And the people of Israel who came from the captivity ate it, all those who had separated themselves from the abominations of the peoples of the land and sought the Lord: The people of Israel … captivity and all those … Lord are the same people. The pronoun it refers to the meat of the sacrificed Passover lambs. Had separated themselves from may be rendered “had avoided” or “had stopped following.” The Greek word for abominations refers specifically to idolatry, but can include any “pagan ways” (Good News Bible). Contemporary English Version renders abominations as “sinful customs.” The peoples of the land were the people living in Judah when the Jews returned to their homeland (see the comments on 1 Esd 5.50). Sought the Lord may be translated “worshiped the Lord” (Good News Bible).

Here are possible models for this verse:

• The Jews, who had come from exile [or, had returned from Babylonia], but who had avoided the pagan ways [or, sinful customs] of the people they found living in the land in order to worship the Lord, ate the Passover meal.

• So the Jews ate the Passover meal. These were all people who had come from the exile and had avoided the pagan ways of the people they found living in the land in order to worship the Lord.

• The Jewish people had returned from exile, and avoided the pagan ways of the people they found living in the land in order to worship the Lord. Now they ate the Passover meal.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.