Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 136 questions at the end of this chapter.

Exodus Chapter 12

Exodus 12:1 “And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,”

“The Lord spake”: Most probably, the instructions on the Passover (verses 1-20), were also given during the 3 days of darkness in order to fully prepare Israel for the grand finale, their Exodus from Egypt.

“In the land”: Later, while Israel was in the wilderness, Moses wrote (23:14-17; Deut. 16:1-8), and indicated that the detailed instructions for this very special feast day in Israel’s religious calendar were not like those of the other special days. All which were given after the nation had already left Egypt. This one, the Passover, was inextricably linked to what took place in the Exodus, and that connection was never to be forgotten. It became indelibly entrenched in Israel’s tradition and has always marked the day of redemption from Egypt.

Exodus 12:2 “This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you.”

“This month”: The month of Abib (March/April), by divine decree became the beginning of the religious calendar, marking the start of Israel’s life as a nation. Later in Israel’s history, after the Babylonian captivity, Abib would become Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1; Ester 3:7).

Yahweh began the calendar of Israel with the Exodus. The “first month” of the Hebrew year, called Abib (or Aviv). Literally means “the ear” month because at this time, about April for us’ that the ears of grain have developed.

In these verses, we see first of all, the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron did not instigate any of the plagues and then tell God. These plagues, Moses’ and Aaron’s messages to Pharaoh and the people, originated with God. All Moses and Aaron were doing was carrying out God’s orders. If we are good ministers, that is what we should do as well. We should first listen to God and whatever He tells us, and then we must bring it to the people. We see that God established the month we call April, as the first month of the Hebrew year. The Hebrews call it Abib. We do not know for sure how they had measured their months before, but we do know that God said from now on, April is the first month of the year for the Israelites.

Verses 3-14: The detailed instructions for the Passover included what animal to select, when to kill it, what to do with its blood, how to cook it, what to do with leftovers, how to dress for the meal, the reason why it was being celebrated “in haste,” and what the shed blood signified.

Exodus 12:3 “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for a house:”

God’s specific instructions about the Passover “lamb” (a goat’s kid was also acceptable, verse 5), would ensure that in every way, it was fit for sacred sacrifice.

Here, we see the celebration of the Passover for the Israelites being set up for the very first time. Notice the word “all” in the first sentence. This means men, women and children. Whosoever will is a very good description of this. In our language, He is saying: On April 10th, each family go and get a lamb from your flock and pick out one that your family can eat at one sitting; don’t get one too big. You will see why in the following verse.

Exodus 12:4 “And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take [it] according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.”

There would be cases where the family would not be large enough to consume an entire lamb at a sitting. Where this was so, men were to join with their neighbors, either two small families joining together, or a large family drafting off some of its members to bring up the numbers of a small one. According to Josephus, ten was the least number regarded as sufficient, while twenty was not considered too many.

“Every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb”: Rather, shall ye count. In determining the number for any given Paschal meal, ye shall “count men according to their eating,” admitting more or fewer, as they are likely to consume less or more.

Here we see if there were just 3 or 4 people in a household, they would not be able to consume a whole lamb by themselves. Then 2 families would need to go together and pick a lamb that these 2 families could eat at one meal. Ordinarily 10 people could eat a small lamb.

Exodus 12:5 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats:”

“Your lamb … without blemish”: A kid goat was an alternative choice. Any flaw would render it unfit to represent a pure, wholesome sacrifice given to Yahweh.

You see a description of what this lamb, that is to be sacrificed, would be like physically. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God (in John 1).

John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 1:36 we read, “And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

John was speaking prophetically of Jesus (the Lamb of God), being sacrificed on the cross for our sin. Jesus actually does away with sin for His followers. Just as this lamb (in verse 5), was to have no blemish, Jesus had no blemish. That is why the soldiers did not break His legs to hurry death. Jesus had no blemish. He was to be a male lamb. Jesus was a male. “Of the first year”, means that he was taken before he came to a female lamb. Jesus was not married and definitely did not have an affair with anyone. He NEVER committed any sin, much less adultery, as some movies are showing now. This is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (in my opinion), to accuse our Savior of sin. It appears that a lamb could be a goat or a sheep.

Exodus 12:6 “And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”

“In the evening”: Literally “between the two evenings.” Since the new day was reckoned from sunset; the sacrificing of the lamb or kid was done before sunset while it was still day 14 of the first month. “Twilight” has been taken to signify to be either at the time between sunset and the onset of darkness; or from the decline of the sun until sunset. Later Moses would prescribe the time for the sacrifice as “in the evening at sunset” (Deut. 16:6). According to Josephus, it was customary in his day to kill the lamb at about 3:00 p.m. This was the time of day that Christ, the Christian’s Passover lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), died (Luke 23:44-46).

