Ezra 8:24

24 And I gave charge to twelve of the chiefs of the priests, to Saraia, to Asabia, and ten of their brethren with them.

Ezra 8:24 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 8:24

Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests
That were in company with him; so that it seems there were more than the two mentioned, ( Ezra 8:2 ) , very probably their families, or some of their brethren, were with them:

Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them;
these men named were Levites, and not priests, ( Ezra 8:18 Ezra 8:19 ) and therefore the copulative "and" must be supplied:

and Sherebiah
or with the twelve priests, Sherebiah, &c. and ten Levites more with them; so that the number of priests and Levites were equal, and in all twenty four.

Ezra 8:24 In-Context

22 For I was ashamed to ask of the king a guard and horsemen to save us from the enemy in the way: for we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God upon all that seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath upon all that forsake him.

23 So we fasted, and asked of our God concerning this; and he hearkened to us.

24 And I gave charge to twelve of the chiefs of the priests, to Saraia, to Asabia, and ten of their brethren with them.

25 And I weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of the first-fruits of the house of our God, which the king, and his councillors, and his princes, and all Israel that were found, had dedicated.

26 I even weighed into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and a hundred silver vessels, and a hundred talents of gold;