Ezra 6:19

Translation
King James Version
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the children H1121 of the captivity H1473 kept H6213 the passover H6453 upon the fourteenth H702 H6240 day of the first H7223 month H2320.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The people from the exile kept Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month.
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Berean Standard Bible
On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles kept the Passover.
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American Standard Version
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
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World English Bible Messianic
The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And the childre of the captiuitie kept the Passeouer on ye fourtenth day of the first moneth.
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Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of the captivity make the passover on the fourteenth of the first month,
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See also
Exodus 12:6Exodus 12:362 Chronicles 30:12 Chronicles 30:27Joshua 5:10
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In the KJVVerse 12,171 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezra 6:19 chronicles a pivotal moment for the Jewish community recently returned from Babylonian exile: the solemn and joyous celebration of the Passover. This act was far more than a mere ritual; it was a profound declaration of their restored covenant relationship with God, following the triumphant completion and dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It signified a return to foundational Mosaic commands, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to re-establishing proper worship and reaffirming their identity as God's chosen people in their promised land, now free from foreign dominion.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed immediately after the exiles' joyful and solemn dedication of the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, a momentous event detailed in Ezra 6:16-18. The narrative arc of Ezra has meticulously traced the journey from Cyrus's initial decree allowing the return (Ezra 1:1-4) through the arduous task of rebuilding the Temple amidst significant opposition (Ezra 4). The Temple's completion, therefore, represents a major triumph, a testament to God's faithfulness, and the fulfillment of His promise to bring His people back. The subsequent celebration of Passover, the first major festival observed in the newly consecrated Temple, serves as a culminating act of worship and a powerful symbol of spiritual restoration and renewal, bringing the account of the Temple's completion to a fitting spiritual climax before the narrative shifts to Ezra's own arrival and reforms.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: For approximately seventy years, the Jewish people had endured the hardship of exile in Babylon, a period during which their ability to observe central religious festivals, particularly those requiring Temple presence like Passover, was severely curtailed. The return to Judah, initiated by Cyrus's decree in 538 BC, was a long, challenging, and faith-testing process. The "children of the captivity" were those who had personally experienced this profound displacement and were now, by divine grace and Persian decree, back in their ancestral homeland. The Passover, originally instituted at the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12), stood as the foundational celebration of Israel's miraculous deliverance and unique identity. Observing it precisely "upon the fourteenth day of the first month" in Jerusalem, with a newly functioning Temple, profoundly underscored their renewed freedom, their re-establishment as a nation under God, and their commitment to the covenant after generations of disruption and spiritual wandering.
  • Key Themes: Ezra 6:19 powerfully encapsulates several key themes prevalent throughout the book of Ezra and the broader post-exilic narrative. Firstly, Obedience to God's Law is paramount; the meticulous observance of Passover on the appointed day demonstrates a diligent adherence to the Mosaic commandments, reflecting a renewed commitment to the Torah after the spiritual laxity and disobedience that contributed to the exile. Secondly, Restoration and Renewal are vividly portrayed; the ability to celebrate this foundational feast in Jerusalem with a dedicated Temple symbolizes not just a physical return but a profound spiritual rebirth and the re-establishment of a right relationship with God. Thirdly, Commemoration of Deliverance takes on a dual significance: it recalls God's miraculous liberation from Egyptian bondage, but for the returned exiles, it also served as a poignant remembrance of their recent deliverance from Babylonian captivity, highlighting God's ongoing faithfulness to His covenant people, as seen in passages like Isaiah 43:1-7. Finally, the phrase "the children of the captivity kept the passover" emphasizes Unity and Community, reinforcing their identity as a unified people dedicated to the Lord, rebuilding not just a physical Temple but a society centered on God's commands.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Children (Hebrew, bên', H1121): (bên), meaning "a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc.)." In this context, "children" (specifically "children of the captivity") refers to the descendants and members of the Jewish community who had experienced the Babylonian exile. This term emphasizes their corporate identity as a lineage, a people group, and a generation marked by a shared history of displacement and subsequent divine restoration, highlighting their collective identity as inheritors of the covenant promises.
  • Captivity (Hebrew, gôwlâh', H1473): (gôwlâh), meaning "exile; concretely and collectively exiles; (carried away), captive(-ity), removing." This word specifically denotes the state of being exiled or the body of exiles themselves. Its use here underscores the unique historical experience of this generation of Israelites—they were the ones who had endured the seventy years of Babylonian exile. Their return and the subsequent celebration of Passover signify the end of this period of judgment and the beginning of a new era of God's grace and restoration for His people.
  • Kept (Hebrew, ʻâsâh', H6213): ('âsâh), meaning "to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use." In the context of "kept the passover," this verb signifies the diligent, active, and complete performance of the Passover ritual according to divine command. It implies not just a passive acknowledgment but a full, intentional, and communal act of obedience, worship, and adherence to God's prescribed law, marking a clear departure from the disobedience that led to the exile.
  • Passover (Hebrew, peçach', H6453): (peçach), meaning "a pretermission, i.e. exemption; used only techically of the Jewish Passover (the festival or the victim)." This term refers to the annual festival commemorating God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, specifically His "passing over" the houses of the Israelites when He struck the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:13). In Ezra 6:19, its observance signifies a profound act of remembrance, worship, and covenant renewal. For the returned exiles, it carried a double meaning, celebrating both the ancient deliverance from Egypt and their recent liberation from Babylonian captivity, reinforcing the theme of God as their Redeemer across generations.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the children of the captivity": This opening phrase precisely identifies the participants in this significant event. They are not merely "the Jews" but specifically "the children of the captivity," highlighting their unique historical experience of enduring the Babylonian exile and subsequently being providentially returned to their homeland. This designation underscores their identity as a remnant, preserved and brought back by God's faithfulness, making their act of worship particularly poignant and meaningful.
  • "kept the passover": This clause describes the central action: the faithful observance of one of Israel's most ancient and foundational covenant festivals. "Keeping" the Passover signifies their diligent adherence to God's commands, representing a re-establishment of proper worship, a commitment to Mosaic law, and a profound act of remembering God's past deliverance from Egypt. For this generation, it also served as a powerful commemoration of their recent liberation from Babylonian bondage, reinforcing God's ongoing redemptive work.
  • "upon the fourteenth [day] of the first month": This precise temporal detail underscores the meticulous adherence to the divine command given in Exodus 12:6. It highlights their diligence in following God's prescribed timing, demonstrating their earnest desire to honor God's law after the decades of interruption caused by the exile. This precision speaks to their renewed spiritual discipline, their commitment to the covenant, and their determination to restore proper worship in Jerusalem.

