U-Ezra 10:1-12

U-Ezra esakhuleka, evuma izono ngokukhala, eziwise phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, kwabuthana kuye kuvela ku-Israyeli ibandla elikhulu kakhulu labesilisa nabesifazane nabantwana, ngokuba abantu bakhala ngokukhala okukhulu. UShekaniya, indodana kaJehiyeli, enye yamadodana ka-Elamu, wathatha wathi ku-Ezra: “Siphambukile kuNkulunkulu wethu, sithathe abesifazane babezizwe kubantu bezwe. Nokho lisekhona ithemba ku-Israyeli ngale nto. Ngalokho masenze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu wethu ukuba silahle bonke abesifazane nabazelwe yibo ngesiluleko senkosi nesabathuthumela ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu wethu; akwenziwe ngomthetho. Vuka, ngokuba iphezu kwakho le ndaba; thina sinawe; yiba nesibindi, ukwenze.” Wayesevuka u-Ezra, wafungisa izikhulu zabapristi, namaLevi, naye wonke u-Israyeli ukuba benze ngokwaleli zwi. Bafunga-ke. Wayesevuka u-Ezra phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, wangena ekamelweni likaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi, kepha esefike khona akadlanga sinkwa, kaphuzanga manzi, ngokuba walila ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa. Bathumela izwi kwaJuda naseJerusalema kubo bonke abathunjwa ukuba babuthane eJerusalema ngokuthi bonke abangafiki ngezinsuku ezintathu ngokwesiluleko sezikhulu namalunga kuyakudliwa yonke impahla yabo, bona bahlukaniswe nebandla labathunjwa. Bonke abantu bakwaJuda nabakwaBenjamini babuthana eJerusalema ngezinsuku ezintathu; kwakuyinyanga yesishiyagalolunye, ngolwamashumi amabili lwenyanga; bonke abantu bahlala esigcawini ngaphambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu bethuthumela ngale ndaba nangemvula enkulu. U-Ezra, umpristi, wasukuma, wathi kubo: “Niphambukile nithathe abesifazane babezizwe ukwandisa icala lakwa-Israyeli. Ngalokho vumani izono kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, nenze intando yakhe, nizahlukanise nabantu bezwe nabesifazane babezizwe.” Lase liphendula lonke ibandla, lathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Njengokusho kwakho kithina nga sikwenza.