Ezra 8:19-21

Contemporary English Version

¹⁹We were also sent Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the family of Merari along with 20 of their relatives. ²⁰In addition, 220 others came to help the Levites in the temple. The ancestors of these workers had been chosen years ago by King David^[a] and his officials, and they were all listed by name.

Ezra Asks the People To Go without Eating and To Pray

²¹Beside the Ahava River,^[b] I^[c] asked the people to go without eating^[d] and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions.

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Footnotes

8.20 King David: See the note at 3.10.
8.21 River: See the note at 8.15.
8.21 I: See the note at 8.1.
8.21 to go without eating: The Jews often went without eating as a way of worshiping God. This is sometimes called “fasting.”