22. For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy along the way, because we had told the king, The hand of our God is upon all them for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.
23. So we fasted and besought our God for this, and He heard our entreaty.
24. Then I set apart twelve leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen,
25. And weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God which the king, his counselors, his lords, and all Israel there present had offered.
26. I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver vessels valued at 100 talents, and 100 talents of gold;