One really interesting thing that we should notice was that the whole congregation viewed this. If you look at it from the spiritual standpoint as all of us, because of our sins, helped crucify Jesus. Another thing we notice here, that each head of the house killed their own lamb. There was nothing between God and the head of the house then, except this sacrificial lamb. There is no one between Christians and God now, except Jesus Christ (the Lamb of God). What a beautiful parallel. This four day difference in time was a time to examine the lamb and make sure it was perfect, leaving time to go and exchange it if it was not.

Exodus 12:7 “And they shall take of the blood, and strike [it] on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.”

“Strike it”: With a bunch of hyssop (See Exodus 12:22).

“The two side posts and on the upper door post.”: The idea seems to have been that the destroying influence, whatever it was, would enter the house by the door. The sight of the bloody stains above the door and on either side, would prevent its entering. The word translated “upper door post” appears to be derived from shâcaph, “to look out.” And to signify properly the latticed window above the door, through which persons viewed those who knocked before admitting them.

Such windows are frequently represented in the early Egyptian monuments. The blood thus rendered conspicuous would show that atonement had been made for the house, i.e., for those inside.

This is what I call being covered with the blood of the Lamb. The very thing that saves Christians is when we are symbolically washed in the blood of the Lamb; covered over with it, if you will. We are told in Revelation that the Christians will be wearing white robes in heaven, washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7:14 “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

The reason this blood of this sacrificial lamb was put on the door posts and over the door was because this was the entrance to the house. The devil or his evil demons cannot cross the blood. God honors the blood as well. God cannot look upon sin; He will destroy the person involved in sin. The only way to not be destroyed is for the shed blood to be between you and God. God sees the shed blood and passes over without destroying you.

Exodus 12:8 “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; [and] with bitter [herbs] they shall eat it.”

The night is thus clearly distinguished from the evening when the lamb was slain. It was slain before sunset, on the 14th, and eaten after sunset, the beginning of the 15th.

“With fire”: Among various reasons given for this injunction the most probable and satisfactory seems to be the special sanctity attached to fire from the first institution of sacrifice (compare Genesis 4:4).

“And unleavened bread”: On account of the hasty departure, allowing no time for the process of leavening: but the meaning discerned by Paul (1 Cor. 5:7-8), and recognized by the Church in all ages, was assuredly implied, though not expressly declared in the original institution. Compare our Lord’s words (Matt. 16:6; 16:12), as to the symbolism of leaven.

“Bitter herbs” The word occurs only here and (in Numbers 9:11), in reference to herbs. The symbolic reference to the previous sufferings of the Israelites is generally admitted.

This is so symbolic of Jesus. The flesh of the Lamb is Jesus, as we read in John 6.

John 6:53 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”

All of this is symbolic of course. You do not literally eat the flesh of Jesus or drink His actual blood. The Communion of unleavened bread is symbolic of the flesh of Jesus, and the grape juice you drink, is symbolic of the blood of Jesus. The unleavened bread is symbolic of the sin-free body of Christ. Leaven is symbolic of sin, so we see in this unleavened bread that Jesus was, and is, completely free from sin. The “roast with fire” has to do, in my opinion, with the fire, symbolic of God. The bitter herbs show the bitter bondage the Israelites were faced with in Egypt. I believe the bitter herbs show the Christians that to follow Jesus and partake of the blessings of Jesus, that there is some self-sacrifice to be made. A Christian must crucify his flesh and separate himself from worldly lust to be a follower of Jesus.

Exodus 12:9 “Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast [with] fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.”

“Eat not of it raw”: A prohibition with health implications which also distinguished them from pagans who often ate raw flesh in their sacred festivals.

Here they were told especially not to eat it raw, as was the practice with some of the false religions. “Nor sodden at all with water”, I believe, means don’t boil it. One of the purposes of roasting was so it would not be broken apart in the sacrifice, but would be whole, as we see in the statement “his head with his legs”. The “purtenance” was the intestine. Most of the time this was opened and washed out and the intestine was then cooked with the whole body. So much of this symbolizes the necessity of the body being kept intact with no broken bones. It could also, symbolize the unity of the faith. Remember, we are looking at these Scriptures more with the spiritual eyes than with the physical.

