U-Ezra 5:1-17

Abaphrofethi, uHagayi noZakhariya, indodana ka-Ido, baphrofetha kubaJuda ababehlala kwaJuda naseJerusalema egameni likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owayebabusa. Emveni kwalokho uZerubhabhele, indodana kaSheyalitiyeli noJeshuwa, indodana kaJozadakhi, baqala ukwakha kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, besizwa ngabaphrofethi. Ngaso leso sikhathi uThathenayi, umbusi wasentshonalanga yeYufrathe noShethari Bhozenayi, nabangani babo bakhuluma nabo, bathi: “Ngubani onigunyaze ukwakha le ndlu, nokuqeda lesi sakhiwo na?” Babuza bathi: “Ngobani amagama amadoda akhe lesi sakhiwo na?” Kepha uNkulunkulu wabo wayenabo, ngakho-ke izikhulu zakwaJuda zanquma ukungawumisi umsebenzi zize zibhalele uDariyu, zithole kuye impendulo. Nanti ifuzela lencwadi uThathenayi, umbusi wasentshonalanga yeYufrathe, noShethari Bhozenayi, nabangani babo ababesesifundazweni esasisentshonalanga yeYufrathe, abayithumela kuDariyu, inkosi. Bayithumelela umbiko owawubhalwe kanje: “KuDariyu, inkosi, makube ngukuthula konke! “Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi siyile esifundazweni kwaJuda, endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu eyakhiwe ngamatshe amakhulu, kwafakwa namapulangwe ezindongeni. Lowo msebenzi uqhubeka ngesineke, bayaphumelela ukuwenza. “Sase sikhuluma nalezo zikhulu, sababuza sathi: ‘Ngubani onigunyaze ukwakha le ndlu, nokuqeda lesi sakhiwo na?’ Sibuye sazibuza namagama azo, sawabhala, ukuze sikwazise ukuthi bangobani abaholi balo msebenzi. “Nansi impendulo eziphendula ngayo: ‘Siyizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu wasezulwini nasemhlabeni, sakha kabusha indlu eyayakhiwe eminyakeni eminingi eyedlule, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli enamandla eyayiyakhe yayiqeda. Kepha okhokho bethu bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, wayesevumela inkosi yaseBhabhele, uNebukhadinezari, inkosi yombuso wamaKhaledi, ukuba ibanqobe. Yabhubhisa le ndlu, abantu yabathumba yabasa eBhabhele. “ ‘Kepha ngonyaka wokuqala wokubusa kwenkosi uKhoresi eBhabhele, yakhipha isimemezelo sokuthi le ndlu kaNkulunkulu kumele yakhiwe kabusha. Yazibuyisela eJerusalema zonke izitsha zegolide nesiliva zasendlini kaNkulunkulu ezazithathwe nguNebukhadinezari ethempelini eJerusalema, wayozibeka ethempelini eBhabhele. UKhoresi wazikhipha lezo zitsha wazinika indoda egama layo linguSheshibhazari, wayeseyibeka ukuba ngumbusi kwaJuda. Yathi kuye: “Thatha lezi zitsha, uhambe nazo, uzibeke ethempelini eJerusalema, indlu kaNkulunkulu yakhiwe kabusha esizeni sayo.” “ ‘Ngakho-ke uSheshibhazari wafike wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema; kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuze kube manje isakhiwa, ayikaqedwa.’ “Manje uma kukuhle enkosini, vuma ukuba kuphenywe endlini yemiqulu yemilando yasebukhosini baseBhabhele ukuze kubonakale ukuthi ngempela inkosi uKhoresi yayiwushayile yini umthetho wokuthi akwakhiwe kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Inkosi mayisazise ukuthi ihlose ukuba kwenziweni ngalolu daba.”