Ezra 8:21-36

21Then I proclaimed 1a fast there at 2the river of Ahava, that we might 3humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a 4safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 22For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to 5protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “6The hand of our God is 7favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but 8His power and His anger are against all those who 9forsake Him.” 23So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He 1011listened to our entreaty.

24Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, 12Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; 25and I 13weighed out to them 14the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and 15his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered. 2616Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents, 27and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. 28Then I said to them, “17You are holy to the Lord, and the 18utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. 29Watch and keep them 19until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30So the priests and the Levites 20accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

31Then we journeyed from 21the river Ahava on 22the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and 23the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way. 3224Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. 33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the utensils 25were weighed out in the house of our God into the hand of 26Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was recorded at that time.

3527The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 2812 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to the Lord. 36Then 29they delivered the king’s edicts to 30the king’s satraps and to the governors in the provinces beyond the 31River, and they supported the people and the house of God.