Ezra 6:19-22

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles kept the Passover.

20 All the priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. And the Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their priestly brothers, and for themselves.

21 The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples ^[a] of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.

22 For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread ^[b] with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands 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]. Or nations
• [b]. That is, the seven-day period after the Passover during which no leaven may be eaten; see Exodus 12:14–20.