Besele kudlule iminyaka ema-70 ama-Israyeli abuyele eJerusalema, kodwana bekasahlala ngokuhlukana, ahlala eendaweni ezibuswa maKhosi wePheresiya. Munye wamakhosi lawo bekungumphristi u-Ezra, ebekafundisa umThetho kaJehova. U-Ezra wezwa bona abantu beJerusalema abawulandeli umThetho kaZimu, lokho kwamenza wafuna ukuyobasiza. IKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta yathi kuye: ‘UZimu ukwenze wahlakanipha ukuze ufundise umThethwakhe, zikhethele ukuthi ufuna ukukhamba nobani.’ U-Ezra wenza umhlangano nabo boke ebebafuna ukubuyela eJerusalema. Bathandaza babawa bona uJehova abaphephise ekhambweni elide ebebazolithatha, ngemva kwalokho bangena indlela.

Bafika eJerusalema ngemva kweenyanga ezine. Amakhosi walapho athi ku-Ezra: ‘Ama-Israyeli akhenge alalele uJehova atjhada nabafazi abalotjha abosingazimu.’ U-Ezra yena wenzani? Waguqa ngamadolo phambi kwabantwabo wathandaza: ‘Jehova sonile phambikwakho ngitjho nanyana usenzele izinto ezinengi kangaka.’ Abantu baphenduka, kodwana bebasenza izinto ezingakalungi. U-Ezra wakhetha abadala nabahluleli bona kube ngibo abalungisa indaba le. Eenyangeni ezintathu ezadlulako abantu ebebangamlotjhi uJehova bakhanjiswa.

Kwadlula iminyaka elitjhumi nambili. Ngesikhatheso amaboda weJerusalema akhiwa ngobutjha. Yeke u-Ezra wabuthelela abantu ndawonye wabafundela umThetho kaZimu. U-Ezra uthe nakavula incwadi abantu basikima. Wadumisa uJehova, abantu baphakamisa izandla zabo bavumelana naye. U-Ezra wafunda bewahlathulula umThetho, ngesikhatheso abantu bebalalelisisile. Bavuma bona bebahlahlathile endleleni kaJehova godu, balila. Ngelanga elilandelako u-Ezra wabafundela omunye godu umThetho. Yeke balemuka bona kufuze bagidinge umnyanya wemitlhatlhana. Azange basariyada, khonokho bathoma babhinca.

 Ngelanga lekhomba lomnyanya badumisa bebathokoza uJehova bathokoza ukuthi kube nesivuno esihle. Umnyanya onjalo wangcina ukuba khona ngesikhathi sakaJotjhuwa. Ngemva komnyanya abantu bahlangana bathandaza bathi: ‘Jehova usisindisile ebukhobokeni, wasondla erhalawumbeni wabe wasipha nenarha ehle. Kodwana thina kube ziinkhathi ezinengi singakulaleli. Uthumele abaphorofidi bona basikhalime kodwana akhenge silalele. Nalapho usibekezelele. Wenze ngokuvumelana nesithembiso owasenza no-Abrahamu. Njenganje siyakuthembisa, sizokulalela.’ Batlola iinthembiso zabo, amakhosana, amaLevi nabaphristi baqinisekisa iinthembiswezo.