Ezra Sends for the Levites

15 Now I assembled [these exiles] at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan,[fn] Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17 And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants[fn] at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18 And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19 also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20 [They also brought] 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed [them] to assist the Levites.