U-Ezra 8:1-36
8 Yilaba-ke ababeyizinhloko zemindeni yoyise futhi nalu uhlu lozalo lwalabo abakhuphuka nami bephuma eBhabhiloni phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi u-Aritahishashita: +
2 emadodaneni kaFinehasi, + uGereshomu; emadodaneni ka-Itamari, + uDaniyeli; emadodaneni kaDavide, uHathushi;
3 emadodaneni kaShekaniya, wamadodana kaPharoshi, uZakariya, kanye naye kwabhaliswa abesilisa abangu-150;
4 emadodaneni kaPhahati-mowabi, + u-Eliyeho-enayi indodana kaZeraya, kanye nabesilisa abangu-200;
5 emadodaneni kaZathu, + uShekaniya indodana kaJahaziyeli, kanye nabesilisa abangu-300;
6 emadodaneni ka-Adini, + u-Ebhedi indodana kaJonathani, kanye nabesilisa abangu-50;
7 emadodaneni ka-Elamu, + uJeshaya indodana ka-Athaliya, kanye nabesilisa abangu-70;
8 emadodaneni kaShefathiya, + uZebadiya indodana kaMikayeli, kanye nabesilisa abangu-80;
9 emadodaneni kaJowabe, u-Obadiya indodana kaJehiyeli, kanye nabesilisa abangu-218;
10 emadodaneni kaBhani, uShelomiti indodana kaJosifiya, kanye nabesilisa abangu-160;
11 emadodaneni kaBebayi, uZakariya indodana kaBebayi, + kanye nabesilisa abangu-28;
12 emadodaneni ka-Azigadi, + uJohanani indodana kaHakathani, kanye nabesilisa abangu-110;
13 emadodaneni ka-Adonikamu, + ababengabokugcina, kwakuyilawa amagama abo: u-Elifeleti, uJeheyeli noShemaya, kanye nabesilisa abangu-60;
14 emadodaneni kaBhigivayi, + u-Uthayi noZabibudi, kanye nabesilisa abangu-70.
15 Ngabaqoqela emfuleni ofika e-Ahava, + sakanisa khona izinsuku ezintathu. Kodwa lapho ngihlola abantu nabapristi, awekho amaLevi engawathola lapho.
16 Ngakho ngathumela ukuba kubizwe u-Eliyezeri, u-Ariyeli, uShemaya, u-Elinathani, uJaribi, u-Elinathani, uNathani, uZakariya noMeshulami, ababengabaholi, noJoyaribi kanye no-Elinathani, ababengabafundisi.
17 Ngabe sengibanika umyalo ngokuphathelene no-Ido ongumholi endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi iKhasifiya. Ngabayala ukuba batshele u-Ido nabafowabo, izikhonzi zasethempelini* ezaziseKhasifiya, ukuba basilethele izikhonzi zendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu.
18 Njengoba isandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasiphezu kwethu, basilethela indoda enokuqonda evela emadodaneni kaMaheli + engumzukulu kaLevi indodana ka-Israyeli, okungukuthi, uSherebiya + namadodana akhe nabafowabo, amadoda angu-18;
19 noHashabiya ekanye noJeshaya ovela kumaMerari, + abafowabo namadodana abo, amadoda angu-20.
20 Kwakunezikhonzi zasethempelini* ezingu-220, lezo uDavide nezikhulu abazinikela enkonzweni yamaLevi, zonke zibhaliswe ngamagama.
21 Ngemva kwalokho ngamemezela ukuzila ukudla khona emfuleni i-Ahava, ukuba sizithobe phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu, sifune isiqondiso kuye ohambweni lwethu, avikele thina, izingane zethu kanye nayo yonke impahla yethu.
22 Nganginamahloni okucela amasosha enkosini nabagibeli bamahhashi ukuze basivikele ezitheni endleleni, ngoba sasithe enkosini: “Isandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wethu siphezu kwabo bonke abamfunayo, + kodwa amandla akhe nolaka lwakhe kumelene nabo bonke abamshiyayo.” +
23 Ngakho sazila ukudla, senza isicelo kuNkulunkulu wethu ngokuphathelene nalokhu, futhi wakulalela ukunxusa kwethu. +
24 Ngahlukanisa abangu-12 ezinduneni zabapristi, okungukuthi uSherebiya, uHashabiya, + kanye nabayishumi kubafowabo.
25 Ngabe sengibakalela isiliva negolide nezinto ezazizosetshenziswa, umnikelo inkosi nabeluleki bayo nezikhulu zayo nawo wonke ama-Israyeli ayekhona abawenzela indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu. +
26 Ngakho ngabakalela esandleni sabo amathalenta* esiliva angu-650, izinto zesiliva ezingu-100 ezingabiza amathalenta amabili, amathalenta egolide angu-100,
27 izitsha ezincane zegolide ezingu-20 ezingabiza amadarike* angu-1 000 nezinto ezimbili zethusi elisezingeni eliphezulu, elibomvu ngokukhazimulayo, elifiseleka njengegolide.
28 Ngabe sengithi kubo: “Ningcwele kuJehova, + nalezi zinto zingcwele, isiliva negolide lingumnikelo wokuzithandela onikwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu.
29 Kuqaphisiseni kuze kube yilapho nikukala phambi kwezinduna zabapristi namaLevi nezikhulu zemindeni yoyise bakwa-Israyeli eJerusalema, + emagunjini* endlu kaJehova.”
30 Abapristi namaLevi bathatha isiliva negolide nezinto ababekalelwe zona, ukuze bakuyise eJerusalema endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu.
31 Ekugcineni sasuka emfuleni i-Ahava + ngosuku luka-12 lwenyanga yokuqala + sesiya eJerusalema, isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasiphezu kwethu, wasisindisa esandleni sesitha nakubahlaseli endleleni.
32 Ngakho safika eJerusalema + sahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu.
33 Ngosuku lwesine salikala isiliva negolide nezinye izinto endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu + sakunika uMeremoti + indodana ka-Urija umpristi, wayekanye no-Eleyazare indodana kaFinehasi, kanye nabo kukhona amaLevi uJozabhadi + indodana kaJeshuwa noNowadiya indodana kaBhinuyi. +
34 Konke kwabalwa kwakalwa, sonke isisindo sabhalwa phansi.
35 Labo abaphuma ekuthunjweni, ababekade bedingisiwe, baletha imihlatshelo eshiswayo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, izinkunzi ezingu-12 + zawo wonke u-Israyeli, izinqama ezingu-96, + amawundlu angamaduna angu-77 nezimpongo ezingu-12 + kwaba umnikelo wesono; konke lokhu kwakungumnikelo oshiswayo oya kuJehova. +
36 Sabe sesinika ababusi bezifundazwe* benkosi + nababusi bangaPhesheya Komfula imithetho yenkosi, + basekela abantu nendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “amaNethini.” NgesiHebheru, “abanikelwe.”
^ Noma, “KwakunamaNethini.” NgesiHebheru, “Kwakunabanikelwe.”
^ Ithalenta lalilingana no-34,2 kg. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
^ Idarike kwakuwuhlamvu lwegolide lwasePheresiya. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
^ Noma, “emahholo okudlela.”
^ Yisiqu esisho “abavikeli bombuso,” kuleli vesi sibhekisela kubabusi bezifundazwe eMbusweni WasePheresiya.
