1耶和華H3068在埃及H4714地H776曉諭H559摩西H4872、亞倫H175說H559： 2你們要以本月H2320為正月H7218,H2320，為一年H8141之首H7223。 3你們吩咐H1696以色列H3478全會眾H5712說H559：本月H2320初十H6218日，各人H376要按著父H1004家H1取H3947羊羔H7716，一家H1004一隻H7716。 4若是一家的人H1004太少H4591，吃不了一隻羊羔H7716，本人就要和他隔壁H7138的鄰舍H7934共取H3947一隻。你們預備羊羔H7716，要按著人H5315數H4373和飯量H400計算H3699。 5要無殘疾H8549、一H1121歲H8141的公H2145羊羔H7716，你們或從綿羊H3532裡取H3947，或從山羊H5795裡取，都可以。 6要留H4931到本月H2320十四H702,H6240日H3117，在H996黃昏H6153的時候，以色列H3478全H3605會眾H6591,H5712把羊羔宰了H7819。 7各家要取H3947點血H1818，塗在H5414吃H398羊羔的房屋H1004左右H8147的門框H4201上和門楣H4947上。 8當夜H3915要吃H398羊羔的肉H1320；用火H784烤H6748了，與無酵餅H4682和苦菜H4844同吃H398。 9不可吃H398生的H4995，斷不可吃水H4325煮H1310的，要帶著頭H7218、腿H3767、五臟H7130，用火H784烤H6748了吃。 10不可剩下H3498一點留到早晨H1242；若留H3498到早晨H1242，要用火H784燒了H8313。 11你們吃H398羊羔當腰間H4975束帶H2296，腳上H7272穿鞋H5275，手中H3027拿杖H4731，趕緊H2649的吃H398；這是耶和華的H3068逾越節H6453。 12因為那夜H3915我要巡行H5674埃及H4714地H776，把埃及H4714地H776一切頭生的H1060，無論是人H120是牲畜H929，都擊殺了H5221，又要敗壞H6213,H8201埃及H4714一切的神H430。我是耶和華H3068。 13這血H1818要在你們所住的房屋H1004上作記號H226；我一見H7200這血H1818，就越過H6452你們去。我擊殺H5221埃及H4714地H776頭生的時候，災殃H5063必不臨到你們身上滅H4889你們。 14你們要紀念H2146這日H3117，守H2287為耶和華H3068的節H2282，作為你們世世代代H1755永遠H5769的定例H2708。 15你們要吃H398無酵餅H4682七H7651日H3117。頭一H7223日H3117要把酵H7603從你們各家H1004中除去H7673；因為從頭一H7223日H3772起，到第七H7637日H3117為止，凡吃H398有酵之餅H2557的，必從以色列H3478中剪除H3772。 16頭一H7223日H3117你們當有聖H6944會H4744，第七H7637日H3117也當有聖H6944會H4744。這兩日之內，除了H389預備各人H5315所要吃H398的以外，無論何工H4399都不可做H6213。 17你們要守H8104無酵H4682節，因為我正當H6106這日H3117把你們的軍隊H6635從埃及H4714地H776領出來H3318。所以，你們要守H8104這日H3117，作為世世代代H1755永遠H5769的定例H2708。 18從正H7223月H2320十四H6240,H702日H3117晚上H6153，直到二十H6242一H259日H3117晚上H6153，你們要吃H398無酵餅H4682。 19在你們各家中H1004，七H7651日H3117之內不可有H4672酵H7603；因為凡吃H398有酵之物H2556的，無論是寄居的H1616，是本地H776的，必從以色列H3478的會H5712中剪除H3772。 20有酵的物H2556，你們都不可吃H398；在你們一切住處H4186要吃H398無酵餅H4682。 21於是，摩西H4872召了H7121以色列H3478的眾長老H2205來，對他們說H559：你們要按著家口H4940取H3947出H4900羊羔H6629，把這逾越節H6453的羊羔宰了H7819。 22拿H3947一把H92牛膝草H231，蘸H2881盆裡H5592的血H1818，打H5060在門楣H4947上和左右的H8147門框H4201上。你們誰也不可H376出H3318自己的房H1004門H6607，直到早晨H1242。 23因為耶和華H3068要巡行H5674擊殺H5062埃及人H4714，他看見H7200血H1818在門楣H4947上和左右的H8147門框H4201上，就必越過H6452那門H6607，不容H5414滅命的H7843進H935你們的房屋H1004，擊殺H5062你們。 24這例H1697，你們要守H8104著，作為你們和你們子孫H1121永遠H5704,H5769的定例H2706。 25日後，你們到了H935耶和華H3068按著所應許H1696賜給H5414你們的那地H776，就要守H8104這禮H5656。 26你們的兒女H1121問你們說H559：行這禮H5656是甚麼意思？ 27你們就說H559：這是獻給耶和華H3068逾越節H6453的祭H2077。