1. Ngoko ke ukumkani wayalela ukuba kwenziwe uphando kumaxwebhu eembali awayegcinwe koovimba baseBhabheli.
2. Ke kaloku kwafumaneka umqulu komkhulu eAmeta kwiphondo lamaMedi. Kuwo ke kwakubhalwe kwathiwa:“Isikhumbuzo:
3. “Kunyaka wokuqala kakumkani uKoreshi, ukumkani wawisa umyalelo mayela nendlu kaThixo eJerusalem, esithi:“ ‘Indlu kaThixo mayivuswe, ukuze kuyo kunikelwe amadini. Iziseko zayo mazakhiwe. Mayibe ziimitha ezimashumi mabini anesixhenxe ukuphakama, neemitha ezimashumi mabini anesixhenxe ububanzi.
4. Mayibe nemiqolo emithathu yamatye amakhulu kunye nomqolo omnye wamaplanga. Iindleko zokuyakha ziza kuphuma koovimba bakomkhulu.
5. Izitya zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaThixo leyo ezazithathwe ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare apho kuloo ndlu eJerusalem, weza nazo eBhabheli, mazibuyiselwe endaweni yazo kuloo ndlu iseJerusalem; maziye kubekwa endlwini kaThixo.
6. “ ‘Ngoko ke, wena Tatenayi, mlawuli wakwelentshona ye-Efrati, nawe Sheta-bhozenayi namahlakani enu, magosa elo phondo, rhoxani.
7. Musani ukuphazamisana nomsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwale ndlu kaThixo. Umlawuli wamaJuda namadoda amakhulu akwaJuda mabayakhe kwasesizeni sayo indlu kaThixo leyo.
8. Ngaphezu koko ke ndiwisa umyalelo wokuba loo madoda makhulu akwaJuda akha indlu kaThixo niwenzele ezi zinto:“ ‘Inkcitho yala madoda ekwakheni mayihlawulwe ngokupheleleyo, ithathwe koovimba bakomkhulu, kwiingxowa zerhafu yalapho kwelentshona ye-Efrati, ukuze ungemi umsebenzi.
9. Nantoni na efunekayo – iinkunzana zeenkomo, iinkunzi zeegusha, amaxhwane angamaduna okwenzela uThixo wezulu amadini atshiswayo, ngokunjalo nengqolowa, ityuwa, iwayini, namafutha omnquma, ngokwesicelo sababingeleli apho eJerusalem – zonke ezi zinto mabazinikwe yonke imihla kungaphazanywa,