U-Ezra 3:1-13

Ekuqaleni kwenyanga yesikhombisa, abantu bakwa-Israyeli sebesemizini, bahlangana bonke ngothi lwabo eJerusalema. UJeshuwa, indodana kaJozadaki, nabanye abaphristi noZerubhabhele, indodana kaSheyalitiyeli, nabafowabo, balakha kabusha i-althare likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuze kunikelwe phezu kwalo iminikelo yokushiswa, njengoba kulotshiwe emthethweni kaMose, umuntu kaNkulunkulu. Noma izizwe ezazibazungezile zazibesabisa, balakha kabusha i-althare phezu kwezisekelo zalo, base benikela phezu kwalo kuSimakade iminikelo yokushiswa, iminikelo yokushiswa yasekuseni neyakusihlwa. Bagubha umkhosi wamadokodo, njengokomthetho, banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa usuku nosuku, ngokwenani elinqunyelwe usuku nosuku, njengoba kulotshiwe. Emveni kwalokho baletha iminikelo yokushiswa ejwayelekile, eyokwethwasa kwenyanga, eyayo yonke imikhosi emisiweyo kaSimakade neminikelo yesihle eyayinikelwa ngabantu kuSimakade. Ngosuku lokuqala, ngenyanga yesikhombisa, baqala ukunikela iminikelo yokushiswa kuSimakade, nanxa isisekelo sethempeli lakhe sasingakabekwa. Abantu bakhokhela ababazi bamatshe, nababazi bokhuni, nabakhi imali; banika amaSidoni nabaseThire ukudla, okuphuzwayo namafutha ukuze balande imisedari eLebhanoni, bayilethe olwandle eJopha, ngokwemvume kaKhoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya. Ngenyanga yesibili, ngonyaka wesibili bebuyele endlini kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, uZerubhabhele, indodana kaSheyalitiyeli noJeshuwa, indodana kaJozadakhi, nabo bonke abafowabo nabaphristi nabaLevi nabo bonke ababeseJerusalema bebuya ekuthunjweni, bawuqala umsebenzi. Baqoka abaLevi, ababeneminyaka engaphezu kwama-25 ukuba bengamele izisebenzi ezazisebenza endlini kaSimakade. UJeshuwa namadodana akhe, nabafowabo, noKhadimiyeli namadodana akhe, uBhinuyi noHodaviya namadodana kaHenadadi, umLevi, amadodana abo nabafowabo bonke bengamela izisebenzi zasendlini kaNkulunkulu. Lapho abakhi bebeka isisekelo sethempeli likaSimakade, abaphristi bagqoka izingubo zabo zobuphristi, baphatha amacilongo. AbaLevi ababengamadodana ka-Asafa bathatha amasimbali, bahlabelela bedumisa uSimakade njengesimiso sikaDavide, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli. Babemdumisa uSimakade, bembonga ngamaculo, becula bethi: “Ngokuba uSimakade muhle, umusa wakhe umi phakade ku-Israyeli.” Bonke abantu bakhamuluka, bamemeza kakhulu ngentokozo, bedumisa uSimakade lapho bebona kubekwa isisekelo sendlu yakhe. Abaningi babaphristi, abaLevi, izinhloko zemindeni nabantu abadala ababeyibonile indlu yokuqala, bakhala ngezwi elikhulu lapho bezibonela ngawabo kubekwa isisekelo saleyo ndlu; abaningi babememeza ngentokozo. Umsindo wawumkhulu kangangokuthi wawuzwakala ukude, kodwa umuntu wayengekwazi ukwehlukanisa noma ungowokujabula noma ungowokukhala.