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Chapter 8 gives a more complete narrative of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem.
Ezra having received his commission from the King of Persia, he asks the Jews for volunteers to go back to Jerusalem. In all, only 1496 volunteered to go back of all the millions of Jews that were in the area. We might wonder why. Matthew Henry suggests, "They loved their ease more than their religion." These people, by now, were quite successful in Babylon and most did not want to give up all that they had accumulated and go back to a desolate and destroyed country that they had only heard about. Notice that none of the Levites volunteered. Ezra had to send word to the Levite Leaders to send him Priests and Temple workers. They sent him Sher-rib-i-ah, along with 18 of his sons and brothers. They also sent Hash-a-biah and Jes-shai-ah, who was a descendant of Merari, one of the sons of Aaron, with 20 of his sons and brothers. They also sent 220 Temple attendants who were assistants to the Levites, a job created by David. There were 261, in all, from the Levites.
They all assembled at the Ahava River in March 458 BC. where Ezra, first, made a list of all the people that were going and declared a fast so that they could humble themselves before the Lord. Then he prayed for a safe journey, seeking to place his trust in the Lord rather than the King's soldiers. Then he appointed 12 leaders from the Levites to be in charge of the gold and silver.
They broke camp and made the 900 (700) mile journey across the desert in five months, averaging 7 miles per day, 6 days per week. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the gold, silver and other valuables were checked in at the Temple and a receipt given.
Then everybody gave thanks for a safe journey, and sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel.
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