Masikhe sibuyele umva iminyaka embalwa. UNehemiya, isicaka sikaKumkani uArtashashta, wayengumSirayeli owayehlala kwidolophu yasePersi, iShushan. Umntakwabo Nehemiya waya kuye esuka kwaYuda, eneendaba ezimbi, esithi: ‘Abantu ababuyele eYerusalem abakhuselekanga. Iindonga namasango edolophu awadilizwa ngabantu baseBhabhiloni, awazange aphinde akhiwe.’ UNehemiya wakhathazeka. Wayefuna ukuya kunceda eYerusalem, ngoko wathandazela ukuba ukumkani amvumele ahambe.

Kamva, ukumkani wabona ukuba uNehemiya ukhathazekile. Wathi: ‘Andizange ndakubona unje. Yintoni ingxaki?’ UNehemiya wathi: ‘Ndiza kuthini ukungakhathazeki xa idolophu yam, iYerusalem, isonakala?’ Ukumkani wabuza: ‘Ufuna ndikwenzele ntoni?’ Ngoko nangoko uNehemiya wathandazela ngaphakathi. Emva koko wathi: ‘Ndicela undivumele ndiyokwakha iindonga zaseYerusalem.’ UKumkani wamvumela uNehemiya ukuba ahambe waza waqinisekisa ukuba uza kukhuseleka kuhambo lwakhe olude. Waye wamenza umphathi wakwaYuda waza wamnika amaplanga ukuze akhe ngawo amasango edolophu.

Wathi akufika uNehemiya eYerusalem, wahlola iindonga zedolophu. Waqokelela ababingeleli nabo balawulayo waza wathi kubo: ‘Imbi le nto. Kufuneka sisebenze.’ Abantu bavuma baza baqalisa ukuzakha ezo ndonga.

Abanye ababeziintshaba zamaSirayeli bahlekisa ngabo besithi: ‘Impungutye ingaluwisa olu donga nilwakhayo.’ Abasebenzi abazange babahoye, baqhubeka nokwakha. Udonga lwaya lusenyuka kwaye lwaluqinile.

Iintshaba zeza nelinye icebo. Zazifuna ukuhlasela amaSirayeli engacingelanga. Xa amaYuda akuvayo oku, oyika. UNehemiya wathi: ‘Musani ukoyika. UYehova unathi.’ Wathumela oonogada baye kukhusela abasebenzi, zaza iintshaba azakwazi ukuhlasela.

 Kwiintsuku nje eziyi-52, amasango neendonga zagqitywa ukwakhiwa. UNehemiya wasa abaLevi eYerusalem ukuba bayokuvuyela ukugqitywa kolwakhiwo. Wabenza bangamaqela amabini eemvumi. Banyuka ngezitepsi ukuya kwiSango Lomthombo baza baya kumacala onke edolophu. Babedlala amaxilongo, imirhube neehadi, beculela uYehova. UEzra wahamba nelinye iqela waza uNehemiya wahamba nelinye de baya kufika etempileni. Bonke abantu—ootata, oomama, nabantwana—benza iminikelo eya kuYehova baza bonwaba. Amazwi abo ovuyo wawunokuweva usekude.