I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the Kohanim, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
Also we inform you, that touching any of the Kohanim and Levites, the singers, porters, temple servants 1, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them.
and has extended loving kindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God on me, and I gathered together out of Yisra'el chief men to go up with me.
There went up some of the children of Yisra'el, and of the Kohanim, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants 1, to Yerushalayim, in the seventh year of Artachshasta the king.
Then sent I for Eli`ezer, for Ari'el, for Shemayah, and for Elnatan, and for Yariv, and for Elnatan, and for Natan, and for Zekharyah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Yoiariv, and for Elnatan, who were teachers.
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth [day] of the first month, to go to Yerushalayim: and the hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way.
Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Kevar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-Aviv, that lived by the river Kevar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
On the day of Shabbat we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.