Literary Devices

Ezra 6:19 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound significance. Symbolism is central, as the Passover itself is a powerful symbol of deliverance, redemption, and covenant relationship. For the returned exiles, this particular Passover carries layers of symbolic meaning: it commemorates the original Exodus from Egypt, but it also powerfully symbolizes their recent "exodus" from Babylon and their spiritual rebirth as a nation. The act of "keeping" the Passover in a newly dedicated Temple underscores the Restoration Narrative, presenting this event as a climactic moment in Israel's journey back to God and their land. The specificity of "the fourteenth day of the first month" serves as a form of Verisimilitude, lending authenticity and historical precision to the account, while simultaneously emphasizing the community's Obedience to the detailed requirements of the Mosaic Law. Furthermore, the focus on "the children of the captivity" highlights the Collective Identity of the people, emphasizing their unity in worship and their shared experience of suffering and restoration, reinforcing the theme of a unified remnant returning to their God.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezra 6:19 is a deeply theological verse, showcasing God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises despite His people's past disobedience. The celebration of Passover, an event rooted in God's miraculous deliverance, underscores the theme of divine redemption that spans generations. It demonstrates that even after severe judgment (the exile), God remains committed to restoring His people when they turn back to Him in obedience. This act of corporate worship in the newly dedicated Temple signifies the re-establishment of the proper relationship between God and His people, where His dwelling place is among them, and they are committed to His commands. It serves as a powerful reminder that true restoration involves not just physical return but spiritual renewal, marked by a renewed commitment to God's Word and communal worship.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The scene in Ezra 6:19 offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers. Just as the returned exiles diligently observed the Passover, we are called to faithful obedience to God's commands, not out of legalism, but out of a deep gratitude for His deliverance and a fervent desire to live in right relationship with Him. This verse reminds us of the critical importance of remembering God's past faithfulness in our own lives, whether it's deliverance from the bondage of sin, hardship, or despair. Like the "children of the captivity," we too have been delivered—ultimately, from the dominion of sin and death—and our lives should reflect this profound liberation through intentional worship and joyful obedience. The communal nature of this celebration also underscores the invaluable importance of corporate worship, reminding us that our faith is often strengthened and expressed most fully when we gather together as the body of Christ, celebrating His mighty acts and encouraging one another in our shared journey of faith. This passage challenges us to consider what "Passover" means in our lives today—what acts of remembrance and obedience mark our gratitude for God's ongoing work of redemption and renewal.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "exiles" or periods of spiritual wandering has God brought you through, and how do you commemorate His deliverance in your life?
  • In what specific ways can your personal and communal worship more fully reflect a diligent and joyful obedience to God's commands?
  • How does remembering God's past faithfulness (both in biblical history and your own personal life) strengthen your trust in Him for the future?

FAQ

Why was this Passover celebration particularly significant for the returned exiles?

