UNehemiya 8:1-11

Bonke abantu babuthana njengomuntu munye esigcawini esiphambi kweSango Lamanzi; bakhuluma ku-Ezra, umbhali, ukuba alethe incwadi yomthetho kaMose uJehova ayala ngayo u-Israyeli. U-Ezra, umpristi, wawuletha umthetho phambi kwebandla labesilisa nabesifazane, nabo bonke ababe nengqondo yokuzwa, ngolokuqala lwenyanga yesikhombisa. Wayifunda phambi kwesitaladi esiphambi kweSango Lamanzi kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ntambama, phambi kwabesilisa nabesifazane nababe nengqondo yokuqonda; izindlebe zabo bonke abantu zalalela incwadi yomthetho. U-Ezra umbhali wayemi epulpiti lamapulangwe ababelenzele lona; ngakuye uMatitja, noShema, no-Anaya, no-Uriya, noHilikiya, noMahaseja, bemi ngakwesokunene sakhe; futhi ngakwesobunxele sakhe uPhedaya noMishayeli noMalikhiya noHashumi noHasbadana noZakariya noMeshulamu. U-Ezra wayivula incwadi phambi kwamehlo abo bonke abantu; (ngokuba wayephezu kwabo bonke abantu;) lapho eyivula, bonke abantu basukuma. U-Ezra wambonga uJehova, uNkulunkulu omkhulu. Bonke abantu baphendula bathi: Amen, amen, ngokuphakamisa izandla zabo; bakhothamisa amakhanda abo, bakhuleka kuJehova, ubuso babo bubheke phansi. OJehuwa, noBani, noSherebiya, noJamini, no-Akubi, noSabhethayi, noHodiya, noMahaseya, noKelitha, no-Azariya, noJozabadi, noHanani, noPhelaya, namaLevi, baqondisa abantu umthetho, nabantu bema ezindaweni zabo. Base befunda ngokucacile encwadini yomthetho kaNkulunkulu, bachaza incazelo, babenza baqonde okufundwayo. UNehemiya onguTirishatha, no-Ezra, umpristi, nombhali, namaLevi ayefundisa abantu, bathi kubantu bonke: “Lolu suku lungcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu; ningalili futhi ningakhali. Ngokuba bonke abantu bakhala lapho bezwa amazwi omthetho. Wayesethi kubo: “Hambani nidle amanoni, niphuze okumnandi, nithumele izabelo kwabangalungiselelwanga lutho; ngoba lolu suku lungcwele eNkosini yethu; ngokuba intokozo kaJehova ingamandla enu. AmaLevi athulisa abantu bonke, athi: “Thulani, ngokuba usuku lungcwele; futhi ningadabuki.