The return from the Babylonian captivity marked a significant period in the history of the Jewish people, and the role of the priests during this time was crucial in re-establishing religious practices and the spiritual life of the community.

1. Role in the Restoration of the Temple:
Upon the return from exile, one of the primary tasks was the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. The priests were instrumental in this process. Ezra 3:8-10 describes how the priests, along with the Levites, supervised the work on the house of the Lord. They were responsible for ensuring that the construction adhered to the religious and ceremonial standards set forth in the Law of Moses.

2. Re-establishment of Sacrificial System:
The priests resumed their duties in offering sacrifices, which was central to the worship and atonement practices of Israel. Ezra 3:2 notes that Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests began to build the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses.

3. Genealogical Records and Purity:
The return from captivity also involved a careful examination of genealogical records to ensure the purity of the priesthood. Ezra 2:62 mentions that certain individuals were excluded from the priesthood because they could not prove their descent from Israel. This emphasis on genealogical purity underscored the importance of maintaining the sanctity and legitimacy of the priestly line.

4. Spiritual Leadership and Instruction:
The priests, alongside leaders like Ezra, played a vital role in teaching the Law to the people. Nehemiah 8:7-8 highlights how the Levites helped the people understand the Law as it was read aloud, ensuring that the community could live according to God's commandments. This period saw a renewed commitment to the covenant and the Law, with the priests at the forefront of this spiritual revival.

5. Challenges and Reforms:
The priests faced challenges in maintaining religious purity and adherence to the Law. Nehemiah 13:29 records Nehemiah's prayer against those who defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. This indicates ongoing struggles to uphold the sanctity of the priestly office and the need for reforms to address issues of intermarriage and neglect of temple duties.

6. Priestly Vestments and Duties:
The return from captivity also involved the restoration of priestly garments and duties as prescribed in the Law. Zechariah 3:4-5 describes a vision where Joshua the high priest is given clean garments, symbolizing the restoration of the priesthood and the removal of iniquity.

7. The High Priesthood:
The high priest played a central role in the religious life of the post-exilic community. Joshua the high priest is a prominent figure during this time, as seen in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah. His leadership was crucial in re-establishing the temple services and guiding the people in their renewed covenant relationship with God.

The return from captivity was a period of rebuilding and renewal, with the priests serving as key figures in restoring the religious and communal life of Israel. Their dedication to the Law and the temple services helped to re-establish the identity and faith of the Jewish people in their ancestral land.Ezra 1:5
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
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Ezra 2:36-39,61,70
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
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Ezra 3:8
Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.
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Ezra 7:7
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
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Ezra 8:24-30
Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,
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Nehemiah 7:39-42,63-73
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
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Nehemiah 10:1-8
Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
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Nehemiah 12:1-7
Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
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The Epistles of Paul.
... The two remaining chapters contain miscellaneous instructions suited ... permit us to
indicate certain facts and principles ... of its divine Mediator and High-priest. ...
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