Ezra 8:15-23

15Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

16Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan,1 Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants2 at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20They also brought 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed them to assist the Levites.

21And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, 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 forsake Him.”

23So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.