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AbaPhristi LabaLevi
1 Laba ngabaphristi labaLevi ababuya loZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli kanye loJeshuwa:
USeraya, uJeremiya, u-Ezra,
2 u-Amariya, uMaluki, uHathushi,
3 uShekhaniya, uRehumi, uMeremothi,
4 u-Ido, uGinethoni, u-Abhija,
5 uMijamini, uMowadiya, uBhiliga,
6 uShemaya, uJoyaribi, uJedaya,
7 uSalu, u-Amoki, uHilikhiya loJedaya.
Laba babengabakhokheli babaphristi labakhulu babo ngezinsuku zikaJeshuwa.
8 AbaLevi babe nguJeshuwa, loBhinuwi, loKhadimiyeli, loSherebhiya, loJuda njalo loMathaniya, okwathi yena, labakhula bakhe yibo ababekhokhela izingoma zenkonzo yokubonga. 9 UBhakhibhukhiya lo-Uni, labakhula babo, babesima ngale bakhangelane labo ezinkonzweni.
10 UJeshuwa wayenguyise kaJoyakhimu,
uyise ka-Eliyashibi,
u-Eliyashibi uyise kaJoyada,
11 uJoyada uyise kaJonathani,
uJonathani uyise kaJaduwa.
12 Ngezinsuku zikaJoyakhimu, laba babezinhloko zezimuli zabaphristi:
abendlu kaSeraya, nguMeraya;
abendlu kaJeremiya nguHananiya;
13 abendlu ka-Ezra, nguMeshulami;
abendlu ka-Amariya, nguJehohanani;
14 abendlu kaMaluki, nguJonathani;
abendlu kaShebhaniya, nguJosefa;
15 abendlu kaHarimi, ngu-Adina;
abendlu kaMeremothi, nguHelikhayi;
16 abendlu ka-Ido, nguZakhariya;
abendlu kaGinethoni, nguMeshulami;
17 abendlu ka-Abhija nguZikhiri;
abendlu kaMiniyamini lekaMowadiya, nguPhilithayi;
18 abendlu kaBhiliga nguShamuwa;
abendlu kaShemaya nguJonathani;
19 abendlu kaJoyaribi, nguMathenayi;
abendlu kaJedaya, ngu-Uzi;
20 abendlu kaSalu, nguKhalayi;
abendlu ka-Amoki, ngu-Ebheri;
21 abendlu kaHilikhiya, nguHashabhiya;
abendlu kaJedaya nguNethaneli.
22 Abazinhloko zezindlu zabaLevi ngezinsuku zika-Eliyashibi, loJoyada, uJohanani loJaduwa, kanye lezabaphristi, babhalwa phansi kubusa uDariyu wasePhezhiya. 23 Abakhokheli bezimuli ezizukulwaneni zikaLevi kuze kube yisikhathi sikaJohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi babhalwa phansi encwadini yemilando. 24 Abakhokheli babaLevi babengoHashabhiya, loSherebhiya, loJeshuwa indodana kaKhadimiyeli, labakhula babo ababesima baqondane labo nxa bedumisa njalo besenza inkonzo yokubonga, yilabo bevumela abanye, njengokwamiswa nguDavida umuntu kaNkulunkulu.
25 UMathaniya, loBhakhibhukhiya, u-Obhadaya, uMeshulami, uThalimoni lo-Akhubi babe ngabalindimasango ababelinda iziphala emasangweni. 26 Bawenza umsebenzi lo ngezinsuku zikaJoyakhimu indodana kaJeshuwa, indodana kaJozadaki, langezinsuku zikaNehemiya umbusi lo-Ezra umphristi lombhali.
Ukunikelwa Komduli WaseJerusalema
27 Ekunikelweni komduli waseJerusalema, abaLevi badingwa lapho ababehlala khona balethwa eJerusalema ukuzathakazelela umkhosi wokunikelwa ngezingoma langokubonga langokutshaya izigubhu lamachacho lemiqangala. 28 Abahlabeleli labo balethwa ndawonye besuka emangweni oseduze leJerusalema, basuka emizini yamaNethofa, 29 eBhethi Giligali, lasemangweni waseGebha le-Azimavethi, ngoba abahlabeleli basebezakhele imizi eduze leJerusalema. 30 Kwathi lapho abaphristi labaLevi sebezihlambulule ngokomkhuba, bahlambulula abantu, amasango lomduli.
