Even when Saul was our king, you were the one who led us into battle. And you were the one who brought Israel back home from war. And the Lord himself said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people, the Israelites. You will be the ruler over Israel.’”
There near the Ahava River, I (Ezra) announced that we all should fast. {\cf2\super [53]} We should fast to make ourselves humble before our God. We wanted to ask God for a safe trip for ourselves, our children, and for all the things we owned.
On the twelfth day of the first month {\cf2\super [57]} we left the Ahava River and started toward Jerusalem. God was with us, and he protected us from enemies and robbers along the way.