Exodus 12:10 “And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.”

That which either was not usually eaten, or was more than all of you could conveniently eat.

“Ye shall burn with fire”: To prevent either:

(1) The superstitious use of the relics of that lamb by the Israelites, who thereby had received a greater benefit than they did afterwards by the brazen serpent, which upon that account they worshipped; or:

(2) The profane abuse of that which had been consecrated to God’s service (Compare Exodus 29:34).

I believe this was symbolic of taking communion and that nothing that has been placed out for communion should be left over to the next time. Whoever conducts communion should eat and drink all that is left. This is similar to the manna that fell from heaven. Each day’s necessity was to be taken care of, but not to be held over to the next day. The symbol that I see in this is that we must daily eat of the Word of God to stay in good stead with God. The Bible (Word of God), is to be consumed each day. To be able to live a victorious life with Jesus, we must eat of His Word every day. We could see in this that Jesus is our daily Bread. We depend on Him, not on our own abilities.

Exodus 12:11 “And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD’S passover.”

“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.

We see that God was telling these people to be prepared to leave. These were traveling clothes. His reason for them eating it in haste was because they did not know at what moment they would be ready to go. He reminded them in the last part of this verse, that even though they ate it hastily, they must not take it lightly. This was a special feast that would free them from the bondage of hundreds of years. This Passover would always be a most holy feast with these Hebrews.

Exodus 12:12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD.”

“Against all the gods”: The tenth plague was a judgment against all Egyptian deities. The loss of the firstborn of men and beast had far-reaching theological implications. Namely, the importance of the pagan deities, many of whom were represented by animals, to protect their devotees from such nationwide tragedies. The great cry of grief (11:6; 12:30), may also have bemoaned the incapability of the nation’s gods.

The one who would “pass through the land” was not some angel of death as is commonly assumed. According to the repeated pronoun “I”, it was the Lord Himself, bringing judgment “against all the gods of Egypt”.

We see the answer to the plagues (against all the gods of Egypt). God discredited these false gods, one by one, in the plagues. You remember the death of their firstborn was just punishment for all the Hebrew children they had killed. Because animal worship was prevalent in Egypt, God would kill the firstborn of them as well. God did not have to tell them that He had the right. He is the LORD.

Exodus 12:13 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt.”

The annual Feast of the Passover commemorated the birth of the nation Israel and her deliverance from Egypt. Typologically, it pointed forward to the greater deliverance from the bondage of sin to be provided by the Messiah. In the Passover, a lamb without blemish was selected and killed. The blood was then applied to the doorpost (doorjamb), of the home, and the lamb was roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

Death comes to all those who are not covered in the blood of the Lamb, whether then or now. The blood of the Lamb is what brings life. God would quickly recognize the Israelites when He saw the blood. The blood was their protection and is our protection as well. He sees the shed blood of His Son which does away with the sin. Then God looks down to sinful man and does not see the sin.

Verses 14-28: This lengthy section describes the ordinances for the Passover. The Passover is preceded by the “Feast of Unleavened Bread”, a period of “seven days” in which no leaven is permitted in meals or in the people’s homes. To commemorate that first Passover, all succeeding Passovers were to be marked by the eating of unleavened bread (called matzo today).

Exodus 12:14 “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

“A memorial”: The details of how this Passover Day was to be memorialized in future years were laid down (verses 14-20) and then repeated in the instructions to the elders (verses 21-27). Prescribing the eating of unleavened bread for 7 days, demanding a thorough housecleaning from leaven (verse 15), issuing a stern warning of banishment for eating leaven (verse 15), and bracketing the 7 days with special holy days (verse 16), served to proclaim the high importance of the nation’s remembering this event.

We see by this that this Passover Feast was not initiated for just this one occasion, but was to be remembered forever and celebrated as long as there were Israelites. We will see as we go along that not just the physical Israelites would remember this, but the spiritual Israelites (Christians), as well. Jesus celebrated Passover and was, in fact, the Passover Lamb that was sacrificed for us, the Christians (spiritual Israel).

Exodus 12:15 “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.”

This was to commemorate another circumstance in the departure of the Israelites, who were urged to leave so hurriedly that their dough was unleavened (Exodus 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 (1 Cor. 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 gotten within twenty-four hours.

“That soul shall be cut off”: Excommunicated from the community and privileges of the chosen people.

