Ezra 6:21
in Ezra 6The 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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,
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,
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This verse in Ezra 6
Commentary
3 notes on this verseAnd all such as had separated themselves - These were the proselytes who had embraced the Jewish religion by having mingled with the Jews in their captivity. This proves that there the poor captives had so acted according to the principles of their religion, that the heathens saw it, and walked in the light of the Lord with them. A good example is very persuasive; and particularly so when founded on pure principles.
This site's exposition
the filthiness of the heathen of the land
on Ezra 6:21-22
The table includes more than the returned exiles. All who had separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, eat with them, proselytes joining a remnant that receives rather than excludes those who turn to the law. They keep the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, and the chapter closes by naming the source of that joy: the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, the old empire's own title given to Darius as the providence formula runs its full course. Adam Clarke reads king of Assyria as Persia's king wearing an older crown, since Cyrus and his successors inherited the rights of the Assyrian throne.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאכְל֣וּ | vaiyokhelu | and they ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הַשָּׁבִים֙ | hashavim | who had returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מֵֽהַגּוֹלָ֔ה | mehagolah | from the exile | H1473 → | 43 times |
| וְכֹ֗ל | vekhol | and every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַנִּבְדָּ֛ל | hanivdal | <the> [one who] had separated himself | H914 → | 42 times |
| מִטֻּמְאַ֥ת | mitumat | from [the] uncleanness of | H2932 → | |
| גּוֹיֵֽ־ | goye- | [the] nations of | H1471 → | |
| הָאָ֖רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲלֵהֶ֑ם | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לִדְרֹ֕שׁ | lidrosh | to seek | H1875 → | 164 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֖ה | layahweh | <to> Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֥י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַיֹּאכְל֣וּand they ate
vaiyokheluH398 →810 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
הַשָּׁבִים֙who had returned
hashavimH7725 →1056 times
מֵֽהַגּוֹלָ֔הfrom the exile
mehagolahH1473 →43 times
וְכֹ֗לand every
vekholH3605 →5413 times
הַנִּבְדָּ֛ל<the> [one who] had separated himself
hanivdalH914 →42 times
מִטֻּמְאַ֥תfrom [the] uncleanness of
mitumatH2932 →
גּוֹיֵֽ־[the] nations of
goye-H1471 →
הָאָ֖רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֲלֵהֶ֑םto them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
לִדְרֹ֕שׁto seek
lidroshH1875 →164 times
לַֽיהוָ֖ה<to> Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֥י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
- Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7
Through
Isaiah 52:11Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:17
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
- Zechariah 2:6–7
“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD.
- 2 Corinthians 6:17
Through
Ezra 9:11that 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…
it leads to
- Leviticus 18:24–30
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 18:24–30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ezra

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
