Ezra 6:13-22

Khona-ke uThathenayi, umbusi nganeno komfula, neSetharibhozenayi nabangane babo, njengoba nje uDariyu inkosi wayethumele, benza kanjalo ngokushesha. Abadala bamaJuda basebesakha, baphumelela ngomprofethi kaHagayi umprofethi loZakariya indodana kaIdo. Bakha, baqeda njengomyalo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli nanjengomyalo kaKoresi noDariyu no-Aritahishashita inkosi yasePheresiya. Le ndlu yaqedwa ngosuku lwesithathu lwenyanga ka-Adari, ngomnyaka wesithupha wokubusa kwenkosi uDariyu. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, abapristi namaLevi nabanye abantwana babathunjwa bagcina ukunikezelwa kwale ndlu kaNkulunkulu ngokujabula. Nasekuhlukaniseni le ndlu kaNkulunkulu izinkunzi eziyikhulu, nezinqama ezingamakhulu amabili, namawundlu angamakhulu amane; nezimpongo eziyishumi nambili zibe ngumnikelo wesono ka-Israyeli wonke, ngokwenani lezizwe zakwa-Israyeli. Bamisa abapristi ngezigaba zabo namaLevi ngezigaba zabo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lukaMozisi. Abantwana babathunjwa bagcina iphasika ngosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga yokuqala. Ngokuba abapristi namaLevi babehlanjululwe kanyekanye, bonke babehlambulukile, bazihlabela zonke iziboshwa, nabafowabo, nabapristi, nabo ngokwabo iphasika. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababebuyile ekuthunjweni, nabo bonke ababezahlukanisile nokungcola kwezizwe zezwe, ukuba bafune uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, badla; bagubha umkhosi wesinkwa esingenamvubelo izinsuku eziyisikhombisa ngokuthokoza, ngokuba uJehova wabathokozisa, waletha kubo inhliziyo yenkosi yase-Asiriya ukuba iqinise izandla zabo emsebenzini wendlu kaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.