The Meaning of Ezra 6:20 Explained

Ezra 6:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: for the priests and the Levites have been purified together -- all of them are pure -- and they slaughter the passover for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

Darby: For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one man: they were all pure; and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

ASV: For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezra 6:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 6:1-22 - Prospered In A Difficult Work
How much depended on the finding of that roll! But God knew where it was, and led them to discover it, and inclined Darius to ratify it. When we are anxious and troubled about our relations to our fellow-men, we do little by worrying, we do much by trusting. Missing documents, alien hearts, tangled skeins, all yield before the hand of our Father working for us. The difficulty raised by their foes really reacted for the benefit of the Jews, for the king decreed that their expenses should be met, and their needs supplied. When we are living upon God's plan and need material resources for His work, He will see that they are forthcoming from the most unlikely sources, and the revenues of heathen monarchs shall be laid under contribution. When the house was finished it was dedicated, Ezra 6:16. What joy was there but amid all a solemn memory of the sin of the whole people of Israel. Though scattered to the four winds, they could not forget that in God's sight they were one still. It is highly probable that Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:1-20; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; Psalms 150:1-6 were composed at this time. In the Septuagint they are called the Psalms of Haggai. Burnt offering and song go together, 2 Chronicles 29:27. After the dedication was the Passover. Separation must ever precede our feasting on God's Paschal Lamb, and out of this state of heart, influences proceed which produce the true unity and drawing together of the children of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 6

1  Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, makes a new decree for building
13  By the help of Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai the temple is finished
16  The feast of the dedication is kept
19  and the Passover

What do the individual words in Ezra 6:20 mean?

For had purified themselves the priests and the Levites as one all of them [were ritually] clean and they slaughtered the Passover [lambs] for all the descendants of the captivity for their brothers the priests for themselves
כִּ֣י הִֽטַּהֲר֞וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם כְּאֶחָ֖ד כֻּלָּ֣ם טְהוֹרִ֑ים וַיִּשְׁחֲט֤וּ הַפֶּ֙סַח֙ לְכָל־ בְּנֵ֣י הַגּוֹלָ֔ה וְלַאֲחֵיהֶ֥ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְלָהֶֽם

הִֽטַּהֲר֞וּ  had  purified  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם  and  the  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
כְּאֶחָ֖ד  as  one 
Parse: Preposition-k, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
כֻּלָּ֣ם  all  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
טְהוֹרִ֑ים  [were  ritually]  clean 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
וַיִּשְׁחֲט֤וּ  and  they  slaughtered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
הַפֶּ֙סַח֙  the  Passover  [lambs] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּסַח  
Sense: passover.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַגּוֹלָ֔ה  of  the  captivity 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּולָה  
Sense: exiles, exile, captivity.
וְלַאֲחֵיהֶ֥ם  for  their  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְלָהֶֽם  for  themselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.