Ezra 8:15-23

Legacy Standard Bible

Ezra Sends for Levites

¹⁵ Now I gathered them at ^(A)the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days. And I ^[a]observed the people and the priests, but I ^(B)did not find any Levites there. ¹⁶ So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, ^[b]chief men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. ¹⁷ I sent them out to Iddo the ^[c]chief man at the place Casiphia; and I put words in their mouths to say to ^[d]Iddo and his brothers, ^(C)the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God. ^18 (D)So, according to the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a ^(E)man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; ¹⁹ and Hashabiah and ^[e]Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men; ²⁰ and 220 of ^(F)the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, all of them designated by name.

God’s Protection Sought

²¹ Then I called for ^(G)a fast there at ^(H)the river of Ahava, that we might ^(I)humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a ^[f]direct journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. ²² For I was ashamed to ask from the king for a military force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “^(J)The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for their good, but ^(K)His strength and His anger are against all those who ^(L)forsake Him.” ²³ So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He ^[g](M)was moved by our entreaty.