15 And I gather them unto the river that is going unto Ahava, and we encamp there three days; and I consider about the people, and about the priests, and of the sons of Levi I have found none there; 16 and I send for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, heads, and for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding; 17 and I charge them for Iddo the head, in the place Casiphia, and put in their mouth words to speak unto Iddo, 'and' his brethren the Nethinim, in the place Casiphia, to bring to us ministrants for the house of our God. 18 And they bring to us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons, and his brethren, eighteen; 19 and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, his brethren, and their sons, twenty; 20 and from the Nethinim, whom David and the heads gave for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them defined by name.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezra 8:15-20
Commentary on Ezra 8:1-20
(Read Ezra 8:1-20)
Ezra assembles the outcasts of Israel, and the dispersed of Judah. God raised up the spirits of a small remnant to accompany him. What a pity that good men should omit a good work, for want of being spoken to!