And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
The governor told them that they should not eat the most sacred food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim to seek God's guidance.
The writer is showing how the returning exiles waited for God's clear guidance through proper religious channels before making important decisions about who could serve as priests.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Ezra, this verse is set during the return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon, as they were rebuilding their community and temple. Some priests couldn't verify their family lineage, so the governor, referred to as the Tirshatha (likely Zerubbabel), decreed that they were not allowed to eat the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim, sacred objects for seeking God's guidance, to confirm their status. This reflected the importance of maintaining priestly purity in ancient Israelite worship practices.
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