Exodus 12
12
Passover
1While Moses and Aaron were still in Egypt, the Lord spoke to them. He said, 2“This month#12:2 month Abib (or Nisan). See “Abib” in the Word List. will be the first month of the year for you. 3This command is for the whole community of Israel: On the tenth day of this month each man must get one lamb for the people in his house. 4If there are not enough people in his house to eat a whole lamb, then he should invite some of his neighbors to share the meal. There must be enough lamb for everyone to eat. 5The lamb must be a one-year-old male, and it must be completely healthy. This animal can be either a young sheep or a young goat. 6You should watch over the animal until the 14th day of the month. On that day all the people of the community of Israel must kill these animals just before dark. 7You must collect the blood from these animals and put it on the top and sides of the doorframe of every house where the people eat this meal.
8“On this night you must roast the lamb and eat all the meat. You must also eat bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. 9You must not eat the lamb raw or boiled in water. You must roast the whole lamb over a fire. The lamb must still have its head, legs, and inner parts. 10You must eat all the meat that night. If any of the meat is left until morning, you must burn it in the fire.
11“When you eat the meal, you must be fully dressed and ready to travel. You must have your sandals on your feet and your walking stick in your hand. You must eat in a hurry, because this is the Lord’s Passover.
12“Tonight I will go through Egypt and kill every firstborn man and animal in Egypt. In this way I will judge all the gods of Egypt and show that I am the Lord. 13But the blood on your houses will be a special sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over#12:13 pass over Or “protect.” Also in verse 27. your house. I will cause bad things to happen to the people of Egypt. But none of these bad diseases will hurt you.
14“You will always remember tonight—it will be a special festival for you. Your descendants will honor the Lord with this festival forever. 15For this festival you will eat bread made without yeast for seven days. On the first day, you will remove all the yeast from your houses. No one should eat any yeast for the full seven days of this festival. Anyone who eats yeast must be separated from the rest of Israel. 16There will be holy assemblies on the first day and the last day of the festival. You must not do any work on these days. The only work you can do is preparing the food for your meals. 17You must remember the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because on this day I took all of your people out of Egypt in groups.#12:17 groups Or “divisions.” This is a military term. It shows that Israel was organized like an army. Also in verse 51. All of your descendants must remember this day. This is a law that will last forever. 18So on the evening of the 14th day of the first month, you will begin eating bread without yeast. You will eat this bread until the evening of the 21st day of the same month. 19For seven days, there must not be any yeast in your houses. Anyone, either a citizen of Israel or a foreigner living among you,#12:19 foreigner living among you That is, someone who has chosen to live among the Israelites and obey their laws and customs. Also in verse 48. who eats yeast at this time must be separated from the rest of Israel. 20During this festival you must not eat any yeast. You must eat bread without yeast wherever you live.”
21So Moses called all the elders together and told them, “Get the lambs for your families. Kill the lambs for the Passover. 22Take bunches of hyssop and dip them in the bowls filled with blood. Paint the blood on the sides and top of each doorframe. No one must leave their house until morning. 23At the time the Lord goes through Egypt to kill the firstborn, he will see the blood on the sides and top of each doorframe. Then he will protect#12:23 protect Or “pass over.” that house and not let the Destroyer come into any of your houses and hurt you. 24You must remember this command. This law is for you and your descendants forever. 25You must remember to do this even when you go to the land the Lord is giving you. 26When your children ask you, ‘Why are we doing this ceremony?’ 27you will say, ‘This Passover is to honor the Lord, because when we were in Egypt, he passed over the houses of Israel. He killed the Egyptians, but he saved the people in our houses.’”
Then the people bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 28The Lord had given this command to Moses and Aaron, so the Israelites did what the Lord commanded.
29At midnight the Lord killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh (who ruled Egypt) to the firstborn son of the prisoner sitting in jail. Also all the firstborn animals died. 30That night someone died in every house in Egypt. Pharaoh, his officials, and all the people of Egypt began to cry loudly.
Israel Leaves Egypt
31So that night Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “Get up and leave my people. You and your people can do as you say. Go and worship the Lord. 32Take all of your sheep and cattle with you, just as you said you would. Go! And say a blessing for me too.” 33The people of Egypt also asked them to hurry and leave. They said, “If you don’t leave, we will all die!”
34The Israelites did not have time to put the yeast in their bread. They just wrapped the bowls of dough with cloth and carried them on their shoulders. 35Then the Israelites did what Moses asked them to do. They went to their Egyptian neighbors and asked for clothing and things made from silver and gold. 36The Lord caused the Egyptians to be kind to the Israelites, so the Egyptians gave their riches to the Israelites.
37The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, not counting the small boys. 38A great number of people who were not Israelites went with them, along with many sheep, cattle, and other livestock. 39The people did not have time to put yeast in their bread or make any special food for their journey. So they had to bake their bread without yeast.
40The Israelites had lived in Egypt#12:40 Egypt The ancient Greek and Samaritan versions say, “Egypt and Canaan.” This would mean they counted the years from about Abraham’s time, not from Joseph’s. See Gen. 15:12-16 and Gal. 3:17. for 430 years. 41After 430 years, to the very day, all the armies of the Lord#12:41 armies of the Lord The Israelites. left Egypt. 42The night they left, the Lord watched over them to bring them safely out of Egypt. So the Israelites will always celebrate this night each year to remember what the Lord did.
43The Lord told Moses and Aaron, “These are the rules for Passover: No foreigner#12:43 foreigner Here, this means someone who has not agreed to follow the laws and customs of Israel. is allowed to eat the Passover meal. 44-45A foreigner who is only a hired worker or is only staying in your country is not allowed to eat the meal. But if someone buys a slave and circumcises him, then the slave can eat the Passover meal.
