23. So we didn't eat anything. We prayed to our God about all of those matters. And he answered our prayers.
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.
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.