Remember, we are looking at the spiritual side of this. Leaven symbolizes sin. We can see here, if we continue to sin, we will be cut off from our inheritance. “Seven” means spiritually complete. We see that these seven days away from leaven symbolizes the justification we have in Jesus. We are just as if we had never sinned because we have partaken of Jesus, our Passover Lamb, and kept sin out of our lives. These seven days symbolize completeness in God. We see from this, the importance of walking as near a sinless life as possible. If you sin, repent quickly and begin to walk sinless again. Christians should not desire to sin. Communion should always be taken with unleavened bread to show that Jesus was sinless (The bread symbolizes His body).

Exodus 12:16 “And in the first day [there shall be] a holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save [that] which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.”

The Passover was to be kept on the fourteenth day of Abib, at even. The seven following days were to be “days of unleavened bread.” On the first of these, the fifteenth of Abib (Leviticus 23:6), there was to be a “holy convocation,” i.e., a general gathering of the people to the door of the sanctuary for sacrifice, worship, and perhaps instruction (compare Nehemiah 8:1). The term “convocation” implies that the people were summoned to attend; and the actual summons appears to have been made by the blowing of the silver trumpets (Numbers 10:2).

On the seventh day, the twenty-first of Abib, was to be another similar meeting. “No manner of work” was to be done on either of these two days. Or rather, as explained (in Leviticus 23:7-8), “no servile work” (having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others).

“Done of you” (see note on verse 46).

It seems that from April 15th until April 22nd would be a time of absolute rest for the Hebrew. It is probably associated with 6 days of work and on the seventh, a Sabbath of rest. The only two celebrations that the Hebrews have of seven days duration, are the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles. We see here, that the only type of work that can be done was feeding the family. These holy convocations meant a worship service. It would begin with worship and end with worship.

Exodus 12:17 “And ye shall observe [the feast of] unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.”

This was a distinct feast from the Passover feast; for though at that unleavened bread was eaten, it was kept but one night, these seven days. Then it is repeated that it might be taken notice of, and the rather, as it was to be observed in all ages as long as the Jewish economy lasted. The reason of which follows:

“For in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt”: Which, though not already done, was just on doing and was certain. Besides, it respects the day when it should come about another year. By their “armies” are meant the tribes of Israel, not so much for their military force, for as yet they were an unarmed people, but for their numbers, which were sufficient to make several considerable armies. And for their order and ease; as there was no fear of the enemy when they marched out of Egypt.

“Therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever”: According to the rules given, with the same exactness, strictness, and constancy, as the first of the Passover, and as long as that continued (See Exodus 12:14).

We read here on April the 15th, God would bring His people out. The Christians celebrate Easter about this time of year. The Jewish calendar is different from the Julian calendar and our date falls on various days, but the Jewish calendar is set up on the full moon change. This would be actually the evening before Jesus rises from the grave. We see in all of these celebrations of these Israelites that Jesus fulfills their celebrations when He is crucified and resurrected. The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread were fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion. We see Fristfruits practiced when Jesus rose from the grave and brought captivity captive with Him. Firstfruits was the day after Sabbath or the Sunday after crucifixion.

Exodus 12:18 “In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.”

As it was now ordered to be reckoned, the month Abib or Nisan.

“The fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread”: That is, at the evening following, the fourteenth of Nisan, and which was the beginning of the fifteenth day, the Jews beginning their day from the evening. Hence the Targum of Jonathan is, “on the fourteenth of Nisan ye shall slay the passover, in the evening of the fifteenth ye shall eat unleavened bread.”

“Unto the twentieth day of the month at even”: Which would make just seven days. The above Targum adds, “on the evening of the twenty second ye shall eat leavened bread, which was the evening following the twenty first day. This long abstinence from leaven denotes that the whole lives of those who are Israelites indeed should be without guile, hypocrisy and malice, and should be spent in sincerity and truth.

This would be April 14th on the Jewish calendar. As was said, this Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover really were the same. They were to eat unleavened bread (be completely rid of sin), these seven days. “Seven” means spiritually complete, so these seven days were the correct time in God’s plan to make sure there was no sin (leaven). Jesus was crucified on the first day of Unleavened Bread, or Passover; Jesus was the Passover Lamb.

Jesus also is the Bread of Life. He is free from sin (then and now). He fulfills the unleavened bread, as well making us spiritually justified in Him. This 14^th would have been a Friday. The “THIRD” day He arose, Sunday the 16th. You see Firstfruits in His resurrection. God is exact. “Bethlehem” means house of bread. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and He is the Bread.

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

None of this is coincidence. God has everything planned exactly.

Exodus 12:19 “Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.”

