1The beginning of the year is changed. 3The passover is instituted. 11The rite of the passover. 15The days of unleavened bread. 21Moses giveth directions to keep the passover. 29The firstborn are slain. 31The Israelites are driven out of the land. 37They come to Succoth. 40The time of the Israelites' sojourning in Egypt. 43The ordinance of the passover.
1AND the LORD 1spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
1 Namely, before Moses departed out of Pharaoh’s presence, Exod. 11:4, either before the three days’ darkness, Exod. 10:21, or after, Exod. 11:1.
22This month shall be unto you 3the beginning of months: it shall be 4the first month of the year to you.
2 Called Abib by the Hebrews, Exod. 13:4, otherwise called Nisan, Neh. 2:1; Esther 3:7.
3 That is, the beginning; thus Ezek. 40:1, in the beginning of the year; that is, its beginning of the year.
4 This is to be understood of church or ecclesiastical affairs, but for in civil matters the year began with the seventh month. See Exod. 34:22; Lev. 25:9.
3¶Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man 5a lamb, 6according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
5 It is either a lamb, or a kid, verse 5. This lamb was a figure or type pointing to Christ, the true Lamb of God, John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7.
6 That is, according to the families which are named according to the fathers.
4And if the household be too 7little for the lamb, let 8him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number 9of the souls; 10every man according to his eating shall make your count 11for the lamb.
7 That is, if there be too few to eat it totally in that evening.
8 Namely, the father of the house.
9 That is, of the persons. See Gen. 12:5.
10 Hebr. the man according to the mouth of his eating.
11 That is, proportionally to the lamb and the persons who are to eat thereof, having a care that there may not be too few, nor too many for it.
5Your lamba shall be 12without blemish, a male of the 13first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
a Lev. 1:3; 22:21; Mal. 1:8; 1 Peter 1:19.
12 Such was Christ to be, 1 Peter 1:19.
13 Hebr. the son of a year, that is, a lamb of one year.
614And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it 15in the evening.
14 That is, you shall set it apart, separated from the flock for four days, from the tenth day to the fourteenth.
15 That is, between the beginning and the end of the evening; that is, between our three o’clock in the afternoon and sunset; about the same time our Lord Jesus Christ, the true paschal Lamb, was likewise put to death; Mat. 27:46, 50.
7And they shall take of 16the blood, and 17strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
16 Namely, of the said lamb slain.
17 Hebr. give it, or, do it, namely, with a bunch of hyssop, as it is verse 22. Of this ceremony there is no mention made elsewhere, as neither of some other ceremonies here following, but they were only to be observed in this first passover.
8Andb they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, 18and unleavened bread; and 19with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
b Num. 9:11; 1 Cor. 5:8.
18 The Israelites did eat the paschal lamb with unleavened bread, in remembrance that they carried with them their unleavened dough in haste out of the land of Egypt, verse 34.
19 Other, bitter herbs. Hebr. with bitterness, or, bitter things.
9Eat 20not of it raw, 21nor soddenc at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenanced thereof.
20 Or, not being sufficiently or thoroughly cooked.
21 Hebr. boiling boiled, or, cooking cooked.
c boiled
d internal organs, inward parts
10And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye 22shall burn with fire.
22 That it may not be put to any other use, whether for idolatry, or common food.
11 ¶ 23And thus shall ye eat it; with 24your loins girded,e your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S 25passover.
23 Namely, at this time; for, afterwards these things were no more observed, no not by Christ Himself, nor by His apostles. See verse 7.
24 This means readiness in travel, or, haste and earnestness in any business one is about, as 2 Kings 4:29; 9:1; Jer. 1:17; Luke 12:35, 36.
e secured with a belt or band, encircled
25 Hebr. pesach, signifying, a passing through, or passing by, or skipping over, because the angel of destruction passed by, or skipped over the houses of the Israelites, verses 13, 23, 27. The lamb is here called pesach, that is, a passing by, as being the sign thereof. See of this sacramental phrase, Gen. 17:10, and the proper phrase in verse 13, and Exod. 13:9.
12For 26I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite 27all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against 28all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
26 That which God did by the destroying angel, He attributes here this unto Himself.
27 Namely, of the Egyptians.
28 As if God had said: I shall make it appear that their idol gods are vain and helpless.
13And 29the blood shall be to you for 30a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite 31the land of Egypt.
29 Namely, wherewith you have sprinkled the posts of your doors, verse 7.
30 To put in mind of My promise for the strengthening of your faith.
31 That is, the firstborn in the land of Egypt.
14Andf this day shall be unto you 32for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast 33by an ordinance for ever.
f Exod. 5:1.
32 Namely, of the received mercy, that I have delivered you out of Egypt.
33 Namely, until the coming of the Messiah, Who is the end and the fulfillment of the law. See Gen. 13:15; 17:7, 13.
1534Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall 35put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavenedg bread from the first day until the seventh day, 36that soul 37shall be cut off from Israel.
34 This was to begin after the day of the passover, it being a peculiar feast.
35 Hebr. cause to cease.
g yeast, fermented dough
36 That is, that man, or that person.
37 See Gen. 17:14.
16And in the first day there shall be 38an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, 39save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
38 Hebr. convocation of holiness, and so hereafter.
39 This was not allowed to be done upon the Sabbath day, Exod. 16:23, 29; 35:2, 3.
17And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened 40bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
40 Or, cakes, according to the custom of the Jews.
18¶Inh the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
h Lev. 23:5; Num. 28:16.
1941Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, 42whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
41 See verse 15, and 1 Cor. 5:8.
42 Hebr. in, at, or, among the stranger, etc.
20Ye shall eat 43nothing leavened; ini all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
43 Neither bread, nor cakes, nor anything else.
i Deut. 16:3.
21¶Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, 44Draw out and take you 45a lamb according to your families, andj kill 46the passover.
44 Hebr. remove, namely, out of the flock or fold.
45 Or, small cattle, namely, either of sheep or goats.
j Heb. 11:28.
46 That is, the lamb which was a sign of the passover or passing through by the angel of destruction.
2247And ye shall take a bunch of 48hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and 49strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
47 This is one of the ceremonies which were to be observed only at the first passover; see on verse 7.
48 Of hyssop, see 1 Kings 4 on verse 33.
49 Hebr. make (it) touch, etc.
23For the LORD will pass through to smite 50the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD 51will pass over the door, andk will not suffer 52the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
50 Other, Egypt; understand the firstborn of the Egyptians.
51 Or, skip by the door.
k Heb. 11:28.
52 Understand of the destroying angel.
24And ye shall observe 53this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons 54for ever.
53 Save only the ceremonies that were peculiar to the first passover. See verses 7, 11, 22.
54 Understand, until Christ. See verse 14.
25And it shall come to pass, when ye be come 55to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this 56service.
55 That is, in the land of Canaan. In the wilderness they kept the passover but once, Num. 9:5.
56 That is, this part of God’s worship and service. So also verse 26, as appears in verse 27.
26Andl it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, 57What mean ye by this service?
l Joshua 4:6.
57 Hebr. what is this service unto you? is, that is, signified.
27That ye shall say, 58It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
58 Namely, the paschal lamb.
28Andm the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
m Heb. 11:28.
29¶Andn it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote 59all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne 60unto the firstborn of the captive 61that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
n Psalm 78:51; 105:36; 135:8; 136:10.
59 This God did to punish and requite the wrong which Pharaoh and his subjects committed on Israel, God’s firstborn, Exod. 4:22, 23.
60 Compare this manner of speaking with Exod. 11:5.
61 Hebr. in the house of the pit, or, in prison.
30Ando Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
o Psalm 105:38.
31 ¶ 62And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, 63as ye have said.
62 Moses and Aaron did not come unto Pharaoh this time, but the king’s deputies were to come unto them and to beseech Moses humbly that they would go forth, as it appears by Exod. 10:29; 11:8.
63 Namely, without any of these conditions, which the king formerly stood upon.
32Also take your 64flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and 65bless me also.
64 Or, all your cattle, small and great.
65 That is, pray unto God for me, to deliver me of this great plague. This Pharaoh likewise desires in Exod. 8:8; 9:28; 10:16, 17. It seems that Pharaoh was convinced in his heart, that he had sinned in himself abominably against God the Lord, acting against his own conscience.
33And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We 66be all dead men.
66 See Gen. 20:3.
34And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
35Andp the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
p Exod. 3:21; 11:2; Psalm 105:37.
36And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they 67spoiled the Egyptians.
67 Thus was fulfilled which God foretold to Abraham, Gen. 15:14, and to the Israelites afterwards, Exod. 3:22.
37¶And the children of Israel journeyed from 68Rameses to 69Succoth, about 70six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside 71children.
68 See Gen. 47:11.
69 A place so called from the huts the children of Israel made there, at their coming hither, of boughs; and this was their first resting place after their coming forth out of Egypt. Compare Lev. 23:43. This Succoth is to be distinguished from another, spoken of in Gen. 33:17.
70 Among this mighty number there was not one sick or feeble person, Psalm 105:37.
71 Understand also the women, without whose help the children would not have been able to subsist. As also Exod. 10:24.
38And a 72mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even 73very much cattle.
72 Namely, Egyptians, and others, being moved by all these wonders and signs they had seen, to go along with the Israelites, though afterwards they fainted, Num. 11:4, 5.
73 Hebr. very heavy cattle.
39And they 74baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were 75thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.
74 Namely, when they were come to Succoth.
75 As the God the Lord had foretold it, Exod. 6:1.
40¶Now theq sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was 76four hundred and thirty years.
q Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6; Gal. 3:17.
76 See Gen. 15:13.
41And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
4277It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
77 Other: This is that night which the LORD observed to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt. Hebr. This is a night of observations to the Lord, etc.
43¶And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no 78stranger eat thereof:
78 Namely, unless he is circumcised, as is to be gathered from verses 44 and 48.
44But every man's servant that is bought for money, 79when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
79 Understand, after having been well instructed in and having embraced the true religion.
45 A 80foreigner and an hired servant 81shall not eat thereof.
80 Namely, such a foreigner here, who dwells in a land of which he is not a resident, or inhabits with another.
81 Understand, unless they are circumcised.
4682In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neitherr shall ye 83break a bone thereof.
82 The sense is: Each lamb shall be eaten in its proper house; each house or family eating up their own lamb, as was said in verse 3.
r Num. 9:12; John 19:36.
83 This points to Christ the true paschal Lamb, Who had no bone broken, John 19:33, 36.
47All the congregation of Israel 84shall keep it.
84 That is, shall prepare and eat the Passover, as the LORD commanded it; he who neglected it, was cut off, Num. 9:13.
48And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and 85will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and 86he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
85 Hebr. shall do, and so in the sequel.
86 That is, he shall enjoy the same right and benefit as those who are naturally born to the Israelites.
49One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
50Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
51And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.