Ezra 8
1NOW these are the heads of families, the leaders who came up with m e in the reign of Arthasastha king of Babylon.
2Of the children of Phineas, Gerson; of the children of Ithamar, Daniel; of the children of David, Attus;
3of the children of Sachania, even of the children of Phoros, Zacharias, and with him a band of a hundred and fifty;
4and of the children of Phaath-moab, Eliaua, son of Saraia, and with him two hundred males;
5and of the children of Zathoes, Sechenias, son of Aziel, and with him three hundred males;
6and of the children of Adin, Obeth, son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males;
7and of the children of Elam, Isais, son of Athelia, and with him seventy males;
8and of the children of Saphatia, Zabadias, son of Michael, and with him eighty males;
9and of the children of Joab, Abadia, son of Jeiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males;
10and of the children of Baani, Selimuth, son of Josephia, and with him a hundred and sixty males;
11and of the children of Babi, Zacharias son of Babi, and with him twenty-eight males;
12and of the children of Asgad, Joanan son of Akkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males;
13and of the children of Adonikam, the under chiefs, and these were their names, Eliphalat, Jeel and Samaia, and with them sixty males;
14and of the sons of Bagui, Outhai and Zabud, and with them seventy males.
15And when I had assembled them at the river which runneth to Evi, we encamped there three days. And I inquired among the people and among the priests, and not finding any of the sons of Levi there,
16I sent for Eleazar, Ariel, Semeia and Alonam and Jarib and Elnatham, and Nathan and Zacharias and Messollam and Joarim and Elnathan, and despatched these men of understanding
17to the chiefs [assembled] at Money of the place, and put words in their mouth to speak to the brethren of the Athinims at Money of the place, that they might bring us choristers for the house of our God.
18So they came to us, as the good hand of our God was over us, chief Sachon of the children of Mooli son of Levi, son of Israel. Indeed his sons and brethren, being eighteen, came instantly,
19and brought Asebias and Isaia of the sons of Merari: his brethren and his sons were twenty;
20and of the Nathanims, whom David and the chiefs gave for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nathanims were all assembled by names.
21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Avue, that we might humble ourselves in the presence of our God, and inquire of Him the straight road for us, and our children, and all our substance;
22for I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen, to protect us from enemies on the way; for we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is over all them for good, who seek Him; and His power and His wrath is against all them who forsake Him.
23So we fasted and besought our God for this, and He hearkened to us.
24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, Saraia and Asabaia, and with them ten of their brethren,
25and I weighed out to them the silver and the gold, and the vessels which were dedicated to the house of our God, which the king and his counsellors, and his chiefs, and all the Israelites there, had dedicated.
26I weighed into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and a hundred vessels of silver and a hundred talents of gold,
27and twenty gilt cups, worth about a thousand drachms, and vessels of fine burnished brass, precious as gold,
28and said to them, You are holy to the Lord, and these vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are free-will offerings to the Lord God of our fathers.
29Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the chiefs of the families in Jerusalem, into the tabernacles of the house of the Lord.
30And when the priests and the Levites had taken the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels to carry them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God,
31we removed from the river Avue, on the twelfth of the first month, to come to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was with us, and delivered us from the hand of enemies, and of such as lay in wait on the way.
32And when we came to Jerusalem, and had rested three days,
33we, on the fourth day, delivered the silver and gold and vessels, in the house of our God, into the hand of Merimoth, son of Ouria the priest, when there was with him, Eleazar son of Phineas, and with them Jozabad, son of Jesus, and Noadia, son of Banaia, the Levites,
34all by number and by weight, and the whole weight was taken down in writing:
At that time,
35they who came from the captivity, the children of them who had been carried away, offered as whole burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve young bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, twelve goats, for a sin offering. All these were whole burnt offerings to the Lord.
36Then they gave the king’s decree to the king’s lieutenants and governors beyond the river, and they paid due respect to the people and to the house of God.