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.
28. Then I said to them, “You are holy to Adonai and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Adonai, the God of your fathers.