6:19–21 With these verses the narrative returns to the Hebrew language after the large sweep of Aramaic text detailing the correspondence to and from Persian kings (4:8–6:18). The return to Hebrew not only marks this as a conclusion to the Aramaic portion; it further functions as a capstone to Ezra 1–6. The temporal notice also helps to distinguish this paragraph as its own pericope. The letter from Artaxerxes to Ezra in the next chapter will offer the final example of Aramaic text in Ezra-Nehemiah (Ezra 7:12–26).
It is the “returned exiles” who keep the Passover. To this point in Ezra, the restored community is also identified as the “people of the province” (2:1), the “people of Israel” (2:2)—synonymous with “sons of Israel” (6:16)—“the whole assembly” (2:64), or simply “the people” (3:1, 11). This corporate language highlights the role of the entire community as an important “character” not only in this concluding pericope but throughout Ezra-Nehemiah.
We have already seen the Israelites celebrate the Feast of Booths (Ezra 3:4), which took place in the fall, in the seventh month (Tishri). Now, years later, having completed the temple, Israel celebrates Passover / Unleavened Bread, another of its great feasts. It took place in the first month, a little over one month after the completion of the temple, which occurred in the final month of the previous year (i.e., Adar; 6:15). This first month was known as Abib prior to the exile (Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1) and as Nisan after the Babylonian captivity (Neh. 2:1; Est. 3:7).
In terms of procedure, the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed by the elders at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month (Ex. 12:6, 21) and its blood placed on the doorposts (Ex. 12:22). From that day and for the following seven days until the twenty-first day Israel was to eat unleavened bread (Ex. 12:18).
The Passover’s symbolism was rich, memorializing the protection of Israel’s firstborn from judgment even as the death of the firstborn befell Egypt in the final plague (Ex. 12:12–13, 26–27). Along with Unleavened Bread, Passover reminded Israel of God’s great redemptive act in the exodus from Egypt, their freedom from slavery (Ex. 12:17), and the haste with which they departed Egypt (Deut. 16:3) to worship in the wilderness (Ex. 5:1). In the context of Ezra, the relevance for the returning community is clear: as they consider their newfound though partial freedom in a new exodus (cf. 1:6), they rejoice that they have returned to the Land of Promise to worship their covenantal Lord in a completed and dedicated temple. In other words, just as Passover was celebrated in connection with the first exodus, so is it celebrated again with a second exodus.
In Ezra 6, Passover celebration occurs only as the priests and Levites, responsible for leading in worship, “purify themselves.” Similar ritual purification rites are repeated later during wall dedication (Neh. 12:30) and the general reforms instituted by Nehemiah (13:22). Concern for ritual uncleanness and the need for purification to celebrate the Passover in particular (Num. 9:6ff.) will persist into the NT era (John 11:55). Though the purification rites for the priests and Levites are not specified in Ezra 6, they likely follow those previously established for each group (priests: Lev. 22:1–9; Levites: Num. 8:5–22). Some ambiguity exists in Ezra 6:20 as to whether both priests and Levites or Levites alone sacrifice the Passover. The ESV translation implies that some priests and Levites are involved in the sacrifice on behalf of the wider community and of other priests (and themselves). In support, it could be noted that reconsecrated priests and Levites played an important role in Passover celebration during Hezekiah’s restoration (2 Chron. 30:13–22). Even then, however, the Levites were singled out as those who sacrificed the Passover lambs on behalf of some who were not consecrated (2 Chron. 30:17), and during Josiah’s reforms the Levites took sole responsibility for Passover sacrifice (2 Chron. 35:3–6). The possibility for exclusive Levitical work persists here as well.
Overall, renewed public worship in a rebuilt and dedicated temple as well as the prior mention of “sin offering” (Ezra 6:17) echo an analogous moment in Leviticus at which tabernacle completion is followed by priestly and assembly consecration. Immediately after the tabernacle’s consecration in Leviticus 8, the priests make sin offerings on behalf of themselves and the people to prepare the whole community to meet with the Lord (Lev. 9:1–7). After these offerings in Leviticus, the Lord appears in glory (Lev. 9:22–24; cf. Ex. 40:34–38). This takes place again after the completion of the first temple (1 Kings 8:10–11), and Ezekiel, having seen a vision of the Lord’s glory departing the temple (Ezek. 11:22–25) speaks of a day on which it will again return (43:1–10). Sadly, there is no evidence in Ezra that such a return takes place.
As Ezra 6 continues, verse 21 describes not one but two main groups of participants who eat the Passover meal. As expected, Passover is eaten by the people of Israel who are returning from the exile (cf. Ex. 12:47). However, another group— seemingly “not Israel”—is mentioned and includes all who are separating themselves from the “uncleanness” of the “peoples of the land” in order to worship Israel’s God, the Lord. It is likely that “uncleanness” here refers to Gentile idolatry and its associated practices (Ezra 9:1–2), while the word for “separating themselves” (Hb. nibdal) may refer not simply to physical separation but also to a distinction between that which is clean and that which is unclean, between holy and profane (Lev. 10:10; 11:47).
The use of the word does several things. In this context, the action would mean demonstrating that they are the Lord’s holy people by adhering to his laws covering both ritual and moral purity, in this way distinguishing themselves from the nations (Lev. 20:24–26; 1 Kings 8:53). Naturally, they would need to be circumcised as well in order to participate in the Passover (Ex. 12:48–49; Num. 9:14), marking themselves as members of the covenant community. The fact that non-Israelites can do so, however, shows that faith, not ancestry, is the true entry point into the covenant community, and the mention of non-Israelites seeking to join Israel and worship the Lord counters the seeming exclusivity of Ezra 4:1–3.
6:22 As with Passover, the returned exiles keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread instituted by God to remind them of his great redemptive act in freeing them from Egypt (Ex. 12:14–20; 13:3–10; Deut. 7:8). For the moment, all of the trauma and displacement, the opposition and inertia of seventy-plus years transforms into a new state of mind and heart. Exile is over. The people have returned home. Temple and feasts marking them as God’s people are restored. They freely worship and celebrate this feast with a newfound joy not simply arising from within but given by the God who makes them glad (2 Chron. 30:21; Ps. 92:4).
However, they rejoice in another sovereign work of God, one that points to an additional theme central to Ezra-Nehemiah. The positive actions of pagan kings toward Israel, here “the king of Assyria,” find no explanation save in the sovereign choice of the God who moves the human heart for good (Ezra 6:22; Prov. 21:1; cf. 1 Kings 18:37) or ill (Ex. 4:21; 7:3–4; Isa. 10:5–11). The Lord had sent prophetic support to assist in the temple restart (Ezra 5:1–2), and this verse makes clear his overarching sovereignty throughout this episode: the God who first stirred the king’s heart to prompt a return now changes the heart of a king toward Israel so that, in turn, the king strengthens them to build the house of God. As the next chapter makes clear, this will not be the last time that kings will strengthen the hands of God’s servants to build his house.