Read Ezra 8.21--30. In 8.21-30: Preparations for the journey to Jerusalem. There are two distinct parts to this section: a concern about physical dangers (vv. 21-23) and some details on the precious metals being carried for the Temple (vv. 24-30). In the author's view, it may be that carrying so much gold and silver made the expedition a target for robbers, leading to the concerns for security. In verse 21: Then I proclaimed a fast there: Following the Exile, fasting seems to have become a more common practice to affirm to God and the community the seriousness with which appeals to God were being made. In this case, the fast underscores the community's desire for God to protect them. In verse 23: And he listened to our entreaty anticipates what the reader is told later, that the journey was made safely. In verse 24: The Nehemiah various groupings of twelve appear frequently, possibly as a way of of retaining some sense of the twelve-tribe organization that traditionally made up the members of Israel, even though most of the persons in these groups are from the tribe of Judah. In verse 28: You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy summarizes several Pentateuchal rules regarding priests (Ex 29.1; Lev 21.6) and vessels used in worship (Ex 29.44; 30.29). Only Temple personnel decreed as holy could transport holy objects (Lev 3.13; 4.12-15). Comments or Questions..
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