31 Ngathi abakhokheli bakoJuda bakhwele phezu komduli. Njalo ngamisa amaqembu amakhulu amabili awabahlabeleli ukuthi babonge. Elinye lalimele likhwele phezulu komduli kwesokunene, kusiya ngesangweni loBulongwe. 32 UHoshayiya lengxenye yabakhokheli bakoJuda babalandela, 33 kunye lo-Azariya, lo-Ezra, loMeshulami, 34 loJuda, loBhenjamini, loShemaya, loJeremiya, 35 kanye labanye abaphristi ababelamacilongo, loZakhariya indodana kaJonathani, indodana kaShemaya, indodana kaMathaniya indodana kaMikhaya, indodana kaZakhuri, indodana ka-Asafi, 36 labakhula bakhe oShemaya, lo-Azareli, loMilalayi, loGilalayi, loMayi, loNethaneli, loJuda loHanani bephethe amachacho njengokwakumiswe nguDavida umuntu kaNkulunkulu. U-Ezra umbhali nguye owayekhokhele udwendwe. 37 SebeseSangweni loMthombo baqhubeka bakhwela izinyathelo eziya eMzini kaDavida emqansweni oya emdulini bedlula ngaphezulu kwendlu kaDavida baya eSangweni laManzi ngempumalanga.
38 Iqembu lesibili labahlabeleli lona lafulathela elakuqala laya le. Ngabalandela phezu komduli ngilengxenye yabantu, sedlula uMphotshongo waMaziko siqonda uMduli Obanzi, 39 sedlula isango lika-Efrayimi, leSango likaJeshana, iSango leNhlanzi, uMphotshongo kaHananeli loMphotshongo weKhulu saze sayafika eSangweni leZimvu. ESangweni laBalindi bafika bema.
40 Amaqembu lawo abahlabeleli amabili ayesipha ukubonga asesima ezindaweni zawo endlini kaNkulunkulu; lami ngenze njalo, kanye lengxenye yezinduna, 41 labaphristi o-Eliyakhimu, loMaseya, loMiniyamini, loMikhaya, lo-Eliyonayi, loZakhariya loHananiya belamacilongo abo 42 njalo loMaseya, loShemaya, lo-Eliyezari, lo-Uzi, loJehohanani, loMalikhija, lo-Elamu lo-Ezeri. Amaqembu abahlabeleli ahlabela ekhokhelwa nguJezirahiya. 43 Ngalelolanga banikela imihlatshelo emangalisayo, bethokoza ngoba uThixo wayebaphe ukuthokoza okukhulu. Abesifazane kanye labantwana labo bathokoza. Umsindo wokuthokoza eJerusalema wawuzwakala kude.
44 Ngalesosikhathi kwakhethwa amadoda ukugcina iziphala zalokho okwakulethwa, izithelo zokuqala kanye lokwetshumi. Okusuka emasimini aseduzane lamadolobho babemele bakulethe eziphaleni lezo zilinganiso ezazivumelwa nguMthetho okwabaphristi labaLevi, ngoba uJuda wayejabuliswe ngumsebenzi owawuqhutshwa ngamaphristi lamaLevi. 45 Bayiphatha inkonzo kaNkulunkulu wabo lenkonzo yokuhlanjululwa, njalo benzenjalo labahlabeleli kanye labalindimasango, njengemilayo kaDavida lendodana yakhe uSolomoni. 46 Ngoba kudala, ensukwini zikaDavida lo-Asafi, kwakulabaqondisi babahlabeleli labezingoma zokudumisa lokubonga uNkulunkulu. 47 Yikho ngezinsuku zikaZerubhabheli loNehemiya, ama-Israyeli onke apha isabelo sansukuzonke esabahlabeleli labalindimasango. Baphinda njalo babeka eceleni esinye isabelo esabanye abaLevi, kwathi abaLevi labo bacezula okunye kwabo kwaba ngokwabosendo luka-Aroni.