Also the children of those that had been carried away, which
were come out of the captivity
Namely, those that now came along with Ezra:
offered
burnt offerings unto the God of Israel;
by way of thankfulness for their deliverance from captivity, and for their safe journey:
twelve bullocks for all Israel:
according to the number of the tribes; and there might be some of every tribe that now came up:
ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs;
these and the bullocks were burnt offerings:
twelve he goats for a sin offering;
according to the number of the twelve tribes, also to make atonement for sins they had been guilty of:
all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord;
excepting the twelve he goats, which were a sin offering.