Exodus 12:36-46

36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.
38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
39 With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.
40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt[a] was 430 years.
41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt.
42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.

Passover Restrictions

43 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover meal: “No foreigner may eat it.
44 Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised him,
45 but a temporary resident or a hired worker may not eat it.
46 “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.

Exodus 12:36-46 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 12

This chapter begins with observing, that the month in which the above wonders were wrought in Egypt, and the following ordinance appointed to the Israelites, should hereafter be reckoned the first month in the year, Ex 12:1,2 on the tenth day of which a lamb here described was to be taken and kept till the fourteenth, and then slain, and its blood sprinkled on the posts of the houses of the Israelites, Ex 12:3-7, the manner of dressing and eating it is shown, Ex 12:8-11 and the reason of the institution of this ordinance being given, Ex 12:12-14, and an order to eat unleavened bread during seven days, in which the feast was to be kept, Ex 12:15-20, directions are also given for the immediate observance of it, and particularly about the sprinkling of the blood of the lamb, and the use of it, Ex 12:21-23, and this ordinance, which they were to instruct their children in, was to be kept by them in succeeding ages for ever, Ex 12:24-27 about the middle of the night it was first observed, all the firstborn in Egypt were slain, which made the Egyptians urgent upon the Israelites to depart in haste, Ex 12:28-33 and which they did with their unleavened dough, and with great riches they had borrowed of the Egyptians, Ex 12:34-36, the number of the children of Israel at the time of their departure, the mixed multitude and cattle that went with them, their baking their unleavened cakes, the time of their sojourning in Egypt, and of their coming out of it that night, which made it a remarkable one, are all particularly taken notice of, Ex 12:37-42, laws and rules are given concerning the persons that should partake of the passover, Ex 12:43-49 and the chapter is concluded with observing, that it was kept according to the command of God, and that it was on the same day it was first instituted and kept that Israel were brought out of Egypt, Ex 12:50,51.

Cross References 16

  • 1. S Genesis 39:21
  • 2. S Exodus 3:22
  • 3. S Genesis 47:11
  • 4. Exodus 13:20; Numbers 33:3-5
  • 5. Genesis 12:2; Exodus 38:26; Numbers 1:46; Numbers 2:32; Numbers 11:13,21; Numbers 26:51
  • 6. Numbers 11:4; Joshua 8:35
  • 7. ver 31-33; Exodus 3:20; Exodus 6:1; Exodus 11:1
  • 8. Genesis 15:13; Acts 7:6; Galatians 3:17
  • 9. ver 17; S Exodus 6:26
  • 10. S Exodus 3:10
  • 11. Exodus 13:10; Leviticus 3:17; Numbers 9:3; Deuteronomy 16:1,6
  • 12. S ver 11
  • 13. ver 48; Numbers 9:14; Numbers 15:14; 2 Chronicles 6:32-33; Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 56:3,6; Isaiah 60:10
  • 14. S Genesis 17:12-13
  • 15. Leviticus 22:10
  • 16. Numbers 9:12; Psalms 22:14; Psalms 34:20; Psalms 51:8; Proverbs 17:22; John 19:36*

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint "Egypt and Canaan"
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.