46“Each family must eat the meal in one house. None of the food is to be taken outside the house. Don’t break any of the lamb’s bones. 47The whole community of Israel must do this ceremony. 48If a foreigner living among you wants to share in the Lord’s Passover, he must be circumcised. Then he can share in the meal like any other citizen of Israel. But a man who is not circumcised cannot eat the Passover meal. 49The same rules are for everyone. It doesn’t matter if they are citizens or foreigners living among you.”
50So all the Israelites obeyed the commands that the Lord gave to Moses and Aaron. 51On that same day the Lord led all the Israelites out of the country of Egypt. The people left in groups.
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Exodus 12: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Exodus 12
12
The First Passover Sacrifice
1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. 2He said, “From now on, this month will be your first month. Each of your years will begin with it. 3Speak 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. 4Suppose 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. 5The animals you choose must be males that are a year old. They must not have any flaws. You may choose either sheep or goats. 6Take care of them until the 14th day of the month. Then the whole community of Israel must kill them when the sun goes down. 7Take some of the blood. Put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where you eat the lambs. 8That same night eat the meat cooked over a fire. Also eat bitter plants. And eat bread made without yeast. 9Do not eat the meat when it is raw. Don’t boil it in water. Instead, cook it over a fire. Cook the head, legs and inside parts. 10Do not leave any of it until morning. If some is left over until morning, burn it up. 11Eat the meat while your coat is tucked into your belt. Put your sandals on your feet. Take your walking stick in your hand. Eat the food quickly. It is the Lord’s Passover.
12“That same night I will pass through Egypt. I will strike down all those born first among the people and animals. And I will judge all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13The blood on your houses will be a sign for you. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. No deadly plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
14“Always remember this day. You and your children after you must celebrate this day as a feast to honor the Lord. You must do this for all time to come. It is a law that will last forever. 15For seven days eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your homes. For the next seven days, anyone who eats anything with yeast in it must be separated from Israel. 16On the first and seventh days, come together for a sacred assembly. Do not work at all on these days. The only thing you are allowed to do is prepare food for everyone to eat.
17“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I brought you out of Egypt on this very day like an army on the march. It is a law that will last for all time to come. 18In the first month eat bread made without yeast. Eat it from the evening of the 14th day until the evening of the 21st day. 19For seven days do not let any yeast be found in your homes. Anyone who eats anything with yeast in it must be separated from the community of Israel. That applies to outsiders and Israelites alike. 20Do not eat anything made with yeast. No matter where you live, eat bread made without yeast.”
21Then Moses sent for all the elders of Israel. He said to them, “Go at once. Choose the animals for your families. Each family must kill a Passover lamb. 22Get a branch of a hyssop plant. Dip it into the blood in the bowl. Put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you can go out of the door of your house until morning. 23The Lord will go through the land to strike down the Egyptians. He’ll see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe. He will pass over that house. He won’t let the destroying angel enter your homes to strike you down.
24“Obey all these directions. It’s a law for you and your children after you for all time to come. 25The Lord will give you the land, just as he promised. When you enter it, keep this holy day. 26Your children will ask you, ‘What does this holy day mean to you?’ 27Tell them, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice to honor the Lord. He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. He spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the Israelites bowed down and worshiped. 28They did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.
29At midnight the Lord struck down every oldest son in Egypt. He killed the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne. He killed all the oldest sons of prisoners. He also killed all the male animals born first to their mothers among the livestock. 30Pharaoh and all his officials got up during the night. So did all the Egyptians. There was loud crying in Egypt because someone had died in every home.
The Exodus
31During the night, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “Get out of here! You and the Israelites, leave my people! Go. Worship the Lord, just as you have asked. 32Go. Take your flocks and herds, just as you have said. And also give me your blessing.”
33The Egyptians begged the people of Israel to hurry up and leave the country. “If you don’t,” they said, “we’ll all die!” 34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added to it. They carried it on their shoulders in bowls for kneading bread. The bowls were wrapped in clothes. 35They did just as Moses had directed them. They asked the Egyptians for things made out of silver and gold. They also asked them for clothes. 36The Lord had caused the Egyptians to treat the Israelites in a kind way. So the Egyptians gave them what they asked for. The Israelites took many expensive things that belonged to the Egyptians.
37The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men old enough to go into battle. The women and children went with them. 38So did many other people. The Israelites also took large flocks and herds with them. 39The Israelites brought dough from Egypt. With it they baked loaves of bread without yeast. The dough didn’t have any yeast in it. That’s because the people had been driven out of Egypt before they had time to prepare their food.
40The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years. 41Then all the Lord’s people marched out of Egypt like an army. That happened at the end of the 430 years, to the exact day. 42The Lord kept watch that night to bring them out of Egypt. So on that same night every year all the Israelites must keep watch. They must do it to honor the Lord for all time to come.
Rules for the Passover
43The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Here are the rules for the Passover meal.
“No one from another country is allowed to eat it. 44Any slave you have bought is allowed to eat it after you have circumcised him. 45But a hired worker or someone who lives with you for a short time is not allowed to eat it.
46“It must be eaten inside the house. Do not take any of the meat outside. Do not break any of the bones. 47The whole community of Israel must celebrate the Passover.
48“Suppose an outsider living among you wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover. Then all the males in that home must be circumcised. After that, the person can take part, just like an Israelite. Only circumcised males may eat it. 49The same law applies to Israelites and to outsiders living among you.”
50All the people of Israel did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51On that day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.
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