Today is the 9th day of August. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is wonderful to be here with you today, another day, another step forward, all together, all on the same page, moving forward.

So we've been moving forward by taking steps through the book of Ezra in the Old Testament, and we're continuing our journey today, before we move back into the New Testament and first Corinthians and take the next step forward there.

So let's dive in Ezra, chapter 8, verse 21, through 9, 15 today.

There by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for us all to fast and humble ourselves before our God and ask Him to lead us on our journey and protect us and our children and all our possessions.

I would have been ashamed to ask the Emperor for a troop of Calvary to guard us from any enemies during our journey, because I had told him that our God blesses everyone who trusts Him, but that He is displeased with and punishes anyone who turns away from Him.

So we fasted and prayed for God to protect us, and He answered our prayers.

From among the leading priests, I chose Sharabaya, Hashabaya, and ten others. Then I weighed out the silver, the gold, and the utensils which the Emperor, his advisors and officials, and the people of Israel had given to be used in the temple, and I gave it to the priests.

This is what I gave them.

Silver, 25 tons, 100 silver utensils, 150 pounds, gold, 75 hundred pounds, 20 gold bowls, 270 ounces, fine bronze bowls equal in value to gold bowls.

I said to them, you are sacred to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and so are all the silver and gold utensils brought to Him as free will offerings, guard them carefully until you reach the temple.

There in the priests rooms weigh them and turn them over to the leaders of the priests and of the Levites, and to the leaders of the people of Israel in Jerusalem.

So the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the utensils to take them to the temple in Jerusalem.

It was on the 12th day of the first month that we left the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem.

Our God was with us and protected us from enemy attacks and from ambush as we traveled.

When we reached Jerusalem, we rested three days. Then, on the fourth day, we went to the temple, weighed the silver, the gold, and the utensils, and turned them over to Merimod, the priest, son of Yeraya.

With him were Eleazar, son of Phineas, and two Levites, Josephad, son of Joshua, and Noah, Daya, son of Benoui.

Everything was counted and weighed, and a complete record was made at the same time.

All those who had returned from exile then brought offerings to be burned as sacrifices to the God of Israel.

They offered twelve bowls for all Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs.

They also offered twelve goats to purify themselves from sin.

All these animals were burned as sacrifices to the Lord.

They also took the document the emperor had given them and gave it to the governors and officials of West of Euphrates province, who then gave their support to the people and the temple worship.

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