Ezra 8:15

Levi Ahava

¹³ from the later descendants of Adonikam, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

¹⁴ and from the descendants of Bigvai, both Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.

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, 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 at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
KJV: And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
WEB: I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi.
ASV: And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
DARBY: And I gathered them together at the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days; and I surveyed the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.
BLB: and I gathered them to the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I considered about the people and the priests, and from the sons of Levi I found none there.

ÅB: Jeg samlet dem ved den elv som løper ut i Ahava; der lå vi i leir tre dager. Men da jeg gav nøyere akt på folket og på prestene, fant jeg ingen av Levis barn der.
OTB: Jeg samlet dem ved elven som renner mot Ahava, og vi slo leir der i tre dager. Da jeg gjennomgikk folket og prestene, fant jeg ingen levitter der.
B1930: Jeg samlet dem ved den elv som løper ut i Ahava; der lå vi i leir tre dager. Men da jeg gav nøiere akt på folket og på prestene, fant jeg ingen av Levis barn der.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezra 8:21
And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
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Ezra 8:31
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way.
Read in context
Ezra 7:7
So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
Read in context
Ezra 8:2
from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; from the descendants of David, Hattush
Read in context
Psalms 137:1
By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
Read in context
Ezekiel 3:15
I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed.
Read in context
Acts 16:13
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
Read in context
Ezekiel 1:1
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
Read in context