“A stranger”: Provision was made right at the beginning for non-Israelites to be included in the nation’s religious festivals. Failure to comply with the regulations on leaven would result in banishment for the alien as well.

We know that through Abraham, we Gentiles as well as the Hebrews, are Israelites. The Hebrews are physical Israel and we Gentile believers are spiritual Israel because of our faith. We have faith like Abraham’s, and we are spiritually the descendants of Abraham.

Gal. 3:6-9 “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed.” So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

We see whether we are physical or spiritual Israel, we must do away with sin in our lives and live in the salvation that Jesus purchased for us all. If we continue in sin after Jesus has cleansed us and made us righteous, then we will be condemned.

Exodus 12:20 “Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.”

That included neither bread nor anything else that had any leaven within it.

“In all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread”, that is, if they eat any bread at all, it must be such. Otherwise they might eat cakes of almonds or of eggs mixed with sugar, provided there was no leaven used. And this the Jews call the rich unleavened bread. This is repeated over and over, that they might be the more careful of observing this precept; but as this was limited for a certain time.

Here again, is a re-emphasis on how important the removal of sin (leaven) is. This eating of the unleavened bread is symbolic of the taking of Jesus (The Word of God), into our bodies. This again is why I am so dogmatic about using unleavened bread in the communion. The bread we take in communion is symbolic of the body of Jesus Christ (the sinless one). It must be free of sin (therefore unleavened). Jewish people still practice the Feast of Unleavened Bread today.

Exodus 12:21 “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.”

I.e., draw the lamb from the fold and then take it to the house.

“The passover”: The word is here applied to the lamb; an important fact, marking the lamb as the sign and pledge of the exemption of the Israelites.

This was Moses telling them it was time to go and kill the passover. Notice the elders here. When the Passover Lamb (Jesus Christ) was crucified, the elders were standing by also.

Exodus 12:22 “And ye 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 at the door of his house until the morning.”

“Bunch of hyssop”: Certain identification is impossible, but this could be the marjoram plant.

“Lintel … the two side posts”: The top and two sides of the doorway.

The only protection these Hebrews had that night in Egypt and the only protection we Christians have now, is the shed blood of the Lamb. The destroyer did not enter in where the blood of the Lamb was. The hyssop was used many times in ministering to lepers. It was believed to have purifying powers. This “hyssop” was used like a mop, so that the blood would not be handled. The hyssop was not the protecting power, the blood was. The hyssop was just used to spread the blood. If the Hebrews left the covering of the blood and went outside, they were not protected and would die just like the Egyptians.

Exodus 12:23 “For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you].”

“The destroyer”: This is most likely the Angel of the Lord (2 Sam. 24:16; Isa. 37:36; see note on 3:2).

We see here, that this was the Lord God who was directing the destruction of the firstborn. The Lord told the destroyer which house he (the destroyer), might enter. Anyone or any animal, not in the house with the blood covering would lose their firstborn. Notice this was not Satan doing this, it was God. Just as God had made a separation between the Israelites and the Egyptians in the plagues, this tenth plague was no different. God destroyed the firstborn of Egypt and spared the Israelites.

Exodus 12:24 “And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.”

Not this last thing of sprinkling the blood, which was peculiar to the Passover in Egypt; but the whole before observed relating to the feast of the Passover, and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and all the rites appertaining to them, which were to be observed until the coming of Christ.

We see that God did not want them to quickly forget this night. God expected them to remember and thank God forever.

Exodus 12:25 “And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.”

The promise of entering the land again received emphasis. Israel was not to think of the Exodus as merely a departure from Egypt, but rather as a departure from one land in order to enter another land, which would be their own, in strict accordance with the specifics of the Abrahamic Covenant for his descendants through Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 17:7-8).

God was reminding these Hebrews, that He had not forgotten His promise to give them the land of promise, but He expected them to celebrate this Passover when they arrived in this land.

Exodus 12:26-27 “And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” “That ye shall say, It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”

In the annual commemoration of the Passover, parents were obligated to teach their children its meaning. It became customary for the youngest child of a Jewish family to elicit the father’s formal explanation of what happened in connection with the original observance of the meal in Egypt.

God was reminding these Israelites that it was by His mighty hand that they were spared their firstborn. God expected His people to tell their children and their children’s children, on down through the ages every year that God had the destroyer to pass over their house and spare their families. He did not want them to forget. At each Passover Feast, the story was told again how God saved Israel. These people were so thankful to God for not only the destroyer passing over their house, but they knew that their deliverance from this terrible bondage was here as well. They bowed their heads and thanked God.

