22. For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him."
23. So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.
24. Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers;
25. and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered.
26. Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents,
27. and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold.
28. Then I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.
29. Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites and the heads of the fathers' households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord."