At Ahava, Ezra seeks Levites and temple servants

15I gathered them to the river that comes to Ahava, and we camped there three days. Then I examined the people and the priests, but I found none of the sons of Levi there.

16Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, heads, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding.

17And I sent them to Iddo, the chief at the place Casiphia, and I put in their mouths words to speak to Iddo and his brothers, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, to bring us ministers for the house of our God.

18And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought to us a man of insight from the sons of Mahli son of Levi, son of Israel—namely Sherebiah, and his sons and his brothers, eighteen.

19and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, from the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;

20And from the temple servants whom David and the officials had assigned to the service of the Levites, there were 220 temple servants; all of them were designated by name.