Ezra Sends for Levites

¹⁵ Now I assembled them at ^(A)the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I paid close attention to the people and the priests, I ^(B)did not find any Levites there.

Protection of God Invoked

²¹ Then I proclaimed ^(A)a fast there at ^(B)the river of Ahava, to ^(C)humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a ^[a]safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. ²² For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to ^[b]protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “^(D)The hand of our God is ^[c]favorably disposed to all who seek Him, but ^(E)His power and His anger are against all those who ^(F)abandon Him.” ²³ So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He ^[d](G)listened to our pleading.

²⁴ Then I selected twelve of the leading priests: ^(H)Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; ²⁵ and I ^(I)weighed out to them ^(J)the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king, ^(K)his counselors, his officials, and all Israel who were present there had contributed. ^26 (L)So I weighed into their hands ^[e]650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth ^[f]a hundred talents, and a hundred gold talents, ²⁷ and twenty gold bowls worth a thousand ^[g]darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. ²⁸ Then I said to them, “^(M)You are holy to the Lord, and the ^(N)utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a ^[h]voluntary offering to the Lord God of your fathers. ²⁹ Watch and keep them ^(O)until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites, and the leaders of the fathers’ households of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.” ³⁰ So the priests and the Levites ^(P)accepted the weight of silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

³¹ Then we journeyed from ^(Q)the river Ahava on ^(R)the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and ^(S)the hand of our God was upon us, and He rescued us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the road. ^32 (T)So we came to Jerusalem and remained there for three days.

³⁶ Then ^(A)they delivered the king’s edicts to ^(B)the king’s satraps and the governors in the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, and they supported the people and the house of God.