Ezra 8:15-20

Expanded Bible

The Return to Jerusalem

¹⁵ I ·called [assembled; gathered] all those people together [^Che lists 1,513 males, probably over 5,000 total with women and children] at the ·canal [river] that flows toward Ahava, where we camped for three days. I ·checked [reviewed; observed] all the people and the priests, but I did not find any Levites [^Cneeded for service at a rebuilt Temple]. ¹⁶ So I called these leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And I called Joiarib and Elnathan, who were ·teachers [wise; judicious; men of learning/discernment]. ¹⁷ I sent these men to Iddo, the leader [^Cof the Levites] at Casiphia, and told them what to say to Iddo and his ·relatives [or collegues; ^Lbrothers], who are the Temple servants in Casiphia. I sent them to bring ·servants [ministers; attendants] to us for the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of our God. ¹⁸ The ·good [gracious] hand of our God was ·helping [^Lon] us, so ·Iddo’s relatives [^Lthey] ·gave [brought; sent] us Sherebiah, a ·wise [skilled; capable; astute] man from the ·descendants [sons] of Mahli ·son [descendant] of Levi, who was the son of Israel. And they brought Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, for a total of eighteen men. ¹⁹ And they brought to us Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the ·descendants [sons] of Merari, and his brothers and ·nephews [their sons]. In all there were twenty men. ²⁰ They also brought two hundred twenty of the Temple servants, a group David and ·the officers [his officials] had ·set up [established; instituted] to ·help [assist; serve] the Levites. All of those men were ·listed [designated] by name.