U-Ezra

1 Ngomnyaka wokuqala wokubusa kukaKhoresi+ inkosi yasePhesiya, uJehova wathinta inhliziyo* kaKhoresi inkosi yePhesiya. Ngakho inkosi yenza isimemezelo kuwo wonke umbuso wayo ukuze ilizwi likaJehova elakhulunywa nguJeremiya+ ligcwaliseke. Isimemezelo leso yasibhala phansi+ njalo sasisithi:

2 “Nanku okutshiwo nguKhoresi inkosi yasePhesiya, ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu wamazulu usenginike yonke imibuso yomhlaba+ njalo ungithume ukuthi ngimakhele indlu eJerusalema+ yakoJuda. 3 Ngakho loba ngubani okhona phakathi kwabantu bakhe, uNkulunkulu wakhe kabe laye futhi kaye eJerusalema koJuda ayekwakha kutsha indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Phela yena unguNkulunkulu weqiniso njalo indlu yakhe yayiseJerusalema.* 4 Loba ngubani ongowezizweni+ kuloba yiphi indawo kancediswe ngomakhelwane bakhe. Kabamnike isiliva, legolide, lempahla, lezifuyo kanye lomnikelo wokuzithandela wendlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso+ eyayiseJerusalema.’”

5 Ngemva kwalokho abakhokheli bezimuli zakoJuda lezakoBhenjamini labaphristi kanye lamaLevi balungiselela uhambo lokuyakwakha kutsha indlu kaJehova eyayiseJerusalema. Kwahamba bonke nje abantu uNkulunkulu ayethinte inhliziyo zabo.* 6 Bonke omakhelwane babo babanceda* ngokubanika izitsha zesiliva, lezegolide, lempahla, lezifuyo lezinye izinto eziligugu, kungabalwanga yonke iminikelo yokuzithandela eyayilethiwe.

7 INkosi uKhoresi layo yakhipha izitsha zendlu kaJehova ezazithethwe nguNebhukhadinezari eJerusalema wayazifaka endlini kankulunkulu wakhe.+ 8 UKhoresi inkosi yasePhesiya wathi uMithiredathi umgcinisikhwama azilethe abesezibalela uSheshibhazari*+ induna yakoJuda.

9 Nanzi izinto ezabalwayo: Izitsha zegolide ezingu-30 ezinjengebhasikiti, lezitsha zesiliva ezingu-1 000 ezinjengebhasikiti, lezinye izitsha ezingu-29, 10 lemiganu yegolide emincane engu-30, lemiganu yesiliva emincane engu-410, lezinye izitsha ezingu-1 000. 11 Zonke izitsha zegolide lezesiliva zazingu-5 400. USheshibhazari wasuka lakho konke lokhu ngesikhathi abantu ababethunjiwe+ besuka eBhabhiloni besiya eJerusalema.