20
and of [the] Nethinims, which David and the princes had given to the services of (the) deacons, they brought two hundred and twenty Nethinims; all these were called by their names. (and of the Temple workers, whom David and his officials had appointed for service to the Levites, they brought two hundred and twenty Temple workers; all these were called by their names.)
21
And I preached there fasting beside the flood of Ahava, that we should be tormented before the Lord our God, and that we should ask of him the right way to us, and to our sons, and to all our substance. (And I preached, or proclaimed, that we should fast there beside the Ahava River, and that we should be tormented before the Lord our God, and that we should ask him for a safe journey for us, and for our sons, and for all our possessions.)
22
For I shamed to ask of the king help, and horsemen, which should defend us from our enemies in the way (For I was ashamed to ask the king for any help, or for horsemen, who could defend us on the way from our enemies), for we had said to the king, The hand of our God is upon all men that seek him in goodness; and his lordship, and his strength, and his strong vengeance, be on all men that forsake him.
23
And (so) we fasted, and prayed (to) our God for this thing, and it befelled to us wellsomely.
24
And I separated twelve of the princes of (the) priests, Sherebiah, and Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them; (And I separated out, or chose, twelve of the leaders of the priests, Sherebiah, and Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them;)
25
and I betook under certain weight and number to them the silver and gold, and the hallowed vessels of the house of our God, which the king had offered, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all the men that were found of Israel. (and I delivered into their hands, under certain weight and number, the silver and the gold, and the holy vessels of the House of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, or his officials, and his leaders, and all the Israelites who were found, had offered.)
26
And I betook under certain weight and number into the hands of them six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and an hundred silveren vessels; an hundred talents of gold, (And so I delivered into their hands, under certain weight and number, six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and a hundred silver vessels; and a hundred talents of gold,)
27
and twenty golden cups, or basins, which had in weight a thousand pieces of gold; and two fair vessels of best brass, shining as gold. (and twenty gold bowls, which were worth/which weighed a thousand pieces of gold; and two beautiful vessels of the best bronze, shining as gold.)
28
And I said to them, Ye be the holy men of the Lord; and therefore watch ye, and keepeth the holy vessels, and the silver and gold (and so keepeth watch over the holy vessels, and the silver and the gold), that is offered by free will to the Lord God of our fathers,
29
till ye yield (them) under certain weight and number before the princes of priests, and of deacons, and before (the) dukes of (the) families of Israel in Jerusalem, into the chamber of God's house. (until ye give them under certain weight and number to the leaders of the priests, and the Levites, and the leaders of the families of the tribes of Israel in Jerusalem, in the rooms of the House of God.)
30
And the priests and deacons took the weight of silver, and of gold, and of vessels, for to bear them into Jerusalem, into the house of our God. (And so the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, in order to carry them to Jerusalem, to the House of our God.)