1 Ngalolo suku kwafundwa encwadini kaMose ezindlebeni zabantu; kwafunyanwa kulotshiwe kuyo ukuthi owakwa-Amoni nowakwaMowabi abanakungena ebandleni likaNkulunkulu kuze kube phakade,
2 ngokuba abahlangabezanga abakwa-Israyeli ngesinkwa namanzi, kepha babaqashela uBileyamu ukuba abaqalekise; kodwa uNkulunkulu wethu waphendula isiqalekiso saba yisibusiso.
3 Kwathi sebezwile umthetho, bahlukanisa no-Israyeli yonke ingxubevange.
4 Ngaphambi kwalokho u-Eliyashibi, umpristi, owayemiselwe amakamelo endlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, isihlobo sikaThobiya,
5 wayemlungisele ikamelo elikhulu, lapho kade bebeka khona iminikelo yempuphu, nenhlaka, nezitsha, nokweshumi kwamabele, newayini, namafutha, okwakunqunyelwe ngomthetho amaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, kanye neminikelo yabapristi.
6 Kepha kukho konke lokho ngangingekho eJerusalema, ngokuba ngomnyaka wamashumi amathathu nambili ka-Aritahishashita inkosi yaseBabele ngaya enkosini; nangasekugcineni kwezinsuku ngacela enkosini,