Iindonga ZaseYerusalem

Masikhe sibuyele umva iminyaka embalwa. UNehemiya, isicaka sikaKumkani uArtashashta, wayengumSirayeli owayehlala kwidolophu yasePersi, iShushan. Umntakwabo Nehemiya waya kuye esuka kwaYuda, eneendaba ezimbi, esithi: ‘Abantu ababuyele eYerusalem abakhuselekanga. Iindonga neegeyithi zedolophu ezadilizwa ngabantu baseBhabhiloni, zange ziphinde zakhiwe.’ UNehemiya wakhathazeka. Wayefuna ukuya kunceda eYerusalem, ngoko wathandazela ukuba ukumkani amvumele ahambe.

Kamva, ukumkani wabona ukuba uNehemiya ukhathazekile. Wathi: ‘Andizange ndakubona unje. Yintoni ingxaki?’ UNehemiya wathi: ‘Ndiza kuthini ukungakhathazeki xa idolophu yam, iYerusalem, isonakala?’ Ukumkani wabuza: ‘Ufuna ndikwenzele ntoni?’ Ngoko nangoko uNehemiya wathandazela ngaphakathi. Emva koko wathi: ‘Ndicela undivumele ndiyokwakha iindonga zaseYerusalem.’ UKumkani wamvumela uNehemiya ukuba ahambe waza waqinisekisa ukuba uza kukhuseleka kuhambo lwakhe olude. Waye wamenza umphathi wakwaYuda waza wamnika amaplanga ukuze akhe ngawo iigeyithi zedolophu.

Wathi akufika uNehemiya eYerusalem, wahlola iindonga zedolophu. Waqokelela ababingeleli nabo balawulayo waza wathi kubo: ‘Imbi le nto. Kufuneka sisebenze.’ Abantu bavuma baza baqalisa ukuzakha ezo ndonga.

Abanye ababeziintshaba zamaSirayeli bahlekisa ngabo besithi: ‘Impungutye ingaluwisa olu donga nilwakhayo.’ Abasebenzi abazange babahoye, baqhubeka nokwakha. Udonga lwaya lusenyuka kwaye lwaluqinile.

Iintshaba zeza nelinye icebo. Zazifuna ukuhlasela amaSirayeli engacingelanga. Xa amaYuda akuvayo oku, oyika. UNehemiya wathi: ‘Sanukoyika. UYehova unathi.’ Wathumela oonogada baye kukhusela abasebenzi, zaza iintshaba azakwazi ukuhlasela.

Kwiintsuku nje eziyi-52, iigeyithi neendonga zagqitywa ukwakhiwa. UNehemiya wasa abaLevi eYerusalem ukuba bayokuvuyela ukugqitywa kolwakhiwo. Wabenza bangamaqela amabini eemvumi. Banyuka ngezitepsi ukuya kwiGeyithi Yomthombo baza baya kumacala onke edolophu. Babedlala amaxilongo, imirhube neehadi, beculela uYehova. UEzra wahamba nelinye iqela waza uNehemiya wahamba nelinye de baya kufika etempileni. Bonke abantu—ootata, oomama, nabantwana—benza iminikelo eya kuYehova baza bonwaba. Amazwi abo ovuyo wawunokuweva usekude.