17. I sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place Casiphia. I put words in their mouths to speak to Iddo and his brother, who were sanctuary servants at Casiphia, in order to bring us ministers for the House of our God.
18. Now as the good hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah, a man of insight from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, along with his sons and his brothers, 18 men.
19. Also Hashabiah together with Jeshaiah from the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, 20 men.
20. Also from the sanctuary servants, whom David and his officials had given for the work of the Levites, 220 sanctuary servants, all of them designated by name.
21. Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava River so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from Him a straight way for us, our little ones, and all of our possessions.
22. For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and cavalry to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had spoken to the king saying, “The gracious hand of our God is upon everyone who seeks Him, but His great anger is against everyone who forsakes Him.”
23. So we fasted and sought our God about this, and He responded to our plea.
24. Then I set apart twelve of the leading kohanim—Sherebiah, Hashabiah and with them ten of their brothers—
25. and I weighed out for them the silver, the gold and the utensils, the contribution to the House of our God that the king, his counselors, his officials and all Israel who were present had offered.
26. Specifically, I weighed into their hand 650 talents of silver, silver utensils worth 100 talents, 100 talents of gold,
27. 20 golden bowels valued at 1000 darics, and two exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as precious as gold.