UNehemiya 8:1-12

Abantu base behlangana, kwangathi bamuntu munye, egcekeni elaliphambi kweSango Lamanzi. Bamtshela u-Ezra, umbhali, ukuba alethe incwadi yomthetho kaMose, uSimakade awunika u-Israyeli. Kwakulusuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesikhombisa. U-Ezra, umphristi, wayiletha incwadi yomthetho phambi kwebandla, abesilisa, nabesifazane nabo bonke ababezwa, baqonde. Wafunda kuyo ebheke ngaseshashalazini elalingaphambi kweSango Lamanzi. Waqala entathakusa kwaze kwaba semini, phambi kwabesilisa nabesifazane nalabo abasebenokuqonda. U-Ezra, umbhali, wayemi phezu kwebhesituli yokhuni, yenzelwe lowo msebenzi. Eceleni ngakwesokunene sakhe kwakumi uMathathiya, uShema, u-Anaya, u-Uriya, uHilikiya noMahaseya; ngakwesokhohlo sakhe kunguPhedaya, uMishayeli, uMalikhija, uHashumi, uHashibhadana, uZekhariya noMeshulami. U-Ezra wema phezu kobamba, wayivula incwadi phambi kwabo bonke abantu bembuka, ngoba wayemi ngenhla kwabo. Kwathi lapho eyivula, bonke basukuma. U-Ezra wamdumisa uSimakade uNkulunkulu, bonke abantu baphendula, bathi: “Amen! Amen,” bephakamise izandla zabo, bakhothama, bathi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini, bakhuleka kuNkulunkulu. AbaLevi: uJeshuwa, uBhani, uSherebhiya, uJamini, u-Akhubhi, uShebhethayi, uHodiya, uMahaseya, uKhelitha, u-Azariya, uJozabhadi, uHanani noPhelaya, bachazela abantu umthetho; ngesikhathi abantu bemi endaweni yabo. Bafunda encwadini yomthetho kaNkulunkulu, bawuhumusha ukuze abantu bawuqonde ukuthi uthini. Abantu lapho bezwa amazwi omthetho, balila kodwa uNehemiya umbusi, no-Ezra umphristi nombhali, nabaLevi ababefundisa abantu bathi kubo: “Ningakhali, ningalili, ngokuba lolu lusuku lungcwele kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.” Wayesethi kubo: “Hambani nidle izibiliboco, niphuze newayini elimtoti, nabele nalabo abantulayo, ngokuba lolu lusuku olumiselwe uSimakade iNkosi yethu, ningabi lusizi, ngokuba intokozo eniyiphiwa nguSimakade iyinqaba yenu.” NabaLevi babaqinisa idolo, bathi: “Yekani ukukhala, ningabe nisadabuka, ngokuba namuhla lusuku olungcwele.” Bonke abantu bahamba bayokudla, baphuza, bapha abantulayo ukudla, bajabula kakhulu, ngokuba babekuzwile abakutshelwayo.