Exodus 12:22
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop
Which some take to be "mint", others "origanum" or "marjoram", as
Kimchi F19, others "rosemary", as Piscator,
Rivet, and many more; and indeed this seems to be fitter to
strike or sprinkle with than hyssop; but it is more generally
understood of hyssop, because the Hebrew word "ezob" is so near
in sound to it; though whether it means the same herb we call
hyssop is uncertain: Jarchi says, three stalks of it are called a
bunch, and so the Misnic canon runs F20,
``the command concerning hyssop is three stalks (which Maimonides
on the place interprets roots), and in them three branches;''
which some have allegorically applied to the Trinity, by whom the
hearts of God's people are sprinkled with the blood of the true
paschal Lamb, and are purged from dead works: the Heathens in their
sacrifices used sometimes branches of laurel, and sometimes
branches of the olive, to sprinkle with
F21:
and dip it in the blood that is in the basin:
which, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was an earthen vessel,
into which the blood of the lamb was received when slain, and into
this the bunch of hyssop was dipped; so it was usual with the
Heathens to receive the blood of the sacrifice in cups or basins
F24: the blood being received into a
basin, and not spilled on the ground and trampled on, may denote
the preciousness of the blood of Christ, the true passover lamb,
which is for its worth and excellent efficacy to be highly prized
and esteemed, and not to be counted as a common or unholy thing;
and the dipping the bunch of hyssop into the blood of the lamb may
signify the exercise of faith on the blood of Christ, which is a
low and humble grace, excludes boasting in the creature, deals
alone with the blood of Jesus for peace, pardon, and cleansing, and
by which the heart is purified, as it deals with that blood:
and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood
that [is]
in the basin:
an emblem of the sprinkling of the hearts and consciences of
believers with the blood of Christ, and cleansing them from all sin
by it:
and none of you shall go out at the door of his house
until the
morning;
that they might not be in the way of the destroyer; and though the
destroying angel knew an Israelite from an Egyptian, yet this was
to be the ordinance of protection to them, abiding in their houses,
marked with the blood of the passover lamb; signifying that their
safety was in their being under that blood, as the safety of
believers lies in their being justified by the blood of Christ; for
to that it is owing that they are saved from wrath to come: this is
the purple covering under which they pass safely through this world
to the heavenly glory, (
Romans 5:9 ) (
Song of
Solomon 3:10 ) , this circumstance was peculiar to the passover
in Egypt; in later times there was not the like danger.