Ezra 8: A Safe Journey

Ezra lists the family heads who went up with him. At the river Ahava he found no Levites and sent for them, and God brought ministers for His house. Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek a straight way from God, because he was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers after saying that God's hand is on all who seek Him. God answered. Ezra weighed out the silver, gold, and vessels to twelve priests, who guarded them. The hand of God delivered them from the enemy on the road, and they arrived safely and offered burnt offerings.

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Read Ezra 8

World English Bible · 36 verses

¹ Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last, their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ Then I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo and his brothers the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁶ I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels, one hundred talents of gold,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁷ twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics, and two vessels of fine bright bronze, precious as gold.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁸ I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁹ Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁰ So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³¹ Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandits by the way.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³² We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³³ On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levites.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁴ Everything was counted and weighed; and all the weight was written at that time.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁵ The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁶ They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s local governors and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and God’s house.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Open Preschool on its own page

Ezra 8 · Preschool

God Keeps Us Safe

Name Date

Color the travelers on their long trip! God kept them safe.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request.”

Ezra 8:23 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: Ezra and the people prayed and asked God to keep them safe, and God did. We can pray when we travel too.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Ezra 8 · Grade 4

Trusting God on the Road

Name Date

Read and Think

Ezra 8 begins with the family heads who went up with Ezra. When they camped three days at the river Ahava, Ezra found no Levites among them. He sent men to ask for some. By the good hand of God, Sherebiah and many others came.

The road ahead was long and dangerous. Ezra had told the king that the hand of God is on all who seek Him for good, but His power and wrath are against all who forsake Him. Having said that, he was ashamed to ask for a band of soldiers. Instead he proclaimed a fast to seek a straight way from God, and God was entreated by them.

Ezra set apart twelve chiefs of the priests and weighed out to them silver, gold, and vessels that the king and Israel had offered. He reminded them that they and the vessels were holy to Yahweh. They left Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month. The hand of God delivered them from the enemy and bandits along the way. In Jerusalem the treasure was weighed again. Not one piece was lost. Then the people gave burnt offerings for all Israel.

Show What You Know

Where did Ezra send for Levites?
What had Ezra told the king about God's hand?
What did Ezra seek from God by fasting?
How did God respond?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

Levitessilverhandgoodfast

When they camped three days at the river Ahava, Ezra found no among them.
By the good of God, Sherebiah and many others came.
Ezra had told the king that the hand of God is on all who seek Him for , but His power and wrath are against all who forsake Him.
Instead he proclaimed a to seek a straight way from God, and God was entreated by them.
Ezra set apart twelve chiefs of the priests and weighed out to them , gold, and vessels that the king and Israel had offered.

Think About It

Ezra chose to trust God instead of asking for soldiers. When is it hard for you to trust God instead of relying on yourself?
The treasure was weighed and counted carefully. How can you be faithful with what God has given you?

Memory Verse

For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”

Ezra 8:22 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for keeping me safe. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How did Ezra's actions match his words?
What does fasting and prayer show about trusting God?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Ezra 8 · Grade 5

Faith That Matches Words

Name Date

Read and Think

Ezra's company included family heads, but when he reviewed them at Ahava, he found no Levites. Temple service required them, so Ezra sent a delegation to Iddo at Casiphia. Ezra credits the result to the good hand of God: a man of discretion named Sherebiah came with his family, along with others and many temple servants.

The most striking moment is Ezra's fast. He had testified to Artaxerxes that God's hand is on all who seek Him. To ask for soldiers now would seem to contradict that testimony. So he proclaimed a fast at Ahava, that they might humble themselves before God and seek a straight way for their families and possessions. God listened to their request. Ezra's actions matched his words.

Ezra then practiced careful accountability. He weighed out the treasure to twelve chiefs of the priests, charging them to watch over it because they and the vessels were holy to Yahweh. After a journey of about four months, the hand of God had protected them from enemies and ambushes. In Jerusalem every item was weighed and recorded. The returning exiles offered burnt offerings, including twelve bulls for all Israel, and delivered the king's commissions to the governors, who supported the people and God's house.

Show What You Know

Why did Ezra need Levites?
Why would asking for soldiers have seemed to contradict Ezra's testimony?
What did Ezra seek by fasting?
How did Ezra practice accountability?
What did the twelve bulls represent?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

priestsfasthandGod

Ezra credits the result to the good of God: a man of discretion named Sherebiah came with his family, along with others and many temple servants.
So he proclaimed a at Ahava, that they might humble themselves before God and seek a straight way for their families and possessions.
listened to their request.
He weighed out the treasure to twelve chiefs of the , charging them to watch over it because they and the vessels were holy to Yahweh.

Think About It

Ezra wanted his actions to match what he said about God. Where can your actions show that you really trust God?
Ezra handled the treasure with honesty and care. Why does God care about how we handle money and responsibility?

Memory Verse

Ezra 8:22 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for keeping me safe. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How does God care for us on our journeys?
How can you be faithful with what God gives you this week?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Ezra 8: A Safe Journey

Read Ezra 8

Worksheets

God Keeps Us Safe

Prayer

Take It Home

God Hears

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

We Prayed

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

A Safe Trip

Prayer

Take It Home

A Long Trip

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Fasting and Praying

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

A Safe Trip

Prayer

Take It Home

Trusting God on the Road

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Faith That Matches Words

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options