15. And I gathered them together at the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days; and I surveyed the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.
16. And I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men, and for Joiarib and for Elnathan, men of understanding.
17. And I gave them a commission to Iddo the chief, at the place Casiphia, and I put words in their mouths to say to Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God
18. And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely, Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
19. and Hashabiah, and with him Isaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;
20. and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were expressed by name.
21. And I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way; for we had spoken to the king saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his anger is against all them that forsake him.
23. And we fasted, and besought our God for this; and he was entreated of us.
24. And I separated twelve of the chiefs of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25. and I weighed to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the heave-offering for the house of our God which the king and his counsellors and his princes, and all Israel present, had offered.
26. And I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver; and silver vessels a hundred talents, and of gold a hundred talents;