Exodus 12:28 “And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.”

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. The elders of the people: (Exodus 12:21). They departed to their several tribes and families at Goshen and elsewhere.

“And did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they”: They took a lamb on the tenth day, and kept it till the fourteenth, on which day they slew it, and roasted it with fire, and ate it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

We need to stop and look at this whole incident. We see (in verse 28), that these children of Israel had finally accepted that this was God who had intervened in their behalf. They were no longer complaining about the heavy load put on them, when Moses first spoke to Pharaoh for them. These Israelites were saved by the shed blood of this lamb. If we really look at the above Scriptures, we see that they also killed the lamb.

We Christians fall into this same category as well. The Lamb of God was slain to deliver us, so we also were the ones who killed the Lamb. It was all of our sins that nailed Him to the cross. It troubles me greatly that so many ministers have stopped preaching about the blood. The blood is what saved us. Without the shedding of the blood, there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). If we take the blood out of our belief, we have lost our salvation.

Verses 29-32: Just as God had promised, a night of judgment “came to pass” on “Egypt” and Pharaoh (Psalm 105:26-45), with not one household spared. At this, Pharaoh relented, allowing all the people to “go” with their flocks and herds.

Exodus 12:29 “And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.”

If Amenhotep II (1450-1423 B.C.), was the Pharaoh of the Exodus, the son who died would have been his eldest son. While no Egyptian records refer to this incident, the dream stela (a stone monument recording Pharaoh’s dream), of his successor; Thutmose IV (1423-1410 B.C.), clearly states that he was not his father’s eldest son. Thus, the chronological sequence of these earlier kings fits best with the biblical account.

We discussed before, that God struck these cattle, because they were objects of worship in Egypt. God defamed this false god when He killed their firstborn. With God, there is no difference in the Pharaoh or the prisoner. God is no respecter of persons. The Pharaoh was Pharaoh because God made him ruler. Had God spared Pharaoh’s family, he would probably not have been moved to let the children of Israel go. You remember, in an earlier lesson that Pharaoh had no compassion when his people alone were plagued. Pharaoh only took notice when it affected him. This happening at midnight just made the deaths more terrifying.

Exodus 12:30 “And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for [there was] not a house where [there was] not one dead.”

Being awakened by the uncommon noise he heard.

“He and all his servants”: And all the Egyptians; he and his nobles, and ministers of state, courtiers, and counsellors, and his subjects in common. Perhaps everywhere in his kingdom, but particularly in the metropolis.

“And there was a great cry in Egypt; throughout the whole land, the firstborn being everywhere was slain, which caused a most dreadful lamentation of parents for their eldest son. And of the younger brothers and sisters who were grieving the death of the elder brother, or servants and maidens for their principal heir of the family. A cry that was so loud and general as perhaps was never heard before or since. And under which distress they could have no relief, or any to be their comforter, since all were in the same circumstances.

For “there was not a house where there was not one dead”. For if there was no firstborn in it, as it can hardly be thought there should be in every house. Though some have been of opinion that it was so ordered in Providence that there should. Yet the principal or most considerable person in the family, that is next to the master, might be called the firstborn (as Jarchi notes from Psalm 89:27).

This had to be one of the worst crises Egypt had ever faced. When God struck a blow of Judgment such as this, there was nowhere to go for comfort. There was no question where this punishment came from; Moses had warned Pharaoh ahead of time. This “hurt” had been felt by every family in Egypt. We must relate all Scripture to our standing with God. God has warned over and over in the Scriptures of a great day of God’s wrath that will come upon those who do not accept His Son as Savior. There will be no excuse acceptable for those who do not repent, and turn from the world (Egypt).

The wrath of God will fall on the worldly people, just as it fell this night on the firstborn of Egypt. God is patient, not willing that one be lost.

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God has a day set that will be like this tenth plague. On that day He will say: IT IS ENOUGH, and then His wrath will fall. Don’t wait; repent and receive Jesus as your Savior today.

Exodus 12:31 “And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, [and] get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.”

“Rise up and get you forth … serve the Lord”: Finally, Pharaoh’s response to the repeated “Let My people go!” became “Leave my people!” with no attempt at further negotiation, but total acquiescence.

