Envoy who secured Levites for the return journey from exile
The returnLeaderEnvoyc. 500 BC
Ariel was one of the leaders whom Ezra sent to Iddo in Casiphia to obtain Levites and temple servants for the return journey to Jerusalem. When Ezra gathered the people at the river that flows to Ahava and discovered that there were no Levites among them, he sent Ariel and other prominent men with a message to recruit servants for God's house. The mission succeeded, and Levites and temple servants joined the group. The name Ariel means 'God's lion' or 'God's hearth' in Hebrew and is also used as a poetic name for Jerusalem by the prophet Isaiah.
Key events
Shortage of Levites discovered at the Ahava River
When Ezra assembled the people by the river flowing to Ahava, he realized there were no Levites among them. He decided to send leaders to recruit Levites for temple service.
15I assembled them at the river that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I reviewed the people and the priests, I found no Levites among them.
Ezra sent Ariel and other prominent leaders to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, with instructions to bring servants for the house of God in Jerusalem. The mission succeeded, and Levites and temple servants joined the traveling group.
16So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight.
17I sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, and I told them what to say to Iddo and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia—that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God.
18Since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a capable man from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel—Sherebiah—along with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;
Before departing from Babylon, Ezra proclaimed a fast at the Ahava River to seek God's guidance and protection for the journey. The leaders of the traveling group, among whom Ariel was likely included, participated in this preparation.
21There by the Ahava River I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.
22I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies along the way, since we had told him, "The hand of our God is upon all who seek him, for good; but his power and his anger are against all who forsake him."