Answer: This Passover was profoundly significant because it was the first time in approximately 70 years that the Jewish people could celebrate the festival in Jerusalem with a functioning and dedicated Temple. During the Babylonian exile, they were unable to observe many of the Mosaic commands that required the Temple's presence. Therefore, this celebration marked not only a physical return to their land but, more importantly, a spiritual and national restoration. It symbolized their renewed covenant relationship with God, their freedom from foreign dominion, and their commitment to re-establish proper worship according to the Law, as outlined in Exodus 12. It was a tangible sign that God had fulfilled His promises of return and renewal, indicating a new era of covenant faithfulness.

Who were "the children of the captivity"?

Answer: "The children of the captivity" (Hebrew: bene haggolah) refers specifically to the Jewish people who had been taken into exile in Babylon and, under the decrees of Persian kings like Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) and Darius (Ezra 6:1-12), were allowed to return to Judah. This designation highlights their unique historical experience of displacement and subsequent divine restoration. It distinguishes them from those who had remained in the land or from later generations, emphasizing their direct connection to the fulfillment of prophetic promises regarding the end of the exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple. They were the faithful remnant who returned to re-establish God's worship in the land.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The Passover celebration in Ezra 6:19, marking a new era of covenant faithfulness after exile, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament Passover, with its slain lamb and deliverance from bondage, was a powerful foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb protected Israel from death, Christ's shed blood on the cross provides eternal deliverance from the bondage of sin and death for all who believe (Romans 6:23). The celebration in Ezra represents a physical and spiritual restoration for Israel, but Christ inaugurates a new covenant, a spiritual restoration for all humanity, where believers are freed from the ultimate "exile" of sin and alienation from God (Hebrews 8:6-13). The Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus on the night He was betrayed, is the Christian "Passover," commemorating His sacrificial death and anticipating His glorious return, inviting believers to participate in the new covenant established by His blood (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Thus, the joy and diligent obedience of Ezra 6:19 point forward to the even greater joy, freedom, and eternal life found in Christ, our true and eternal Passover.

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Commentary on Ezra 6 verses 13–22

Here we have, I. The Jews' enemies made their friends. When they received this order from the king they came with as much haste to encourage and assist the work as their predecessors had done to put a stop to it, Ezr 4:23. What the king ordered they did, and, because they would not be thought to do it with reluctance, they did it speedily, Ezr 6:13. The king's moderation made them, contrary to their own inclination, moderate too.

II. The building of the temple carried on, and finished in a little time, Ezr 6:14, Ezr 6:15. Now the elders of the Jews built with cheerfulness. For aught I know, the elders themselves laboured at it with their own hands; and, if they did, it was no disparagement to their eldership, but an encouragement to the other workmen. 1. They found themselves bound to it by the commandment of the God of Israel, who had given them power that they might use it in his service. 2. They found themselves shamed into it by the commandment of the heathen kings, Cyrus formerly, Darius now, and Artaxerxes some time after. Can the elders of the Jews be remiss in this good work when these foreign princes appear so warm in it? Shall native Israelites grudge their pains and care about this building when strangers grudge not to be at the expense of it? 3. They found themselves encouraged in it by the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah, who, it is likely, represented to them (as bishop Patrick suggests) the wonderful goodness of God in inclining the heart of the king of Persia to favour them thus. And now the work went on so prosperously that, in four hears' time, it was brought to perfection. As for God, his work is perfect. The gospel church, that spiritual temple, is long in the building, but it will be finished at last, when the mystical body is completed. Every believer is a living temple, building up himself in his most holy faith. Much opposition is given to this work by Satan and our own corruptions. We trifle, and proceed in it with many stops and pauses; but he that has begun the good work will see it performed, and will bring forth judgment unto victory. Spirits of just men will be made perfect.

III. The dedication of the temple. When it was built, being designed only for sacred uses, they showed by an example how it should be used, which (says bishop Patrick) is the proper sense of the word dedicate. They entered upon it with solemnity and probably with a public declaration of the separating of it from common uses and the surrender of it to the honour of God, to be employed in his worship. 1. The persons employed in this service were not only the priests and Levites who officiated, but the children of Israel, some of each of the twelve tribes, though Judah and Benjamin were the chief, and the rest of the children of the captivity or transportation, which intimates that there were many besides the children of Israel, of other nations, who transported themselves with them, and became proselytes to their religion, unless we read it, even the remnant of the children of the captivity, and then, we may suppose, notice is hereby taken of their mean and afflicted condition, because the consideration of that helped to make them devout and serious in this and other religious exercises. A sad change! The children of Israel have become children of the captivity, and there appears but a remnant of them, according to that prediction (Isa 7:3), Shear-jashub - The remnant shall return. 2. The sacrifices that were offered upon this occasion were bullocks, rams, and lambs (Ezr 6:17), for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings; not to be compared, in number, with what had been offered at the dedication of Solomon's temple, but, being according to their present ability, they were accepted, for, after a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality, Co2 8:2. These hundreds were more to them than Solomon's thousands were to him. But, besides these, they offered twelve he-goats for sin-offerings, one for every tribe, to make atonement for their sins, which they looked upon as necessary in order to the acceptance of their services. Thus, by getting iniquity taken away, they would free themselves from that which had been the sting of their late troubles, and which, if not removed, would be a worm at the root of their present comforts. 3. This service was performed with joy. They were all glad to see the temple built and the concerns of it in so good a posture. Let us learn to welcome holy ordinances with joy and attend on them with pleasure. Let us serve the Lord with gladness. Whatever we dedicate to God, let it be done with joy that he will please to accept of it. 4. When they dedicated the house they settled the household. Small comfort could they have in the temple without the temple service, and therefore they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses, Ezr 6:18. Having set up the worship of God in this dedication, they took care to keep it up, and made the book of Moses their rule, to which they had an eye in this establishment. Though the temple service could not now be performed with so much pomp and plenty as formerly, because of their poverty, yet perhaps it was performed with as much purity and close adherence to the divine institution as ever, which was the true glory of it. No beauty like the beauty of holiness.

