UNehemiya 10:28-39

Abantu abaseleyo, abapristi, namaLevi, nabalindisango, nabahlabeleli, namaNethini,* nabo bonke ababezahlukanisile nabantu bezwe ukuba bazihlanganise nomthetho kaNkulunkulu, nawomkabo, namadodana abo, namadodakazi abo, bonke ababe nolwazi nokuhlakanipha, babambelela kubafowabo, abakhulu babo, benza isithembiso nesifungo sokuba bahambe emthethweni kaNkulunkulu owanikwa ngesandla sikaMose inceku kaNkulunkulu, bagcine, benze yonke imiyalo kaJehova iNkosi yethu, nezahlulelo zakhe, nezimiso zakhe ukuba singabaniki abantu bezwe amadodakazi ethu, singathatheli amadodana ethu amadodakazi abo, nokuba lapho abantu bezwe beletha impahla, noma uhlobo oluthile lwamabele ngosuku lwesabatha ukuba bathengise ngakho, singathengi kubo ngesabatha nangosuku olungcwele, futhi siwuyeke umnyaka wesikhombisa nazo zonke izikwenetu. Futhi sazimisela umthetho wokuba sithele inxenye yesithathu yeshekeli* ngomnyaka, ibe ngeyomsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, eyesinkwa sokubukwa kanye nomnikelo wempuphu wemihla yonke nomnikelo oshiswa imihla yonke, neyamasabatha, neyokwethwasa kwenyanga, neyemikhosi emisiweyo, neyezinto ezingcwele, neyeminikelo yezono, ukuba kwenziwe ukubuyisana kuka-Israyeli nomsebenzi wonke wendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu. Senza inkatho thina bapristi namaLevi nabantu ngomnikelo wezinkuni ukuba zingeniswe endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu njengezindlu zawobaba ngezikhathi ezinqunyiweyo, iminyaka ngeminyaka, zibaswe phezu kwe-altare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni, kulethwe endlini kaJehova ulibo lomhlabathi wethu nolibo lwezithelo zemithi yezinhlobo zonke iminyaka ngeminyaka, kulethwe endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu namazibulo amadodana ethu, nawezimpahla zethu njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni, namazibulo ezinkomo zethu nawezimvu zethu, kubapristi abakhonza endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu; silethe ulibo lomgqakazo wethu, neminikelo yethu yokuphakanyiswa, nezithelo zemithi yezinhlobo zonke, newayini namafutha kubapristi emakamelweni endlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, nokweshumi komhlabathi wethu kumaLevi, ngokuba wona amaLevi amukela okweshumi emizini yonke esilima kuyo. Umpristi, indodana ka-Aroni, ubeyakuba namaLevi, lapho amaLevi amukela okweshumi; amaLevi ayakukhuphulela okweshumi kokweshumi endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu emakamelweni endlini yengcebo. Ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli nabantwana bakwaLevi babeyakukhuphulela umnikelo wamabele, newayini, namafutha emakamelweni, lapho kukhona izitsha zendlu engcwele, nabapristi abakhonzayo, nabalindisango, nabahlabeleli; besingenakuyishiya indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu.