Preparing to Return
21 I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions.
22
[I did this] because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, "The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him."
23
So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.
24
I selected 12 of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10 of their brothers.
25
I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles-the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered.
26
I weighed out to them 24 tons of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds, 7,500 pounds of gold,
27
20 gold bowls worth 1,000 gold coins, and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.
28
Then I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.
29
Guard [them] carefully until you weigh [them] out in the chambers of the Lord's house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem."
30
So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring [them] to the house of our God in Jerusalem.