This death of the firstborn was so terrible that Pharaoh couldn’t wait until morning. He wanted to be rid of Moses, Aaron and the children of Israel, who had brought so much sorrow into his home and in Egypt. At this point, I believe Pharaoh was frightened of Moses’ God. Pharaoh was no longer concerned about the money it would cost him, to lose this approximately 2-1/2 million people. When you fear for your life, money becomes very unimportant. It appears at any rate that Pharaoh had completely given up. The Israelites could even take their livestock with them, because Pharaoh said “as ye have said”. This was not saying you can go if you want to, but get out. Pharaoh had had enough plagues.

Exodus 12:32 “Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”

“Bless me also”: Undoubtedly, this final request from Pharaoh, whose heart was certainly not repentant (14:8), temporarily conceded defeat and acknowledged Moses and his God as the victors and as those who had the power and resources to bless him.

Only the one with true authority may “bless” another. Moses represented the supreme authority: the Lord.

Here we see a plea of Pharaoh. He asked Moses to not only leave, but to stop the plagues. In his last statement (bless me also), Pharaoh was finally recognizing Moses’ God. He admitted He (God), had the ability to bless or curse.

Exodus 12:33 “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We [be] all dead [men].”

Not only Pharaoh, but the Egyptian nation generally were anxious for the immediate departure of the Israelites, and expedited it in every way. This must greatly have facilitated their all setting forth at once. It also accounts for the readiness of the Egyptians to part with their “jewels” and “raiment” (Exodus 12:35).

We see the fear that gripped these Egyptians’ hearts. They did not believe any would be alive after one more plague from God. Each plague got worse and they knew this tenth plague had affected every family in Egypt. Here we see them saying hurry up and get out of here, we can’t stand anymore.

Exodus 12:34 “And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.”

Perhaps the Hebrew word here used had better be rendered flour (as it is 2 Samuel 13:8); for if they had time to make it into paste, it seems they would also have had time to leaven it.

“Their kneading-troughs” The word thus rendered is translated store (Deut. 28:5; 28:17). And as kneading-troughs are not things which travelers have a habit to carry with them, it seems more natural to understand it of their flour, grain, or dough.

I believe this Scripture was just explaining how hastily the children of Israel left Egypt and also, to show that they left nothing behind. They took all their possessions. Notice, this week of unleavened bread would be completed as they went. (They took their dough before it was leavened).

Verses 35-36: The phrase “they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels … so that they lent unto them” does not imply any deception on the part of the Israelites. Both borrowed and lent come from the same Hebrew word, with the first commonly translated “asked” and the second being rendered “handed over,” as it is in a different stem. This was not merely conscience money for the Jews’ generations of slave labor. It had been promised to Abraham long before (in Genesis 15:14).

Exodus 12:35 “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:”

In gaining “jewels of silver … gold and raiment” from the Egyptians, the Hebrew people, who had worked 400 years as slaves, were finally rewarded for their work. God’s people left Egypt with the wealth of the Egyptian people (3:21-22; 11:2-3; Psalm 105:37).

Exodus 12:36 “And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them [such things as they required]. And they spoiled the Egyptians.”

“And they spoiled the Egyptians”: Compare (Genesis 15:14; Exodus 3:20-21). This was not done with deceit, but rather a straightforward request (11:2-3).

This word translated “borrowed” here, has a number of meanings. One meaning is request, another is demand. Some milder words it could be translated are ask, require, obtain and wish. You can see from all these possibilities of translations that these Egyptians probably knew that these were not going to be returned. This was probably like back pay these people had not received during their years of servant toil. The Egyptians were happy to give them these things, to be rid of them.

I really believe a certain amount of guilt (for the way they had treated the Israelites), was present here and they (Egyptians), wanted to send them off with no hard feelings. At any rate, the Israelites got the goods, and spoiled the Egyptians. These jewels of gold and silver would be required of God for the tabernacle in the wilderness later. Note that God sees nothing wrong in silver and gold, only the misuse of silver and gold is wrong. Verse 36 allows us to see that the Israelites left Egypt not as slaves, but as conquerors. Remember, they had not won the battle, but God won the battle for them.

Verses 12:37-18:27: This section recounts the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Mt. Sinai.

Exodus 12:37 “And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children.”

“From Rameses to Succoth”: One of the cities Israel built (1:11), headed up the itinerary for the journey through the wilderness to Canaan. Succoth is first mentioned (in Gen. 33:17), as an encampment designated by the word Succoth, which means “booth.” Although there is later a town by that name east of the Jordan (Judges 8:5-16), this is rather a place near Egypt (13:20; Num. 33:5-6).

Israel’s population had exploded from the 70 who entered with Jacob (in 1875 B.C.), to the 2-1/2 million who left with Moses in 1445 B.C. (see note on 1:7).

Numbers 1:45-46 reports that the nation had more than 603,000 men 20 years and older mustered into the citizen army (see note on 1:7).

These 603,000 men cause us to estimate, that when you add the women and children to this number, it could be approximately (2-1/2 million people or more). Rameses was a main city of Goshen, where the Israelites had lived, while they stayed in Egypt. Succoth was a place near Egypt. Here we see the beginning and the end of this journey, which should take just a few days, but lasts forty years.

Exodus 12:38 “And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, [even] very much cattle.”

“A mixed multitude” went up with the Hebrew people, including some Egyptians and people from Kush. Those who journeyed with Israel must have had different motives, but some would come to faith in Yahweh and become part of the people of God (Num. 12:1).

“Mixed multitude” may have included other Semites who had settled in the delta region, plus many native Egyptians who “feared the word of the Lord” (9:20), and accepted the covenant faith of Israel. No doubt malcontents also seized the opportunity to flee, and they later became a source of trouble (Num. 11:4).

We are not told exactly who this mixed multitude was; all we can do is guess. Perhaps it was people who had been in servitude to the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh had opened his gates to let the Hebrews leave and in so doing, probably released other nationalities with them in fear that he might not let all the Israelites go. At any rate, they were people who were not the children of Israel (strangers). This was undoubtedly a vast amount of humanity and animals leaving Egypt.

Exodus 12:39 “And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.”

Such are commonly eaten by the Arabs, who make them by mixing flour with water, and attaching round pieces of the dough to the insides of their ovens after they have heated them.

“Of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt; for it was not leavened”: of the manner of their bringing it (see Exodus 12:34), and the reason why it was not leavened is as follows:

“Because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry”: To leaven their dough, in such haste did they go out from thence. When they are said to be “thrust out”, it is not to be understood of force and compulsion used, or of any indecent and ill behavior towards them; but of earnest entreaties and urgent persuasions to depart.

“Neither had they prepared for themselves any victual”: They had their flocks and their herds, out of which they could take for their use, and they had dough, though unleavened and unbaked. But they had nothing ready dressed; what remained of the passover lamb they were obliged to burn. They had nothing which was got by hunting or fishing, as the word used signifies. Neither venison nor fish, of the latter of which there was great plenty in Egypt.

This is a strange statement (because they were thrust out of Egypt). It appears that the reason the bread was unleavened was because God told them to eat unleavened bread. This could be their first act of rebellion toward God on their way to the Promised Land. They hurriedly baked unleavened bread to eat along the way.

Verses 40-41: For nearly four centuries, the people had prayed as they languished under slavery (Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6; Gal. 3:17). Now they walked out with freedom as promised.

Abraham had been told that his descendants would be aliens mistreated in a foreign land (Genesis 15:13).

Exodus 12:40 “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, [was] four hundred and thirty years.”

The “four hundred and thirty years” as the time of sojourning in Egypt has been interpreted in two basic ways. The first is that the bondage lasted only 215 years. The two main arguments for this view are:

(1) Gal. 3:17 assumes that the 430 years mentioned begins with the call of Abraham and concludes with the Exodus. This would mean that the patriarchal period consisted of 215 years and the oppression in Egypt of 215 years.

(2) The other argument rests upon the Septuagint (Greek) translation of (Exodus 12:40), which reads “who dwelt in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan,” rather than simply “in Egypt.” This also points to the 430 years as including the patriarchal age as well as the period of bondage.

The objections to this view are several.

(1) Both Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 states the sojourn would be in the land that was not theirs and they would be oppressed for four hundred years.

(2) Galatians 3:17 does not state that the 430 years was from the time of Abraham’s call to the time of the Mosaic covenant; rather it is measured from the confirmation of the Abrahamic covenant until the Sinaitic covenant (Gen. 46:3-4 in 1877 B.C. to Jacob).

(3) Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 do not speak of Abraham’s sons but of his descendants being afflicted for four hundred years.

(4) The expression “fourth generation” (Gen. 15:16), probably refers to a four-hundred-year period, since that number is given in the same context (15:13). Generations in this context were calculated at one hundred years rather than 40.

The second major view of the period of oppression is that it lasted for the period of 430 years, as stated in Exodus 12:40-41. The view assumes that the reading of the Hebrew text is to be preferred over the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint).

A third proposal, which is slight variation from the second above, suggests that the 430 years includes the four-hundred-year oppression plus the time from the confirmation to Jacob until the giving of the Sinaitic covenant.

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