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.)