當以色列人在埃及的時候，他擊殺H5062埃及人H4714，越過H6452以色列H3478人H1121的房屋H1004，救了H5337我們各家H1004。於是百姓H5971低頭H6915下拜H7812。 28耶和華H3068怎樣吩咐H6680摩西H4872、亞倫H175，以色列H3478人H1121就怎樣行H6213。 29到了半夜H2677,H3915，耶和華H3068把埃及H4714地H776所有的長子H1060，就是從坐H3427寶座H3678的法老H6547，直到被擄囚在監裡H1004,H953之人H7628的長子H1060，以及一切頭生的H1060牲畜H929，盡都殺了H5221。 30法老H6547和一切臣僕H5650，並埃及眾人H4714，夜間H3915都起來了H6965。在埃及H4714有大H1419哀號H6818，無一家H1004不死H4191一個人的。 31夜間H3915，法老召了H7121摩西H4872、亞倫H175來，說H559：起來H6965！連你們帶以色列H3478人H1121，從我民H5971中H8432出去H3318，依你們所說H1696的，去H3212事奉H5647耶和華H3068罷！ 32也依你們所說H1696的，連羊群H6629牛群H1241帶著H3947走罷H3212！並要為我祝福H1288。 33埃及人H4714催促H2388百姓H5971，打發他們H7971快快H4116出離那地H776，因為埃及人說H559：我們都要死了H4191。 34百姓H5971就拿著H5375沒有酵H2556的生麵H1217，把摶麵盆H4863包在H6887衣服H8071中，扛在肩頭H7926上。 35以色列H3478人H1121照著摩西H4872的話H1697行H6213，向埃及人H4714要H7592金H2091器H3627、銀H3701器H3627，和衣裳H8071。 36耶和華H3068叫百姓H5971在埃及人H4714眼前H5869蒙恩H5414,H2580，以致埃及人給他們所要H7592的。他們就把埃及人H4714的財物奪去了H5337。 37以色列H3478人H1121從蘭塞H7486起行H5265，往疏割H5523去；除了H905婦人孩子H2945，步行的H7273男人H1397約有六H8337十萬H3967,H505。 38又有許多H7227閒雜人H6154，並有羊群H6629牛群H1241，和他們一同上去H5927。 39他們用埃及H4714帶出來H3318的生麵H1217烤成H644無酵H4682餅H5692。這生麵原沒有發起H2556；因為他們被催逼離開H1644埃及H4714，不能H3201耽延H4102，也H1571沒有為自己預備H6213甚麼食物H6720。 40以色列H3478人H1121住在H3427埃及H4714共有四H702百H3967三十H7970年H8141。 41正H6106滿了H7093四H702百H3967三十H7970年H8141的那一天H3117，耶和華H3068的軍隊H6635都H3605從埃及H4714地H776出來了H3318。 42這夜H3915是耶和華H3068的夜；因耶和華領H3318他們出了埃及H4714地H776，所以當向耶和華H3068謹守H8107，是以色列H3478眾人H1121世世代代H1755該謹守的。 43耶和華H3068對摩西H4872、亞倫H175說H559：逾越節的例H2708是這樣：外邦H5236人H1121都不可吃H398這羊羔H6453。 44但各人H376用銀子H3701買H4736的奴僕H5650，既受了割禮H4135就可以吃H398。 45寄居的H8453和雇工人H7916都不可吃H398。 46應當在一H259個房子裡H1004吃H398；不可把一點肉H1320從房子裡帶H3318到外頭H2351去。羊羔的骨頭H6106一根也不可折斷H7665。 47以色列H3478全會眾H5712都要守H6213這禮。 48若有外人H1616寄居H1481在你們中間，願向耶和華H3068守H6213逾越節H6453，他所有的男子H2145務要受割禮H4135，然後纔容他前來H7126遵守H6213，他也就像本地H776人H249一樣；但未受割禮的H6189，都不可吃H398這羊羔。 49本地人H249和寄居H1481在你們中間H8432的外人H1616同歸一H259例H8451。 50耶和華H3068怎樣吩咐H6680摩西H4872、亞倫H175，以色列H3478眾H3605人H1121就怎樣H6213行了H6213。 51正當H6106那日H3117，耶和華H3068將以色列H3478人H1121按著他們的軍隊H6635，從埃及H4714地H776領出來H3318。
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE PASSOVER INSTITUTED. (
Exod 12:1-
Exod 12:10)
the Lord spake unto Moses--rather, "had spoken unto Moses and Aaron"; for it is evident that the communication here described must have been made to them on or before the tenth of the month.
