Ezra 8
Ezra’s caravan
These are the patriarchs and the genealogies of the people who made the voyage from Babylon with me:
Phinehas’s lineage: Gershom
Ithamar’s lineage: Daniel
David’s lineage: Hattush
Shecaniah’s lineage (who was Parosh’s descendant): Zechariah and 150 registered men
Pahath-moab’s lineage: Eliehoenai (Zerahiah’s son) and 200 men
Zattu’s lineage: Shecaniah (Jahaziel’s son) and 300 men
Adin’s lineage: Ebed (Jonathan’s son) and 50 men
Elam’s lineage: Jeshaiah (Athaliah’s son) and 70 men
Shephatiah’s lineage: Zebadiah (Michael’s son) and 80 men
Joab’s lineage: Obadiah (Jehiel’s son) and 218 men
Bani’s lineage: Shelomith (Josiphiah’s son) and 160 men
Bebai’s lineage: Zechariah (Bebai’s son) and 28 men
Azgad’s lineage: Johanan (Hakkatan’s son) and 110 men
Adonikam’s lineage (these all made the voyage later): Eliphelet, Jeuel, Shemaiah and 60 men
Bigvai’s lineage: Uthai, Zaccur, and 70 men
Ezra stops in Ahava
I brought them to the river that runs to Ahava and we camped there for three days. As I reviewed the people and priests, I realized there weren’t any of Levi’s descendants. Then I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam (who were all leaders) along with Joiarib and Elnathan (who were wise), and sent them to Iddo (the leader at Casiphia). I told them to ask Iddo, his brothers, and the temple servants in Casiphia to send us ministers for our God’s house. God’s hand was on us, and here’s who they brought back:
Sherebiah who was a wise descendant from Mahli (Levi’s son and Israel’s grandson) along with 19 of his family members.
Hashabiah and Jeshaiah (Merari’s descendant) along with 20 of their family members
220 of the temple workers who had been set apart by David and his officials to serve the Levites.
They were all mentioned by name.
Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava river so that we could humble ourselves before our God and ask him to protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. I was too embarrassed to ask the king for soldiers and horesemen to protect us on our journey because we had told him, “Our God is good to everyone who seeks him, and directs his powerful anger at those who forsake him.” So we fasted and begged God for this, and he listened to our request.
Then I set apart 12 of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10 of their family members. I gave them the offering for God’s house (the silver, gold, and vessels) that were given to us by the king, his counselors, and all of Israel. I weighed everything and gave them 48,750 pounds of silver, 15,000 pounds of silver vessels, 7500 pounds of gold, 20 gold bowls that weighed a total of 187 pounds, and 2 vessels made from fine bright bronze that were as valuable as gold. I told them, “The Existing One views you and these vessels as set apart. This silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Existing One, the God of your forefathers. Guard them and keep them until you weigh them in front of the chief priests, Levites, and patriarchs at the Existing One’s house in Jerusalem.” So the priests and Levites became responsible for bringing the silver and gold to our God’s house in Jerusalem.
Ezra arrives in Jerusalem
Then we left the Ahava river on the 12th day of the first month to make our way to Jerusalem. God’s hand was on us, and he protected us from enemy ambushes along the way. When we arrived in Jerusalem, we stayed there for 3 days, and on the 4th day, we went to our God’s house and weighed the silver and gold in front of Priest Meremoth (Uriah’s son), Eleazar (Phinehas’s son), and the Levites: Jozabad (Jeshua’s son) and Noadiah (Binnui’s son). Everything was counted, weighed, and documented.
Then the returned exiles offered burnt offerings to Israel’s God: 12 bulls for all of Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs plus 12 male goats as a sin offering. These were all burt offerings to the Existing One. They also delivered the king’s commissions to the governors of the province west of the river, and they helped the people and God’s house.