Ezra's Fast, Prayer, and Safe Journey to Jerusalem
Ezra 8:15-36
15I gathered them to the River that comes to Ahava, and we camped there three days. Then I examined the people and the priests, but I found none of the sons of Levi there.16So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were heads, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of understanding.17I brought them out and gave them orders concerning Iddo the head at the place Casiphia. I placed in their mouth the words they were to speak to Iddo his brother, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, so that they might bring us ministers for the house of our God.18By the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel, together with Sherebiah and his sons and his brothers, eighteen in number.19They also brought Hashabiah and, with him, Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, together with his brothers and their sons, twenty in number.20From the temple servants whom David and the rulers had assigned to the service of the Levites, there were two hundred and twenty temple servants; all of them were listed by name.21There I proclaimed a fast beside the River Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a straight way for ourselves, for our little ones, and for all our property.22I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against an enemy on the way, because we had told the king, The hand of our God is upon all who seek him for good, but his strength and his face are against all who forsake him.23So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he granted our request.24Then I selected twelve of the priestly rulers: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them.25I weighed out for them the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been contributed to the house of our God, which the king, his counsellors, his rulers, and all Israel who were present had presented.26I weighed into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver articles, and one hundred talents of gold.27I also gave them twenty gold bowls worth a thousand drams, and two desirable articles of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.28I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD, and these articles are holy; the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers."29Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the rulers of the priests and the Levites and the rulers of the fathers' houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.30The priests and the Levites then received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the articles in order to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.31We set out from the River Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way.32We arrived in Jerusalem and stayed there three days.33On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed in the house of our God and placed in the charge of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest, Eleazar son of Phinehas, Jozabad son of Jeshua, and Noadiah son of Binnui the Levite.34Everything was recorded by number and by weight at that time.35The returning exiles offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering; all of this was a burnt offering to the LORD.36They also delivered the king's laws to the king's satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they supported the people and the house of God.