2 this month shall be unto you the beginning of months--the first not only in order but in estimation. It had formerly been the seventh according to the reckoning of the civil year, which began in September, and continued unchanged, but it was thenceforth to stand first in the national religious year which began in March, April.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel--The recent events had prepared the Israelitish people for a crisis in their affairs, and they seem to have yielded implicit obedience at this time to Moses. It is observable that, amid all the hurry and bustle of such a departure, their serious attention was to be given to a solemn act of religion.
a lamb for an house--a kid might be taken (
Exod 12:5). The service was to be a domestic one, for the deliverance was to be from an evil threatened to every house in Egypt.
4 if the household be too little for the lamb, &c.--It appears from JOSEPHUS that ten persons were required to make up the proper paschal communion.
every man according to his eating--It is said that the quantity eaten of the paschal lamb, by each individual, was about the size of an olive.
5 lamb . . . without blemish--The smallest deformity or defect made a lamb unfit for sacrifice--a type of Christ (
Heb 7:26;
1Pet 1:19).
a male of the first year--Christ in the prime of life.
6 keep it up until the fourteenth day, &c.--Being selected from the rest of the flock, it was to be separated four days before sacrifice; and for the same length of time was Christ under examination and His spotless innocence declared before the world.
kill it in the evening--that is, the interval between the sun's beginning to decline, and sunset, corresponding to our three o'clock in the afternoon.
7 take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts, &c.--as a sign of safety to those within. The posts must be considered of tents, in which the Israelites generally lived, though some might be in houses. Though the Israelites were sinners as well as the Egyptians, God was pleased to accept the substitution of a lamb--the blood of which, being seen sprinkled on the doorposts, procured them mercy. It was to be on the sideposts and upper doorposts, where it might be looked to, not on the threshold, where it might be trodden under foot. This was an emblem of the blood of sprinkling (
Heb 12:24;
Heb 10:29).
8 roast with fire--for the sake of expedition; and this difference was always observed between the cooking of the paschal lamb and the other offerings (
2Chr 35:13).
unleavened bread--also for the sake of despatch (
Deut 16:3), but as a kind of corruption (
Luke 12:1) there seems to have been a typical meaning under it (
1Cor 5:8).
bitter herbs--literally, "bitters"--to remind the Israelites of their affliction in Egypt, and morally of the trials to which God's people are subject on account of sin.
9 Eat not of it raw--that is, with any blood remaining; a caveat against conformity to idolatrous practices. It was to be roasted whole, not a bone to be broken, and this pointed to Christ (
John 19:36).
10 let nothing of it remain until the morning--which might be applied in a superstitious manner, or allowed to putrefy, which in a hot climate would speedily have ensued; and which was not becoming in what had been offered to God.
11 THE RITE OF THE PASSOVER. (
Exod 12:11-
Exod 12:14)
thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet--as prepared for a journey. The first was done by the skirts of the loose outer cloth being drawn up and fastened in the girdle, so as to leave the leg and knee free for motion. As to the other, the Orientals never wear shoes indoors, and the ancient Egyptians, as appears from the monuments, did not usually wear either shoes or sandals. These injunctions seem to have applied chiefly to the first celebration of the rite.
it is the Lord's passover--called by this name from the blood-marked dwellings of the Israelites being passed over figuratively by the destroying angel.
