Ezra 6:21

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.

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

22 For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread 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.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.
KJV
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,
WEB
The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, ate,
ASV
And the children of Israel that were come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, did eat,
DARBY
And the children of Israel that were come back out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah the God of Israel, did eat;
BLB
And the sons of Israel who had returned from the captivity, with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the peoples of the land to them, to seek YHWH, God of Israel, ate together,
ÅB
Så spiste Israels barn påskelammet, både de av de bortførte som var kommet tilbake, og alle de som hadde skilt seg fra de i landet boende hedningers urenhet og gitt seg i lag med dem for å søke Herren, Israels Gud.
OTB
Så spiste israelittene som hadde vendt tilbake fra eksil det, sammen med alle som hadde skilt seg fra urenheten i nasjonene for å søke Herren, Israels Gud.
B1930
Så åt Israels barn påskelammet, både de av de bortførte som var kommet tilbake, og alle de som hadde skilt sig fra de i landet boende hedningers urenhet og gitt sig i lag med dem for å søke Herren, Israels Gud.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Ezra 9:11

    that You gave through Your servants the prophets, saying: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the impurity of its peoples and the abominations with which they have filled it from end to end.

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 7:1

    Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 52:11

    Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

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  • Ezra 9:1

    After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 12:47–49

    The whole congregation of Israel must celebrate it.

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  • Nehemiah 9:2

    Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

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  • Ezekiel 36:25

    I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.

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  • Nehemiah 10:28

    “The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,

    Read in context