19
Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty [in total].
20
And from the temple servants, whom David and [his] officials had set up to serve the Levites, two hundred and twenty [in total]. All of them were registered by name.
Ezra Proclaims a Fast
21 I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava to humble ourselves before our God in order to seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and our possessions.
22
For I was ashamed to ask the king for troops and horses to protect us from enemies on the way because we said to the king, "the hand of our God is favorable to all who seek him, but his strength and anger are against all who forsake them."
23
So we fasted and sought our God for this and he responded to our prayer.
The Priests’ Gift for the Temple
24 I set apart twelve of the official priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them.
25
Then I weighed out to them silver and gold and the vessels, the offering of the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his commanders, and all of Israel who was present offered.
26
I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred vessels of silver, one hundred talents of gold,
27
twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics, and two vessels of good polished bronze as precious as gold.
28
And I said to them, "You are holy to Yahweh and the vessels are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, God of your ancestors.
29
Guard and look after [them] until you weigh [them] before the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the {families} of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chamber of the house of Yahweh."