1 Esdras 7:10-15

10 The people of Israel who had returned from exile celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month of the following year. The priests and Levites had purified themselves at the same time. ¹

11 Not all the Jews who had returned purified themselves at that time, but the Levites did.

12 The Levites killed the animals for the Passover sacrifices for all the people who had returned, for the priests, and for themselves.

13 The sacrifices were eaten by all the Israelites who had returned from exile; they worshiped the Lord and rejected the pagan ways of the other people who were living in the land.

14 For seven days they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread. They rejoiced in the presence of the Lord,

15 the God of Israel, because he had made the plans of the emperor of Assyria favorable to them and had supported them in their work.

Cross References

• 1. 7.10Exodus 12.1-20.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Verse 11 in Greek is unclear.]
• [b]. emperor of assyria: [Apparently a reference to the Persian emperor who then also ruled the territory once occupied by Assyria, Israel's ancient enemy.]