Exodus 12:17-27

17 You shall observe the feast of matzah; for in this same day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Mitzrayim: therefore shall you observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.

18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat matzah, until the twenty first day of the month at evening.

19 Seven days shall there be no yeast found in your houses, for whoever eats that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Yisra'el, whether he be a sojourner, or one who is born in the land.

20 You shall eat nothing leavened. In all your habitations you shall eat matzah.'"

21 Then Moshe called for all the Zakenim of Yisra'el, and said to them, "Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Pesach.

22 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

23 For the LORD will pass through to strike the Mitzrim; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you.

24 You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever.

25 It shall happen when you have come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service.

26 It will happen, when your children ask you, 'What do you mean by this service?'

27 that you shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Pesach, who passed over the houses of the children of Yisra'el in Mitzrayim, when he struck the Mitzrim, and spared our houses.'" The people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 12:17-27 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.