Ezra 8:21-23

Contemporary English Version

Ezra Asks the People To Go without Eating and To Pray

²¹ Beside the Ahava River,^[a] I^[b] asked the people to go without eating^[c] and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions. ²² I was ashamed to ask the king to send soldiers and cavalry to protect us against enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey. ²³ So we went without food and asked God himself to protect us, and he answered our prayers.