New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ezra 8
1
Many family leaders came up to Jerusalem with me from Babylonia. So did others who were listed with them. It was during the time when Artaxerxes was king. Here is a list of those who came.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 7:7
2
Gershom came from the family line of Phinehas. Daniel came from the family line of Ithamar. Hattush came from the family line of David.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 3:22
3
Hattush also belonged to the family of Shecaniah. Zechariah came from the family line of Parosh. The total number of men who were listed with him was 150.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:3
4
Eliehoenai came from the family line of Pahath-Moab. Eliehoenai was the son of Zerahiah. The total number of men with him was 200.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:6
5
Shecaniah came from the family line of Zattu. Shecaniah was the son of Jahaziel. The total number of men with him was 300.
People
6
Ebed came from the family line of Adin. Ebed was the son of Jonathan. The total number of men with him was 50.
Reference
People
7
Jeshaiah came from the family line of Elam. Jeshaiah was the son of Athaliah. The total number of men with him was 70.
People
8
Zebadiah came from the family line of Shephatiah. Zebadiah was the son of Michael. The total number of men with him was 80.
People
9
Obadiah came from the family line of Joab. Obadiah was the son of Jehiel. The total number of men with him was 218.
People
10
Shelomith came from the family line of Bani. Shelomith was the son of Josiphiah. The total number of men with him was 160.
People
11
Zechariah came from the family line of Bebai. Zechariah was the son of Bebai. The total number of men with him was 28.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Ezra 10:28
12
Johanan came from the family line of Azgad. Johanan was the son of Hakkatan. The total number of men with him was 110.
People
13
Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah came from the family line of Adonikam. Some members of their family had gone up to Jerusalem before them. The total number of men with them was 60.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:13
14
Uthai and Zaccur came from the family line of Bigvai. The total number of men with them was 70.
People
15
I gathered the people together at the waterway that flows toward Ahava. We camped there for three days. I looked for Levites among the people and priests. But I didn't find any.
Reference
📍 Ahava
16
So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan and Jarib. I also sent for Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam. All of them were leaders. And I sent for Joiarib and Elnathan. They were very well educated.
People
17
I sent all of those men to Iddo. He was the leader in Casiphia. He and his relatives were temple servants there. I told my men what to say to them. I wanted Iddo and his relatives to bring some attendants to us for the house of our God.
Reference
📍 Casiphia
People
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:43
18
The gracious hand of our God helped us. So they brought us Sherebiah. He was a man of ability. He came from the family line of Mahli. Mahli was the son of Levi. Levi was a son of Israel. They also brought us Sherebiah's sons and brothers. The total number of men was 18.
Reference
People
Good
Nehemiah 2:8
Ezra 8:22
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 3:15
1 Chronicles 6:19
Daniel 1:20
References God
Ezra 7:28
Ezra 7:6
19
And they brought Hashabiah and his brothers and nephews. They brought them together with Jeshaiah. He came from the family line of Merari. The total number of men was 20.
Reference
People
20
They also brought 220 of the temple servants. That was a special group David and his officials had established. They were supposed to help the Levites. All of them were listed by name.
Reference
21
I announced a fast by the waterway that flows toward Ahava. I told the people not to eat any food. In that way, we made ourselves low in the sight of God. We prayed that he would give us and our children a safe journey. We asked him to keep safe everything we owned.
Reference
📍 Ahava
Parallel theme
2 Chronicles 20:3
Isaiah 30:21
1 Samuel 7:6
Leviticus 23:29
Leviticus 16:29
Isaiah 42:16
Psalm 5:8
Ezra 8:15
References God
Joel 1:14
Jonah 3:5
22
I was ashamed to ask King Artaxerxes for soldiers and horsemen. They could have kept us safe from enemies on the road. But we had told the king that our God would keep us safe. We had said, "The gracious hand of our God helps everyone who looks to him. But he becomes very angry with anyone who deserts him."
Reference
Good
Lamentations 3:25
Romans 8:28
Kingdom
Ezra 7:6
Ezra 7:28
Parallel theme
1 Peter 3:12
2 Chronicles 16:9
2 Chronicles 15:2
Psalm 34:22
Hebrews 10:38
References God
1 Chronicles 28:9
23
So we didn't eat anything. We prayed to our God about all of those matters. And he answered our prayers.
Reference
24
Then I set 12 of the leading priests apart. I also set apart Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their relatives.
25
I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and other articles. They had been given for the house of our God. The king, his advisers and officials, and all of the people of Israel who were there had given them.
Reference
26
I weighed out 25 tons of silver to those men. I weighed out almost four tons of silver articles. I weighed out almost four tons of gold.
27
I weighed out 20 gold bowls. They weighed 19 pounds. I also weighed out two fine articles. The bronze they were made out of was highly polished. They were as priceless as gold.
28
I said to those men, "You are set apart to the Lord. So are these articles. The silver and gold were offered to the Lord by those who chose to give them. He is the God of your people.
29
Guard all of those things carefully until you weigh them out. Weigh them in the special rooms of the Lord's temple in Jerusalem. Do it in front of the leading priests and the Levites. Make sure the family leaders of Israel are watching."
30
Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles. All of them had been weighed out. They were going to take them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
31
On the 12th day of the first month we started out. We left the waterway that flows toward Ahava. And we headed for Jerusalem. The powerful hand of our God helped us. He kept us safe from enemies and robbers along the way.
