Ezra 8:15

15 I assembled the exiles at the Ahava Canal, and we camped there for three days while I went over the lists of the people and the priests who had arrived. I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along.

Ezra 8:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 8:15

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to
Ahava
From whence also the river bore the same name; or that from the river, see ( Ezra 8:21 ) , and may be the same with Adiabene, a country in Assyria, which had its name from the river Adiava:

and there abode we in tents three days;
or pitched their camp; this was the place of their rendezvous:

and I viewed the people and the priests;
mustered them, took the number of them, and what tribe and families they were of:

and found there none of the sons of Levi;
excepting the priests.

Ezra 8:15 In-Context

13 From the family of Adonikam, who came later : Eliphelet, Jeuel, Shemaiah, and 60 other men.

14 From the family of Bigvai: Uthai, Zaccur, and 70 other men.

15 I assembled the exiles at the Ahava Canal, and we camped there for three days while I went over the lists of the people and the priests who had arrived. I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along.

16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders of the people. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of discernment.

17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader of the Levites at Casiphia, to ask him and his relatives and the Temple servants to send us ministers for the Temple of God at Jerusalem.