2 UShekaniya, indodana kaJehiyeli, enye yamadodana ka-Elamu, wathatha wathi ku-Ezra: “Siphambukile kuNkulunkulu wethu, sithathe abesifazane babezizwe kubantu bezwe. Nokho lisekhona ithemba ku-Israyeli ngale nto.
3 Ngalokho masenze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu wethu ukuba silahle bonke abesifazane nabazelwe yibo ngesiluleko senkosi nesabathuthumela ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu wethu; akwenziwe ngomthetho.
4 Vuka, ngokuba iphezu kwakho le ndaba; thina sinawe; yiba nesibindi, ukwenze.”
5 Wayesevuka u-Ezra, wafungisa izikhulu zabapristi, namaLevi, naye wonke u-Israyeli ukuba benze ngokwaleli zwi. Bafunga-ke.
6 Wayesevuka u-Ezra phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, wangena ekamelweni likaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi, kepha esefike khona akadlanga sinkwa, kaphuzanga manzi, ngokuba walila ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa.
7 Bathumela izwi kwaJuda naseJerusalema kubo bonke abathunjwa ukuba babuthane eJerusalema
8 ngokuthi bonke abangafiki ngezinsuku ezintathu ngokwesiluleko sezikhulu namalunga kuyakudliwa yonke impahla yabo, bona bahlukaniswe nebandla labathunjwa.