12 smite . . . gods of Egypt--perhaps used here for princes and grandees. But, according to Jewish tradition, the idols of Egypt were all on that night broken in pieces (see
Num 33:4;
Isa 19:1).
14 for a memorial, &c.--The close analogy traceable in all points between the Jewish and Christian passovers is seen also in the circumstance that both festivals were instituted before the events they were to commemorate had transpired.
15 UNLEAVENED BREAD. (Exo. 12:15-51)
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread, &c.--This was to commemorate another circumstance in the departure of the Israelites, who were urged to leave so hurriedly that their dough was unleavened (
Exod 12:39), and they had to eat unleavened cakes (
Deut 16:3). The greatest care was always taken by the Jews to free their houses from leaven--the owner searching every corner of his dwelling with a lighted candle. A figurative allusion to this is made (
1Cor 5:7). The exclusion of leaven for seven days would not be attended with inconvenience in the East, where the usual leaven is dough kept till it becomes sour, and it is kept from one day to another for the purpose of preserving leaven in readiness. Thus even were there none in all the country, it could be got within twenty-four hours [HARMER].
that soul shall be cut off--excommunicated from the community and privileges of the chosen people.
16 there shall be an holy convocation--literally, calling of the people, which was done by sound of trumpets (
Num 10:2), a sacred assembly--for these days were to be regarded as Sabbaths--excepting only that meat might be cooked on them (
Exod 16:23).
17 ye shall observe, &c.--The seven days of this feast were to commence the day after the passover. It was a distinct festival following that feast; but although this feast was instituted like the passover before the departure, the observance of it did not take place till after.
19 stranger--No foreigner could partake of the passover, unless circumcised; the "stranger" specified as admissible to the privilege must, therefore, be considered a Gentile proselyte.
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, &c.--Here are given special directions for the observance.
22 hyssop--a small red moss [HASSELQUIST]; the caper-plant [ROYLE]. It was used in the sprinkling, being well adapted for such purposes, as it grows in bushes--putting out plenty of suckers from a single root. And it is remarkable that it was ordained in the arrangements of an all-wise Providence that the Roman soldiers should undesignedly, on their part, make use of this symbolical plant to Christ when, as our Passover, He was sacrificed for us [
John 19:29].
none . . . shall go out at the door of his house until the morning--This regulation was peculiar to the first celebration, and intended, as some think, to prevent any suspicion attaching to them of being agents in the impending destruction of the Egyptians; there is an allusion to it (
Isa 26:20).
26 when your children shall say, . . . What mean ye by this service--Independently of some observances which were not afterwards repeated, the usages practised at this yearly commemorative feast were so peculiar that the curiosity of the young would be stimulated, and thus parents had an excellent opportunity, which they were enjoined to embrace, for instructing each rising generation in the origin and leading facts of the national faith.
27 the people bowed the head, and worshipped--All the preceding directions were communicated through the elders, and the Israelites, being deeply solemnized by the influence of past and prospective events, gave prompt and faithful obedience.
29 at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt--At the moment when the Israelites were observing the newly instituted feast in the singular manner described, the threatened calamity overtook the Egyptians. It is more easy to imagine than describe the confusion and terror of that people suddenly roused from sleep and enveloped in darkness--none could assist their neighbors when the groans of the dying and the wild shrieks of mourners were heard everywhere around. The hope of every family was destroyed at a stroke. This judgment, terrible though it was, evinced the equity of divine retribution. For eighty years the Egyptians had caused the male children of the Israelites to be cast into the river [
Exod 1:16], and now all their own first-born fell under the stroke of the destroying angel. They were made, in the justice of God, to feel something of what they had made His people feel. Many a time have the hands of sinners made the snares in which they have themselves been entangled, and fallen into the pit which they have dug for the righteous [
Pro 28:10]. "Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth" [
Ps 58:11].
