5 ka-Abishuwa kaFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi omkhulu,
6 u-Ezra lo wakhuphuka eBabele; wayengumbhali echwepheshile emthethweni kaMose awunikiweyo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; inkosi yamnika konke akucelayo ngokwesandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe.
7 Kwakhuphuka nabanye abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi, namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini,* baya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa ka-Aritahishashita inkosi.
8 Wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.
9 Ngokuba ngolokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala waqala ukukhuphuka eBabele; ngolokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu wafika eJerusalema ngokwesandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe,
10 ngokuba u-Ezra wayebhekise inhliziyo yakhe ukufuna umthetho kaJehova, nokwenza nokufundisa izimiso nezahlulelo kwa-Israyeli.
11 Lokhu kuyimpinda yencwadi inkosi u-Aritahishashita eyamnika yona u-Ezra umpristi nombhali, umbhali wamazwi emiyalo kaJehova nawezimiso zakhe ku-Israyeli, yokuthi: