Exodus 12:46-51

46 "It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, 1nor are you to break any bone of it.
47 "2All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this.
48 "But 3if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no * uncircumcised person may eat of it.
49 "4The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you."
50 Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
51 And on that same day 5the LORD brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt 6by their hosts.

Exodus 12:46-51 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 6

  • 1. Numbers 9:12; Psalms 34:20; John 19:33, 36
  • 2. Exodus 12:6; Numbers 9:13, 14
  • 3. Numbers 9:14
  • 4. Leviticus 24:22; Num 15:15, 16, 29
  • 5. Exodus 12:41
  • 6. Exodus 6:26

Footnotes 8

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