19
also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the descendants of Merari, with his kin and their sons, twenty;
20
besides two hundred twenty of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.
21
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.
22
For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him.
23
So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
24
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kin with them.
25
And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his lords, and all Israel there present had offered;
26
I weighed out into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and one hundred silver vessels worth . . . talents, and one hundred talents of gold,
27
twenty gold bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold.
28
And I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors.
29
Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of families in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord."