Exodus 12:3

3 "Speak to the whole community of Israel. Tell them that on the tenth day of this month each man must get a lamb from his flock. A lamb should be chosen for each family and home.

Exodus 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 12:3

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel
That is, to the elders of the people, and heads of families; unless we can suppose that they had been gradually gathered, and were now gathered together in a body by the direction of Moses, by whom they were assured that their departure was at hand; and the rather it may be thought that so it was, since the following order concerned the whole and every individual: saying, in the tenth [day] of this month;
the month Abib or Nisan, which shows that this direction must be given before that day, and so very probably on the first of the month, as before observed: they shall take to them every man a lamb;
not every individual person, but every master of a family, or head of an house, as follows: according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house;
if large enough to eat up a whole lamb, otherwise they were to do as next directed: the Targum of Jonathan suggests, that this direction of taking a lamb to them on the tenth day of the month was only for this time, and not for following ages; and so the Jewish doctors ^F3 commonly understand it as being peculiar to the passover in Egypt, and not in later times; for they ^F4 say,

``what difference is there between the passover in Egypt, and the passover in later ages? the passover in Egypt was taken within the tenth day, and was obliged to sprinkling with a bunch of hyssop upon the lintel, and upon the two side posts, and was eaten with haste in one night, but the passover in later ages was kept all the seven days.''

The ground and reason of this special direction for taking up a lamb on the tenth day was, that they might have a lamb ready; and that through the multiplicity of business, and the hurry they would be in at their departure, they might not forget it, and neglect it; and that they might have time enough to examine whether it had all the prerequisites and qualifications that were necessary; and that while they had it in view, they might be led to meditate upon, and talk of, expect and firmly believe their deliverance; yea, that their faith might be directed to a far greater deliverance by the Messiah, which this was only typical of, ( Hebrews 11:28 ) but some of these reasons would hold good in later times, and it seems by some circumstances that this rule was attended to.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Ben Gersom in loc. Maimon. Korban Pesach. c. 10. sect. 15.
F4 Misn. Pesach. c. 9. sect. 5.

Exodus 12:3 In-Context

1 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Egypt.

2 He said, "From now on, this month will be your first month. Each of your years will begin with it.

3 "Speak to the whole community of Israel. Tell them that on the tenth day of this month each man must get a lamb from his flock. A lamb should be chosen for each family and home.

4 "Suppose there are not enough people in your family to eat a whole lamb. Then you must share some of it with your nearest neighbor. You must add up the total number of people there are. You must decide how much lamb is needed for each person.

5 "The animals you choose must be males that are a year old. They must not have any flaws. You may choose either sheep or goats.