Ezra 6:20 Meaning: Purified Together as One for Worship
Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Why the Levites killed the Passover and what their purification 'as one' teaches about spiritual readiness for worship.
Context
The book of Ezra tells how the exiled people of Judah returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple. By the time we reach chapter 6, the work is finished. The dedication of the house of God has just taken place with great joy. Then, only a few weeks later, the community gathers to keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. This verse explains what made that celebration possible: the priests and Levites had purified themselves. They were all ceremonially clean, which allowed the worship to happen according to God's law. It is a moment of restored order and collective readiness after decades of exile.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give this verse its weight. The verb behind had purified themselves is hitahar, a reflexive form, they did it themselves. Purification was not something done to them; they chose it and carried it out. The phrase as one translates ke'echad, literally 'as a single unit.' It is the same word used in Ezra 3:9 when the Levites work side by side. Here they did not purify one by one; they acted together. The result: all of them were tehorim, pure, clean, fit for sacred service. Ceremonial purity was not optional. It was the door through which they could approach God's altar. For us, the word asks a quiet question: what does it look like to prepare our hearts together before we worship?
How Christians Read This Verse
Most commentators agree that the Levites did the actual slaughtering, a role they also took in Hezekiah's and Josiah's Passovers (2 Chronicles 30:17; 35:11). The priests were included in the first part of the verse, they also purified themselves, but the task of killing the lambs fell to the Levites, perhaps because they were more completely ready. Keil and Delitzsch see this as an established custom from the time of Josiah. Barnes notes the contrast with 2 Chronicles 29:34, where Levites helped because priests were too few and less prepared. Together, the passage emphasizes that every person in leadership took responsibility for their own state before God. There is no sense of one group depending on another's holiness; each had to be clean.
A common misunderstanding
Some read 'they killed the Passover' and assume both priests and Levites did the slaughtering together. In fact, the grammar points to the Levites as the subject of that action, while the priests are included in the purification but not in the killing. The verse is clarifying the division of labor: the Levites handled the lambs for everyone, including the priests. It was a practical arrangement rooted in the need for full ceremonial readiness.
Living This Out
Before you gather with your church this week, consider how you prepare. The exiles did not just show up; they made sure everyone was purified together. That might mean setting aside time to confess what is between you and another believer, or asking God to search your heart before the service starts. It could look like arriving a few minutes early not with a full schedule, but with a quiet mind. The unity in this verse is striking, they purified themselves as one. Your personal preparation matters, but so does the preparation you share with your congregation. What would it take for your community to approach worship with that same collective readiness?
Main takeaway: When God's people purify themselves together in unity, they are ready to celebrate His deliverance and worship Him properly.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Before the people celebrated the Passover, the priests and Levites washed themselves and made sure they were clean. They all got ready together. When you wash your hands before dinner, you are getting ready to eat. This was like washing their hearts to get ready to thank God.
For ages 9, 12
After the temple was finished, everyone gathered to celebrate Passover. But before they could, the leaders had to be ceremonially clean. The word for 'together' in Hebrew means 'as one person', they did it all at once, united. It wasn't enough for just a few to be ready; everybody needed to be prepared. This shows that when God's family worships, we don't just come on our own. We come as a whole family, ready to thank Him together. How do you help your family or church get ready for worship?
Questions People Ask
Why did the Levites kill the Passover instead of the priests?
The priests normally performed sacrifices, but here the Levites did the slaughtering. Second Chronicles 30:17 shows a similar pattern: when many people were not clean, the Levites took on the task to ensure everything was done properly. In Ezra 6, the Levites were all pure, so they could serve the whole community including the priests. It was a practical division of labor that still honored the law.
What does 'purified themselves together' mean?
The Hebrew phrasing 'as one' (ke'echad) means they acted with complete unity. The purification was a voluntary action, they didn't just have it done to them; they chose to become clean. The point is that every single priest and Levite was ready at the same time, with no one falling behind. This is a high standard of collective spiritual preparation.
Why does the verse mention that all of them were pure?
In the time of Hezekiah, the Levites were more diligent about purifying themselves than the priests were (2 Chronicles 29:34). Here, by contrast, no one is left out. The phrase 'all of them were pure' emphasizes that the past failure was not repeated. The whole leadership was prepared, so the whole nation could celebrate properly.
How is this Passover different from the first Passover in Exodus?
In Exodus 12, every family killed their own lamb and ate it in haste. By the time of Ezra, the Passover had become a temple festival. The Levites killed the lambs on behalf of the people, and the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar. The meaning is the same, remembering God's deliverance, but the procedures had developed to fit the worship in the new temple.
What does this verse teach about preparing for worship today?
It shows that preparation matters. The priests and Levites could not just go through the motions; they had to be clean. This speaks to the need for examining our hearts before we come to church or receive Communion. It also shows that preparation is not only personal but corporate, when we get ready together, the whole body is strengthened.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study