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:
12 “U-Aritahishashita, inkosi yamakhosi ku-Ezra, umpristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu; ukuthula, nokuthi nokuthi.
13 “Ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuthi bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi babo, namaLevi embusweni wami, abafuna ukuya eJerusalema, bangahamba nawe,
14 njengokuba uthunyiwe yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukubuza ngelakwaJuda neJerusalema njengokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho osesandleni sakho,