Ezra 8:21–23

PREPARING TO RETURN

21 I proclaimed a fastj by the Ahava River,* so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. 22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.”k 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.