Exodus 12
12
Passover
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2“This month will be the very first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth ⌞day⌟ of this month each man must take a lamb or a young goat for his family—one animal per household. 4A household may be too small to eat a whole animal. That household and the one next door can share one animal. Choose your animal based on the number of people and what each person can eat. 5Your animal must be a one-year-old male that has no defects. You may choose a lamb or a young goat. 6Take care of it until the fourteenth ⌞day⌟ of this month.
“Then at dusk, all the assembled people from the community of Israel must slaughter their animals. 7They must take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they will eat the animals. 8The meat must be eaten that same night. It must be roasted over a fire and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. 9Don’t eat any of it raw or boiled but roast the whole animal over a fire. 10Don’t leave any of it until morning. Anything left over in the morning must be burned up. 11This is how ⌞you should be dressed when⌟ you eat it: with your belt on, your sandals on your feet, and your shepherd’s staff in your hand. You must eat it in a hurry. It is the Lord’s Passover.
12“On that same night I will go throughout Egypt and kill every firstborn male, both human and animal. I will severely punish all the gods of Egypt, ⌞because⌟ I am the Lord. 13But the blood on your houses will be a sign for your protection. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Nothing will touch or destroy you when I strike Egypt.
14“This day will be one for you to remember. This is a permanent law for generations to come: You will celebrate this day as a pilgrimage festival in the Lord’s honor. 15For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the very first day you must remove any yeast that you have in your houses. Whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh day must be excluded from Israel. 16You must have a holy assembly on the first day and another one on the seventh. You must not work on these days except to prepare your own meals. That’s all you may do.
17You must celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread because it was on this very day that I brought you out of Egypt in organized family groups. This is a permanent law for future generations: You must celebrate this day. 18From the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day you must eat unleavened bread. 19There should be no yeast in your houses for seven days. Whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be excluded from the community of Israel, whether he is an Israelite or not. 20Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat ⌞only⌟ unleavened bread.”
21Then Moses called for all the leaders of Israel. He said to them, “Pick out a lamb or a young goat for your families, and kill the Passover animal. 22Take the branch of a hyssop plant, dip it in the blood which is in a bowl, and put some of the blood on the top and sides of the doorframes ⌞of your houses⌟. No one may leave the house until morning. 23The Lord will go throughout Egypt to kill the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, he will pass over that doorway, and he will not let the destroyer come into your home to kill you.
24“You must follow these instructions. They are a permanent law for you and your children. 25When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26When your children ask you what this ceremony means to you, 27you must answer, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice in the Lord’s honor. The Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he killed the Egyptians.’ ”
Then the people knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground. 28The Israelites did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.
29At midnight the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal. 30Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the ⌞other⌟ Egyptians got up during the night. There was loud crying throughout Egypt because in every house someone had died.
Pharaoh Allows the Israelites to Leave Egypt
31Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron during the night. He said, “You and the Israelites must leave my people at once. Go, worship the Lord as you asked. 32Take your flocks and herds, too, as you asked. Just go! And bless me, too!”
33The Egyptians begged the people to leave the country quickly. They said, “Soon we’ll all be dead!” 34So the people picked up their bread dough before it had risen and carried it on their shoulders in bowls, wrapped up in their clothes.
35The Israelites did what Moses had told them and asked the Egyptians for gold and silver jewelry and for clothes. 36The Lord made the Egyptians generous to the people, and they gave them what they asked for. So the Israelites stripped Egypt of its wealth.
The Israelites Leave Egypt
37The Israelites left Rameses to go to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, plus all the women and children. 38Many other people also went with them, along with large numbers of sheep, goats, and cattle.
39With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked round, flat bread. The dough hadn’t risen because they’d been thrown out of Egypt and had no time to prepare food for the trip.
40The Israelites had been living in Egypt for 430 years. 41After exactly 430 years all the Lord’s people left Egypt in organized family groups. 42That night the Lord kept watch to take them out of Egypt. (All Israelites in future generations must keep watch on this night, since it is dedicated to the Lord.)
Rules for the Passover
43The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the rules for the Passover:
“No foreigner may eat the Passover meal.
44“Any male slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised him.
45“No foreigner visiting you may eat it.
“No hired worker may eat it.
46“The meal must be eaten inside one house. Never take any of the meat outside the house.
“Never break any of the bones.
47“The whole community of Israel must celebrate the Passover.
48“Foreigners may want to celebrate the Lord’s Passover. First, every male in the household must be circumcised. Then they may celebrate the Passover like native-born Israelites. But no uncircumcised males may ever eat the Passover meal. 49The same instructions apply to native-born Israelites as well as foreigners.”
50All the Israelites did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51That very day the Lord brought all the Israelites out of Egypt in organized family groups.
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Exodus 12: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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