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JULY 23
whose names are these—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and to them the silver, the gold, and the articles,
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Shemaiah—and with them sixty males; also of the offering for the house of our God which the
the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with king and his counselors and his princes, and
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them seventy males. all Israel who were present, had offered. I
15 Now I gathered them by the river that weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty
flows to Ahava, and we camped there three talents of silver, silver articles weighing one
days. And I looked among the people and the hundred talents, one hundred talents of gold,
priests, and found none of the sons of Levi 27 twenty gold basins worth a thousand drach-
there. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, mas, and two vessels of fine polished bronze,
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Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, precious as gold. And I said to them, “You are
Zechariah, and Meshullam, leaders; also for holy to the LORD; the articles are holy also; and
Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding. the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to
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17 And I gave them a command for Iddo the the LORD God of your fathers. Watch and keep
chief man at the place Casiphia, and I told them until you weigh them before the leaders of
them what they should say to Iddo and his the priests and the Levites and heads of the
brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia— fathers’ houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the cham-
that they should bring us servants for the house bers of the house of the LORD.” So the priests
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of our God. Then, by the good hand of our God and the Levites received the silver and the gold
upon us, they brought us a man of understand- and the articles by weight, to bring them to Je-
ing, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son rusalem to the house of our God.
of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava
brothers, eighteen men; and Hashabiah, and on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to
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with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon
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brothers and their sons, twenty men; also of us, and He delivered us from the hand of the
the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had enemy and from ambush along the road. So
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appointed for the service of the Levites, two we came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three
hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them days.
were designated by name. 33 Now on the fourth day the silver and the
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river gold and the articles were weighed in the house
of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of
before our God, to seek from Him the right Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the
way for us and our little ones and all our pos- son of Phinehas; with them were the Levites,
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sessions. For I was ashamed to request of the Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son
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king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to of Binnui, with the number and weight of
help us against the enemy on the road, everything. All the weight was written down at
because we had spoken to the king, saying, that time.
“The hand of our God is upon all those for 35 The children of those who had been car-
good who seek Him, but His power and His ried away captive, who had come from the cap-
wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” tivity, offered burnt offerings to the God of Is-
23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, rael: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams,
and He answered our prayer. seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as
24 And I separated twelve of the leaders of a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to
the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of the LORD.
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their brethren with them— and weighed out 36 And they delivered the king’s orders to the
king’s satraps and the governors in the region
beyond the River. So they gave support to the
people and the house of God.
8:21–23 I proclaimed a fast. The people of Psalm 88:1–5
Israel would soon begin the long journey. A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
Such travel was dangerous, for the roads were To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath
frequented by thieves who robbed for sur- Leannoth.” A Contemplation of Heman
vival. Even messengers traveled with caravans the Ezrahite.
to ensure their safety. Ezra and the people did
not want to confuse the king regarding their LORD, God of my salvation,
trust in God’s protection so they entreated O I have cried out day
Him for safety with a prayerful fast. God hon- and night before You.
ored their prayer of faith with His protection. 2 Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.

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