Ezra 2:62

these sought their register&c. Literally -These sought their writing (LXX. γραφὴν αὐτῶν), the enrolled", i.e. they searched for their genealogy in the priestly book, which went by the name of -The Enrolled", or as we should now call it -The Register". Compare -the writing (mrg. -register") of the house of Israel" in Ezekiel 13:9, where the same word is used in the original.

therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood R.V. therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. The margin Heb. -they were polluted from the priesthood"gives the literal, rendering. To be declared polluted was equivalent to being excluded from any active part in the office and administration of the priesthood. They were to be accounted -polluted", until their claim could be established.

The importance attached to the genealogical accuracy of the claims preferred to the priesthood is not only a symptom of the legal spirit which animated the Jews of the Return. It goes back to the abolition of the High Places firstly by Hezekiah and afterwards by Josiah, in consequence of which a sharp distinction was drawn between those who had ministered at the High Places and those who were engaged in the Temple worship at Jerusalem. This point is illustrated by the writings of Ezekiel, himself a priest, who writing during the Captivity distinguishes between -the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok" (Ezekiel 43:19; cf. Ezekiel 40:46; Ezekiel 44:14; Ezekiel 48:11) and the -Levites that went astray" (Ezekiel 44:10; Ezekiel 44:13; Ezekiel 44:15; Ezekiel 48:11).