Akhesibuyele emva ngeminyaka eembalwa. UNerhemiya, inceku yeKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta, beyimIsrayeli ohlala ePheresiya idorobho leTjhutjhani. Umfowabo kaNerhemiya wabuya kwaJuda aphethe iindaba ezimbi ezithi: ‘Abantu ababuyele eJerusalema abakaphephi. Amaboda wedorobho namahege wakhona abhujiswa babantu beBhabheli, azange asavuselelwa.’ Lokho kwamsilinga tle uNerhemiya! Wafuna ukuya eJerusalema ayokusiza, wathandaza bona ikosi imvumele akhambe.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ikosi yabona ukuthi uNerhemiya udanile. Yathi: ‘Kwenza njani Nerhemiya? Azange khengikubone ungalendlela?’ UNerhemiya wathi: ‘Kufuze ngidane, idorobho lami iJerusalema ibhujisiwe.’ Ikosi yabuza yathi: ‘Kukhona engingakwenzela khona?’ UNerhemiya wathandaza buthule ngesikhatheso. Ngemva kwalokho wathi: ‘Ngibawa ungivumele ngiyokuvuselela amaboda weJerusalema.’ IKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta yathi kuNerhemiya akhambe, yenza nesiqinisekiso sokuthi uNerhemiya uzokuphepha ekhambweni lakhe. Yenza bona uNerhemiya abuse kwaJuda, yamnikela neengodo zamahege.

UNerhemiya nakafika eJerusalema, wakhamba wayokuhlola amaboda wedorobho. Yeke wabizela ndawonye abaphristi nababusi wathi kibo: ‘Yimbi intwe le, kufuze sisebenze.’ Abantu bavuma bathoma ukwakha amaboda.

Amanye wamanaba wama-Israyeli ahlekisa ngabo athi: ‘Ipungutjha ingawawisa amaboda eniwakhako lawo.’ Abasebenzi base babaziba, baraga nokwakha. Amaboda aba made begodu aqina.

Amanaba lawo acabanga ngamanye amano, bona ahlasele iJerusalema ngokungakalindeleki. AmaJuda athe bona ezwe ngamano lawo angenwa mamanzi emadolweni. Kodwana uNerhemiya wathi: ‘Ningathukwa. UJehova unathi.’ Wabeka abonogada, amanaba akhenge akghone ukuhlasela.

 Kwabathatha amalanga ama-52 kwaphela ukuqeda ukwakha amaboda namahege. UNerhemiya wabizela woke amaLevi eJerusalema bona azokugidinga ukuvulwa kwethempeli. Wabahlukanisa kwaba ziinqhema ezimbili zababhini. Bakhuphuka ngeetepisi eHegeni engeManzini, batjhinga ngakwenye ingcenye bazombeleza idorobho. Bapopoza iporompita, babetha iiwahlo namaharibhana, babhinela uJehova. U-Ezra wakhamba nesinye isiqhema, bese kwathi uNerhemiya naye wakhamba nesinye, baze bayokuhlangana ethempeleni. Boke abantu, amadoda, abafazi nabantwana, benzela uJehova iminikelo bagidinga. Amaphimbwabo bekazwakala nekudeni.