30 there was not a house where there was not one dead--Perhaps this statement is not to be taken absolutely. The Scriptures frequently use the words "all," "none," in a comparative sense--and so in this case. There would be many a house in which there would be no child, and many in which the first-born might be already dead. What is to be understood is, that almost every house in Egypt had a death in it.
31 called for Moses and Aaron--a striking fulfilment of the words of Moses (
Exod 11:8), and showing that they were spoken under divine suggestion.
32 also take your flocks, &c.--All the terms the king had formerly insisted on were now departed from; his pride had been effectually humbled. Appalling judgments in such rapid succession showed plainly that the hand of God was against him. His own family bereavement had so crushed him to the earth that he not only showed impatience to rid his kingdom of such formidable neighbors, but even begged an interest in their prayers.
34 people took . . . their kneading-troughs--Having lived so long in Egypt, they must have been in the habit of using the utensils common in that country. The Egyptian kneading-trough was a bowl of wicker or rush work, and it admitted of being hastily wrapped up with the dough in it and slung over the shoulder in their hykes or loose upper garments.
35 children of Israel borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver--When the Orientals go to their sacred festivals, they always put on their best jewels. The Israelites themselves thought they were only going three days' journey to hold a feast unto the Lord, and in these circumstances it would be easy for them to borrow what was necessary for a sacred festival. But borrow conveys a wrong meaning. The word rendered borrow signifies properly to ask, demand, require. The Israelites had been kept in great poverty, having received little or no wages. They now insisted on full remuneration for all their labor, and it was paid in light and valuable articles adapted for convenient carriage.
36 the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians--Such a dread of them was inspired into the universal minds of the Egyptians, that whatever they asked was readily given.
spoiled the Egyptians--The accumulated earnings of many years being paid them at this moment, the Israelites were suddenly enriched, according to the promise made to Abraham (
Gen 15:14), and they left the country like a victorious army laden with spoil (
Ps 105:37;
Ezek 39:10).
37 The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses--now generally identified with the ancient Heroopolis, and fixed at the modern Abu-Keisheid. This position agrees with the statement that the scene of the miraculous judgments against Pharaoh was "in the field of Zoan" [
Ps 78:12,
Ps 78:43]. And it is probable that, in expectation of their departure, which the king on one pretext or another delayed, the Israelites had been assembled there as a general rendezvous. In journeying from Rameses to Palestine, there was a choice of two routes--the one along the shores of the Mediterranean to El-Arish, the other more circuitous round the head of the Red Sea and the desert of Sinai. The latter Moses was directed to take (
Exod 13:17).
to Succoth--that is, booths, probably nothing more than a place of temporary encampment. The Hebrew word signifies a covering or shelter formed by the boughs of trees; and hence, in memory of this lodgment, the Israelites kept the feast of tabernacles yearly in this manner.
six hundred thousand . . . men--It appears from
Num 1:3 that the enumeration is of men above twenty years of age. Assuming, what is now ascertained by statistical tables, that the number of males above that age is as nearly as possible the half of the total number of males, the whole male population of Israel, on this computation, would amount to 1,200,000; and adding an equal number for women and children, the aggregate number of Israelites who left Egypt would be 2,400,000.
38 a mixed multitude went with them--literally, "a great rabble" (see also
Num 11:4;
Deut 29:11); slaves, persons in the lowest grades of society, partly natives and partly foreigners, bound close to them as companions in misery, and gladly availing themselves of the opportunity to escape in the crowd. (Compare
Zech 8:23).
40 the sojourning of the children of Israel . . . four hundred and thirty years--The Septuagint renders it thus: "The sojourning of the children and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt." These additions are important, for the period of sojourn in Egypt did not exceed two hundred fifteen years; but if we reckon from the time that Abraham entered Canaan and the promise was made in which the sojourn of his posterity in Egypt was announced, this makes up the time to four hundred thirty years.
41 even the selfsame day--implying an exact and literal fulfilment of the predicted period.
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger--This regulation displays the liberal spirit of the Hebrew institutions. Any foreigner might obtain admission to the privileges of the nation on complying with their sacred ordinances. In the Mosaic equally as in the Christian dispensation, privilege and duty were inseparably conjoined.
