Ezra 6:19

Kept the passover. It should be noted that with this verse the author returns to the use of Hebrew, and continues in Hebrew till Ezra 7:11. That Ezra wrote parts of his book in Hebrew and parts in Aramaic may probably be most simply explained by the fact that both languages were well known to the Jews. Aramaic was the language common to the Persian Empire. Official decrees were written in it. A number of particularly solemn Passovers were celebrated in Jewish history, and these were accorded special attention by the writers of the Bible. Such are the Passover celebrated by Hezekiah after his cleansing of the Temple (2 Chron. 30), and that celebrated by Josiah after the completion of his reform (2 Chron. 35). Both of these Passovers accompanied a revival of Temple worship after a period of apostasy. Ezra places in the same category the Passover following the dedication of the new Temple. This does not mean that the exiles had not celebrated the Passover prior to the year 515 B.C., since Ezra 3:5 contains the information that they observed “all the set feasts of the Lord” as soon as they arrived in their homeland. However, this first Passover after the completion of the building of the new Temple marked the full re-establishment of the regular ordinances of religion, more or less interrupted from the time of the destruction of the first Temple. Fourteenth day. The day fixed by the law of Moses (see Ex. 12:6). This was about April 21, 515 B.C.