kuJehova, nezitsha zingcwele; isiliva negolide kungumnikelo wesihle kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo.

29. Lindani, nikugcine, nize nikulinganise ngaphambi kwezikhulu zabapristi nezamaLevi nezikhulu zawoyise bakwa-Israyeli eJerusalema emakamelweni endlu kaJehova.”

30. Base bamukela abapristi namaLevi okulinganisiweyo, isiliva negolide nezitsha, ukuba bakuyise eJerusalema endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu.

31. Sase sisuka emfuleni i-Ahava ngolweshumi nambili lwenyanga yokuqala ukuba siye eJerusalema; isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasiphezu kwethu, wasophula esandleni sesitha nakumqamekeli endleleni.

32. Safika eJerusalema, sahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu.

U-Ezra 8