IV. The celebration of the passover in the newly-erected temple. Now that they were newly delivered out of their bondage in Babylon it was seasonable to commemorate their deliverance out of their bondage in Egypt. Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. We may suppose that they had kept the passover, after a sort, every year since their return, for they had an altar and a tabernacle. But they were liable to frequent disturbances from their enemies, were straitened for room, and had not conveniences about them, so that they could not do it with due solemnity till the temple was built; and now they made a joyful festival of it, it falling out in the next month after the temple was finished and dedicated, Ezr 6:19. Notice is here taken, 1. Of the purity of the priests and Levites that killed the passover, Ezr 6:20. In Hezekiah's time the priests were many of them under blame for not purifying themselves. But now it is observed, to their praise, that they were purified together, as one man (so the word is); they were unanimous both in their resolutions and in their endeavours to make and keep themselves ceremonially clean for this solemnity; they joined together in their preparations, that they might help one another, so that all of them were pure, to a man. The purity of ministers adds much to the beauty of their ministrations; so does their unity. 2. Of the proselytes that communicated with them in this ordinance: All such as had separated themselves unto them, had left their country and the superstitions of it and cast in their lot with the Israel of God, and had turned from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, both their idolatries and immoralities, to seek the Lord God of Israel as their God, did eat the passover. See how the proselytes, the converts, are described. They separated themselves from the filthiness of sin and fellowship with sinners, joined themselves with the Israel of God in conformity and communion, and set themselves to seek the God of Israel; and those that do so in sincerity, though strangers and foreigners, are welcome to eat of the gospel feast, as fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. 3. Of the great pleasure and satisfaction wherewith they kept the feast of unleavened bread, Ezr 6:22. The Lord had made them joyful, had given them both cause to rejoice and hearts to rejoice. It was now about twenty years since the foundation of this temple was laid, and we may suppose the old men that then wept at the remembrance of the first temple were most of them dead by this time, so that now there were no tears mingled with their joys. Those that are, upon good grounds, joyful, have therefore reason to be thankful, because it is God that makes them to rejoice. He is the fountain whence all the streams of our joy flow. God has promised to all those who take hold of his covenant that he will make them joyful in his house of prayer. The particular occasion they had for joy at this time was that God had turned the heart of the emperor to them, to strengthen their hands. If those that have been, or who we feared would have been, against us, prove to be for us, we may rejoice in it as a token for good, that our ways please the Lord (Pro 16:7), and he must have the glory of it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–22. Public domain.
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BedeAD 735
Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah
However, the sons of the exile made the Passover, etc. What was the point of recounting the celebration of the Passover after the house of the Lord was built in the historical narrative? When it had long been promised that from the first day of their arrival in Jerusalem, they would offer the legitimate sacrifices and holocausts in all the festivals of the Lord. Unless perhaps he wished to recount the Passover being celebrated particularly to remind the reader that the sons of the exile completed the building of the temple with the same devotion of spirit with which they had begun. For it was already predicted there that the people gathered as one man in Jerusalem, and Joshua the son of Jozadak rose up, and his brothers, the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it. And now, with the temple dedicated, already in the forty-sixth year, the same piety of religion is remembered to be in the hearts of all, when it is said that the priests and Levites were purified as one, all clean to sacrifice the Passover. For what greater perfection can there be in this life than the unity of a clean multitude? For there were many priests, many thousands of Levites, who were all purified and clean to sacrifice the Passover. Nor with differing intentions of souls, but, as Luke writes about the early Church of the New Testament, with one heart and one soul, which is found true in faith and love of God, nor is there a differing unity of love and chastity in the people. When it is said to sacrifice the Passover to all the sons of the exile and their brothers, the priests, and to themselves, it is immediately added:
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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