Exiles Gather and Weigh Temple Gold

Over a thousand men and their families pitch tents along the marshy banks of the Ahava Canal. They prepare for a journey of nearly 900 miles across open desert terrain. Ezra searches the vast encampment and realizes they lack trained Levites for the temple work. He sends men to a nearby settlement to recruit qualified workers before they march.

This massive mobilization takes place deep within the Persian Empire in the spring of 458 b.c. The returning exiles spend three full days securing their sprawling camp by the water. The leaders refuse a heavily armed escort of Persian cavalry and infantry. They choose instead to rely on the God of Israel to protect them from highway bandits.

The leaders set up heavy bronze scales in the center of the camp. They carefully weigh out huge amounts of silver and gold for the temple in Jerusalem. The inventory includes nearly 50,000 pounds of silver and 7,500 pounds of solid gold. Ezra assigns twelve trusted priests to guard this immense fortune during the dangerous four-month trek.

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him.

The caravan survives the harsh weather and ambushes to reach the stone walls of Jerusalem. The priests rest for three days before moving the heavy chests into the temple complex. Every piece of silver and gold is weighed again to prove nothing was lost. The returning exiles then slaughter bulls and rams to honor the God of Israel.