For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
The priests and Levites had all gone through the purification ceremonies together, making themselves ceremonially clean. Then they killed the Passover lamb for all the Jewish people who had returned from exile, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.
This verse describes how the religious leaders prepared themselves spiritually and then sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the Jewish people who had returned from Babylon.
📚 Historical Context
The book of Ezra describes the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, focusing on the rebuilding of the temple under Persian authority. In Ezra 6:20, the priests and Levites purify themselves to properly observe the Passover, symbolizing the restoration of God's prescribed worship practices after years of disruption. This event highlights the importance of ritual purity and communal obedience as the people reestablish their covenant relationship with God.
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