And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Were purified first, that they might purify the rest. (Haydock)
Priests were obliged to abstain from wine, and from their wives, while they were on duty. See 2 Paralipomenon xxix. 34., and xxxv. 2. Levites were to wash their garments, Leviticus viii. 21. All lepers, required a certain purification, ibid. v. 2. 6. and Numbers xix. 16. Care was taken that no dead body was found on the walls. These were probably sprinkled with water, like the tabernacle, Leviticus viii. 11.
