UNehemiya 4:7-14

Kepha kwathi oSanibalati, noThobiya, nabase-Arabiya, nabakwa-Amoni, nabase-Ashidodi sebezwa ukuthi ukulungiswa kwezingange zaseJerusalema kuyaqhubeka, nokuthi izimfa seziqale ukuvalwa, bathukuthela kakhulu, benza ugobe ukuba baye ukulwa neJerusalema, balilimaze. Kepha sakhuleka kuNkulunkulu wethu, sabamisela abalindi imini nobusuku ngenxa yabo. UJuda wathi: “Amandla abathwalayo aphelile; amabibi maningi; asisenakuluvusa ugange.” Abamelene nathi bathi: “Abayikwazi, abayikubona size sifike phakathi kwabo, sibabulale, sivimbe umsebenzi.” Kwathi lapho abaJuda ababehlala eceleni kwabo sebefika, bathi kithi kayishumi, bevela ezindaweni zonke: “Buyelani kithi.” Ngase ngimisa ngenzansi ezindaweni ezisemva kogange nakwezisobala abantu ngemindeni yabo, benezinkemba zabo, nemikhonto yabo, neminsalo yabo. Lapho sengibhekile, ngasuka ngathi kwabakhulu nakubabusi nakwabanye abantu: “Ningabesabi; khumbulani iNkosi enkulu neyesabekayo, nilwele abafowenu, namadodana enu, namadodakazi enu, nawomkenu, nezindlu zenu.”