Ezra 5:1-17

Abaprofethi, uHagayi umprofethi, noZakariya, indodana ka-Ido, baprofetha ngenxa yabaJuda ababekwaJuda naseJerusalema egameni likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Khona-ke uZerubabele indodana kaSheyalitiyeli noJeshuwa indodana kaJehoshadaki basukuma baqala ukwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema, kanye nabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu ababebasiza. Ngalesosikhathi uThathenayi umbusi osentshonalanga komfula, loSetharibhosnayi labangane babo beza kubo, bathi kubo: Ngubani oniyale ukwakha le ndlu, lakhe lolugange? Sasesisithi kubo: Angobani amagama amadoda akha lesi sakhiwo? Kodwa ilihlo likaNkulunkulu wabo laliphezu kwabadala bamaJuda, ukuthi kabazange bawayeke kuze kufike udaba kuDariyu; basebephendula ngencwadi ngaloludaba. Ikhophi yencwadi uThathenayi, umbusi wangasentshonalanga yoMfula, noShethari Bosnayi nabangane bakhe, ama-Afarizagi ayephesheya komfula, abayithumela kuDariyu inkosi: Basebemthumelela incwadi okwakulotshwe kuyo; Enkosini uDariyu, ukuthula konke! Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi singenile ezweni lakwaJuda, endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu, eyakhiwe ngamatshe amakhulu, nemithi ibekwe ezindongeni; lomsebenzi uqhutshwa masinyane, abaphumelelayo ezandleni zabo. Sase sibuza kulawo maxhegu, sathi kuwo: “Ngubani owaniyaleza ukuba nakhe le ndlu, nakhe lezi zindonga na? Sabuza futhi amagama abo ukuze sikuqinisekise, ukuze sibhale amagama amadoda ayeyizinhloko zawo. Base besiphendula bathi: “Siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wezulu nomhlaba, sakha indlu eyakhiwa eminyakeni eminingi edlule, eyakhiwa yinkosi enkulu yakwa-Israyeli, yayakha.” Kodwa ngemva kokuba okhokho bethu bemthukuthelisile uNkulunkulu wezulu, wabanikela esandleni sikaNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, umKhaledi, owachitha le ndlu futhi wathumba abantu wabayisa eBhabhiloni. Kepha ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yaseBabele, uKoresi inkosi wakhipha umyalo wokuba kwakhiwe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu. Futhi izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaNkulunkulu uNebukadinesari azikhipha ethempelini eliseJerusalema nasethempelini laseBhabhiloni, uKoresi inkosi wazithatha ethempelini laseBhabhiloni, zanikezwa ogama lakhe lalinguyise. USheshebazari, owamenza umbusi; Wathi kuye: “Thatha lezi zitsha, uhambe, uzilethe ethempelini eliseJerusalema, indlu kaNkulunkulu yakhiwe endaweni yayo.” Wayesefika yena loSheshibazari, wabeka isisekelo sendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; Uma manje kukuhle enkosini, makuphenywe endlini yengcebo yenkosi elapho eBabele, ukuthi kuyicala yini elamiswa nguKoresi inkosi ukuba kwakhiwe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, inkosi mayisithumele intokozo yayo kule ndaba.