1Laba bazinhloko zezimuli lalabo ababhalisa kubo abeza lami sisuka eBhabhiloni ngesikhathi sokubusa kweNkosi u-Athazekisisi:
2abesizukulwane sikaFinehasi,
3owesizukulwane sikaShekhaniya;
4abesizukulwane sikaPhahathi-Mowabi:
5abesizukulwane sikaZathu,
6abesizukulwane sika-Adini,
7abesizukulwane sika-Elamu,
8abesizukulwane sikaShefathiya,
9abesizukulwane sikaJowabi,
10abesizukulwane sikaBhani,
11abesizukulwane sikaBhebhayi,
12abesizukulwane sika-Azigadi,
13abesizukulwane sika-Adonikhamu,
14abesizukulwane sikaBhigivayi,
15Ngababuthanisa eMgelweni wamanzi agelezela ku-Ahava, samisa khona okwensuku ezintathu. Ngathi sengihlola phakathi kwabantu labaphristi, kangitholanga loyedwa wamaLevi khona.
16Yikho ngasengibiza u-Eliyezari, lo-Ariyeli, loShemaya, lo-Elinathani, loJaribi, loNathani, loZakhariya loMeshulami ababengabakhokheli, loJoyaribi lo-Elinathani ababengabantu abafundileyo,
17ngabathumela ku-Ido, lezihlobo zakhe, izinceku zethempelini eKhasifiya, ukwenzela ukuthi basilethele izikhonzi zendlu kaNkulunkulu.
18Ngoba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethu, basilethela uSherebhiya, indoda emadodeni, owesizukulwane sikaMahili indodana kaLevi, indodana ka-Israyeli, lamadodana kaSherebhiya labafowabo, amadoda alitshumi lasificaminwembili (18);
19loHashabhiya, kanye loJeshaya owesizukulwane sikaMerari, kanye labafowabo labantwababo, bonke babengamadoda angamatshumi amabili (20).
20Bona beza lezinceku zethempelini ezingamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amabili (220) ezazimiswe nguDavida lezinduna zakhe ukuncedisa abaLevi. Bonke babhalwa phansi amabizo abo.
21Khonapho, ekhunjini loMgelo we-Ahava, ngamemezela ukuzila ukudla, ukuze sizehlise phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu simcele asiphe uhambo oluhle, thina labantwabethu, lempahla zethu zonke.
22Ngaba lenhloni ukucela enkosini amabutho labagadi bamabhiza ukuthi basivikele ezitheni endleleni ngoba inkosi sasiyitshele sathi, “Isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu wethu siphezu kwakhe lowo okhangele kuye, kodwa ulaka lwakhe olukhulu luyavutha kulabo abamfulathelayo.”
23Ngakho sazila ukudla, samncenga uNkulunkulu wethu ngakho lokhu, wawuphendula umkhuleko wethu.
24Ngasengisehlukanisa kwabanye abaphristi abalitshumi lambili abangabakhokheli, ndawonye loSherebhiya, loHashabhiya labalitshumi labafowabo,
25ngabalinganisela umnikelo wesiliva legolide lempahla ezaziyizipho ezasisuka enkosini, labacebisi bayo, lezikhulu zayo labako-Israyeli bonke ababekhona lapho, siyisipho sendlu kaNkulunkulu.
26Ngabalinganisela amathalenta angamakhulu ayisithupha lamatshumi amahlanu (650) esiliva, impahla zesiliva ezilobunzima obungamathalenta alikhulu (100), amathalenta alikhulu (100) egolide,
27imiganu yegolide engamatshumi amabili (20) kuthiwa intengo yayo ingaba ngamadariki ayinkulungwane (1,000), lezitsha ezimbili ezethusi elilolongiweyo eliligugu njengegolide.
28Ngathi kubo, “Lina kanye lempahla lezi lingcwelisiwe eNkosini. Isiliva legolide kungumnikelo wokuzithandela kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho benu.
29Kulindeni ngonanzelelo lize liyokulinganisa emakamelweni endlu kaThixo eJerusalema phambi kwabakhokheli babaphristi lamaLevi labayizinhloko zezimuli zako-Israyeli.”
30Kwathi-ke abaphristi labaLevi basemukela isiliva legolide lempahla ezingcwele ezazilinganisiwe ukuze zisiwe endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu eJerusalema.
31Ngosuku lwetshumi lambili lwenyanga yokuqala saphakama sasuka eMgelweni we-Ahava saqonda eJerusalema. Isandla sikaNkulunkulu wethu sasiphezu kwethu, wasivikela ezitheni lasezigebengwini indlela yonke.
32Ngakho safika eJerusalema, saphumula khona okwensuku ezintathu.
33Ngosuku lwesine sangena endlini kaNkulunkulu salinganisa isiliva legolide lempahla zonke ezingcwelisiweyo sazibeka ezandleni zikaMeremothi indodana ka-Uriya umphristi. U-Eliyezari indodana kaFinehasi laye wayekhona, labaLevi oJozabhadi indodana kaJeshuwa loNowadiya indodana kaBhinuwi.
34Konke kwakukhona ngenani lakho langesisindo, kwathi isisindo sonke salotshwa phansi ngasonaleso isikhathi.
35Yikho izithunywa ezabuya ebugqilini zenza umnikelo wokutshiswa kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: inkunzi ezilitshumi lambili ezika-Israyeli wonke, inqama ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lesithupha, amawundlu amaduna angamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa kanye lomnikelo wesono oyizimpongo ezilitshumi lambili. Konke lokhu kwakungumnikelo wokutshiswa kuThixo.
36Bathi njalo bethula imilayo yenkosi kuzikhulu zenkosi lakubabusi bangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, okwathi-ke bona bancedisa abantu kanye lasendlini kaNkulunkulu.