Ezra 8:21-34

The Voice

²¹ I declared that the whole caravan should fast by the river of Ahava, humbling ourselves before our True God and asking for a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and our possessions. ²² We needed His protection more than ever since I had been ashamed to ask the king for a military escort of soldiers and horses on our journey after telling him, “Our True God takes care of anyone who follows Him, but He uses His power and anger against anyone who abandons Him.” ²³ We knew fasting and following our True God would ensure that He helped us travel safely to Jerusalem—and He did.

²⁴ I designated 12 priests and Levites, including Sherebiah and Hashabiah, to care for the freewill offerings during our trip. ²⁵ I measured the silver and gold and counted the vessels, which King Artaxerxes, his cabinet, his princes, and the Jews in Babylon had sent to offer at our True God’s house, so no one could be accused of stealing the riches. We carried a tremendous offering back to Jerusalem: ²⁶ 25 tons of silver coins; 7,500 pounds of silver vessels; 7,500 pounds of gold coins; ²⁷ 20 gold bowls weighing 19 pounds;^[a] and 2 shiny copper vessels (as valuable as gold).

³⁰ The priests and Levites accepted their commission and carried the carefully measured goods to our True God’s temple in Jerusalem. ³¹ We left the banks of the Ahava River on the 12th day of the 1st month. On our 4-month journey to Jerusalem, the True God did indeed protect us—He saved us from any enemies or skirmishes along our journey.

³² Once we reached Jerusalem, we rested 3 days. ³³ On the 4th day, we took the measured silver, gold, and vessels to our True God’s house. There, Meremoth (son of Uriah the priest), Eleazer (son of Phineas the priest), and the Levites Jozabad (son of Jeshua) and Noadiah (son of Binnui) ³⁴ counted, weighed, and inventoried everything.