Reference
📍 Ahava
32
So we arrived in Jerusalem. There we rested for three days.
Reference
References Jerusalem
Nehemiah 2:11
33
On the fourth day we weighed out the silver and gold. We also weighed out the sacred articles. We weighed everything in the house of our God. We handed all of it over to the priest Meremoth. He was the son of Uriah. Eleazar, Jozabad and Noadiah were with him. Eleazar was the son of Phinehas. Jozabad was the son of Jeshua. Noadiah was the son of Binnui. Jozabad and Noadiah were Levites.
Reference
People
34
Everything was listed by number and weight. And the total weight was recorded at that time.
35
Then the people sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel. They had returned from Babylonia. They offered 12 bulls for the whole nation of Israel. They offered 96 rams and 77 male lambs. All of that was a burnt offering to the Lord. They sacrificed 12 male goats as a sin offering.
Reference
Sin
Ezra 6:17
36
They also handed over the king's orders. They gave them to the royal officials and governors who ruled over the land west of the Euphrates River. Then those men helped the people. They also did many things for the house of God.
Summary of Ezra 8
Ezra Chapter 8 describes the people who returned to Jerusalem with Ezra, the preparations for the journey, God's protection along the way, and the safe delivery of valuable Temple resources. Ezra begins by recording the family leaders and the number of men who joined him from Babylon. The list includes descendants of important priestly, Levitical, Davidic, and other Jewish families. This detailed record emphasizes that the return was an organized movement involving recognized family groups rather than an unplanned migration.
After gathering the people beside the Ahava Canal, Ezra discovered an important problem: no Levites were present among the initial group. Because Levites were responsible for many duties associated with Temple worship, Ezra sent respected leaders to find qualified Levites and Temple servants. As a result, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and other Levites, along with 220 Temple servants, joined the expedition.
Before leaving Babylon, Ezra called the people to fast and pray for protection. He had already told King Artaxerxes that God's hand protected those who sought Him, and Ezra did not want to contradict that testimony by requesting a military escort. The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was long and exposed travelers to possible enemies and bandits, so the decision required genuine faith. Ezra records that God answered their prayer and protected them.
The group also carried a considerable amount of silver, gold, and sacred Temple vessels. Ezra carefully weighed and documented the treasures before handing them to trusted priests. The priests were reminded that both they and the objects were holy and were given the responsibility of protecting everything until it could be formally weighed again in Jerusalem. This careful accounting demonstrates the importance of integrity and responsibility when handling resources dedicated to God.
The travelers left the Ahava Canal on the twelfth day of the first month. Despite the dangers of the journey, they arrived safely in Jerusalem. After resting for three days, the treasures were brought to the Temple and carefully weighed in the presence of priests and other leaders. Everything was accounted for, confirming that the entrusted resources had arrived safely.
The returning community then offered sacrifices for all Israel, including twelve bulls and twelve male goats. The twelvefold pattern symbolically represented the unity of the entire nation, not merely the people of Judah.
Finally, Ezra delivered the king's official orders to the Persian governors and officials in the region. They responded by supporting the people and the Temple. The chapter therefore ends with Ezra's mission successfully established: the people arrived safely, the Temple resources were delivered intact, worship was renewed, and Persian authorities recognized Ezra's authority. The chapter strongly emphasizes faith, careful stewardship, prayer, community organization, and God's protection throughout the restoration process.
After gathering the people beside the Ahava Canal, Ezra discovered an important problem: no Levites were present among the initial group. Because Levites were responsible for many duties associated with Temple worship, Ezra sent respected leaders to find qualified Levites and Temple servants. As a result, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and other Levites, along with 220 Temple servants, joined the expedition.
Before leaving Babylon, Ezra called the people to fast and pray for protection. He had already told King Artaxerxes that God's hand protected those who sought Him, and Ezra did not want to contradict that testimony by requesting a military escort. The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was long and exposed travelers to possible enemies and bandits, so the decision required genuine faith. Ezra records that God answered their prayer and protected them.
The group also carried a considerable amount of silver, gold, and sacred Temple vessels. Ezra carefully weighed and documented the treasures before handing them to trusted priests. The priests were reminded that both they and the objects were holy and were given the responsibility of protecting everything until it could be formally weighed again in Jerusalem. This careful accounting demonstrates the importance of integrity and responsibility when handling resources dedicated to God.
The travelers left the Ahava Canal on the twelfth day of the first month. Despite the dangers of the journey, they arrived safely in Jerusalem. After resting for three days, the treasures were brought to the Temple and carefully weighed in the presence of priests and other leaders. Everything was accounted for, confirming that the entrusted resources had arrived safely.
The returning community then offered sacrifices for all Israel, including twelve bulls and twelve male goats. The twelvefold pattern symbolically represented the unity of the entire nation, not merely the people of Judah.
Finally, Ezra delivered the king's official orders to the Persian governors and officials in the region. They responded by supporting the people and the Temple. The chapter therefore ends with Ezra's mission successfully established: the people arrived safely, the Temple resources were delivered intact, worship was renewed, and Persian authorities recognized Ezra's authority. The chapter strongly emphasizes faith, careful stewardship, prayer, community organization, and God's protection throughout the restoration process.