1 Kwathi sekuyinyanga yesikhombisa abako-Israyeli basebehlezi emadolobheni akibo. Bonke abantu babuthana ngangqondo yinye egcekeni elaliphambi kweSango laManzi. Bacela u-Ezra umbhali ukuthi alethe iNcwadi yoMthetho kaMosi,
2 Yikho kwathi ngelanga lokuqala lenyanga yesikhombisa u-Ezra umphristi wawuletha uMthetho phambi komhlangano, owawugcwele amadoda labafazi labo bonke ababelokuzwisisa. 3 Wafunda kakhulu kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kwaze kwaba semini enkulu ekhangele egcekeni leSango laManzi phambi kwamadoda, labafazi labanye ababelokuzwisisa. Bonke abantu balalelisisa ukuzwa iNcwadi yoMthetho.
4 U-Ezra umbhali wayemi phezu kwethala eliphakemeyo elalenziwe ngezigodo lenzelwe umkhosi lo. Eceleni kwakhe kwesokunene kwakumi uMathithiya, loShema, lo-Anaya, lo-Uriya, loHilikhiya, loMaseya; kwathi kwesokhohlo kunguPhedaya, loMishayeli, loMalikhija, loHashumi, loHashibhadana, loZakhariya loMeshulami.
5 U-Ezra wayivula incwadi. Bonke abantu babembona ngoba wayemi ekuphakameni ngaphezu kwabo; kwathi lapho eyivula abantu basukuma. 6 U-Ezra wamdumisa
7 AbaLevi ababalisa uJeshuwa, loBhani, loSherebhiya, loJamini, lo-Akhubi, loShabhethayi, loHodiya, loMaseya, loKhelitha, lo-Azariya, loJozabhadi, loHanani loPhelaya bafundisa abantu uMthetho abantu belokhu bemi khonapho. 8 Babebala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu, bewuchasisa baveze lokho okutshoyo ukuze abantu bakuzwisise lokho okwakubalwa.
9 Kwasekusithi uNehemiya umbusi, lo-Ezra umphristi lombhali, kanye labaLevi ababefundisa abantu bathi kubo bonke, “Lelilanga lingcwele
10 UNehemiya wathi, “Hambani liyozitika ngokudla okumnandi lokunathwayo okumnandi, okunye likuthumele labo abangelakho okulungisiweyo. Ilanga lanamhla lingcwele
11 AbaLevi babathulisa bonke abantu, bathi, “Thulani, ngoba lolu lusuku olungcwele. Lingadani.”
12 Kwathi abantu bonke basebehamba bayakudla banatha, bathumela okunye ukudla kwabanye bazithokozisa kakhulu, ngoba manje basebewazwisisa lawomazwi abasebewazwile.
13 Ngosuku lwesibili lwenyanga, abazinhloko zezimuli zonke, kanye labaphristi labaLevi, babuthana ku-Ezra umbhali ukuba bahlolisise amazwi oMthetho. 14 Bakufumana kubhaliwe eMthethweni, owalaywa
16 Ngakho abantu baphuma babuya lamagatsha bazakhela izihonqo ephahleni lwezindlu zabo, emagumeni abo, emagumeni endlu kaNkulunkulu lasegcekeni eliseSangweni laManzi lalelo elaliseSangweni lika-Efrayimi. 17 Ixuku lonke elavela ebugqilini lakha izihonqo lahlala kuzo. Kusukela ensukwini zikaJoshuwa indodana kaNuni kuze kube yilolosuku, ama-Israyeli ayengazange awenze kanjalo lowo mkhosi. Kwakukukhulu ukuthokoza kwabo.
18 Insuku ngensuku, kusukela kolokuqala kusiya kolokucina, u-Ezra wayebala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Bawuthakazelela lowo mkhosi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, kwathi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, kwabakhona umhlangano omkhulu, njengokumisiweyo emthethweni.
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