Study Desk

Then I proclaimed ^(j)a fast there at ^(k)the river of Ahava, that we might ^(l)humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a ^[h]safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.

For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to ^[i]protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "^(m)The hand of our God is ^[j]favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but ⁽ⁿ⁾His power and His anger are against all those who ^(o)forsake Him."

So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He ^[k](p)listened to our entreaty.

Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, ^(q)Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers;

and I ^(r)weighed out to them ^(s)the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and ^(t)his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered.

^(u)Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents,

and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold.

Then I said to them, "^(v)You are holy to the Lord , and the ^(w)utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.

Watch and keep them ^(x)until 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 ."

So the priests and the Levites ^(y)accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

Then we journeyed from ^(z)the river Ahava on ^(aa)the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and ^(ab)the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way.

^(ac)Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days.