Ezra 8:15-20--Ezra Sends for Levites

Ezra 8:15-20
English Standard Version
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Ezra Sends for Levites
15 I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight, 17 and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; 19 also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; 20 besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.

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Before getting too far into the journey, Ezra took quick inventory of who was with him (see the genealogy from last time), and he noticed that while there were a few priests who had come with him, there were no regular Levites with them whose job it was to serve in the Temple (and in the community) alongside the priests to help them accomplish their duties.  At this, Ezra and the leaders of the people that were with him sent word back to Iddo, a leading man in Casiphia, that the Levites should be sent to them so that they could minister in the house of the LORD--none of the Levites were to choose to stay behind.

Then 38 Levites and 220 Temple servants joined them.  It was a small number, but the LORD can do great things with even a small amount of people who are willing to do the work.  In fact, the Scripture is full of storeis where this is exactly how the LORD likes it, so that He gets all the glory for what he is going to do.