Ezra 8:24

24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the Kohanim, Sherevyah, Chashavyah, 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 require of the Melech a band of soldiers and parashim to protect us against the enemy on the road; because we had spoken unto the Melech, saying, The Yad Eloheinu is upon all them for tovah that seek Him, but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him.

23 So we did a tzom and besought Eloheinu for this, and He was entreated of us.

24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the Kohanim, Sherevyah, Chashavyah, and ten of their brethren with them,

25 And weighed out unto them the kesef, and the zahav, and the vessels, even the terumat Beis Eloheinu, which the Melech, and his counselors, and his officials, and kol Yisroel there present, had given as an offering.

26 I even weighed out unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of kesef, and vessels of kesef one hundred talents, and of zahav one hundred talents;