Ezra 6:19-22

19 The exiles observed the Passover^[a] on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.

21 The Israelites who had returned from exile ate [it], together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land^[b] in order to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

22 They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread^[c] for seven days with joy, because the Lord had made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king's attitude toward them, so that he supported them^[d] in the work on the house of the God of Israel.

Ezra 6:19-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 6

Darius, on receiving the letter from his officers in Samaria, searched for the decree of Cyrus, and found it, and which he confirmed, Ezr 6:1-7 and made a fresh decree, and ordered expenses to be given out of his tribute for the building of the temple, and for the sacrifices of it; and that whosoever altered it should be hanged on the timber of his own house, and imprecated a curse on those that should destroy the house of God, Ezr 6:8-12 upon which the building went on, and was finished, Ezr 6:13-15 and the temple was dedicated to God in a solemn manner, Ezr 6:16-18, and the passover was kept by all the people, Ezr 6:19-22.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ex 12:1-16
• [b]. Lit land to them
• [c]. Ex 12:17-20
• [d]. Lit their hands