Exodus 12 - Introduction
_THE INSTITUTION OF THE PASSOVER: THE DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN: THE DEPARTURE OF THE ISRAELITES OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE INSTITUTION OF THE PASSOVER: THE DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN: THE DEPARTURE OF THE ISRAELITES OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS MONTH SHALL BE UNTO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS— The Jews, like most other nations, began their year, before this event, about the autumnal equinox, in the month Tisri, after their harvest and vintage: but that which was their first month, now became their seventh; as the month Abib, which answ... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE TENTH DAY OF THIS MONTH— It appears from Exodus 12:6 that the passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month. In after-times they did not begin their preparation till the thirteenth, or the day before the passover: but now, they are ordered to prepare on the tenth day of the... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR LAMB SHALL BE WITHOUT BLEMISH— It was an indispensable qualification in sacrifices, to be _perfect,_ as the Hebrew has it, or _without blemish._ See Leviticus 20:24. This was not peculiar to the sacrifices offered to the true God. The heathens were no less careful in this respect. As the pascha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL KEEP IT UP, &C.— Keep it up apart from the flock. _And the whole assembly shall kill it, i.e. any person_ of the whole assembly of Israel shall have liberty to kill it: the slaying of the passover was not appropriated to the priesthood, as the offering of the blood was. See Leviticus 2:... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL TAKE OF THE BLOOD, &C.— It appears, from Exodus 12:22 that this ceremony was to be performed by dipping a bunch of hyssop into the blood of the lamb. It was peculiar to this first passover: and the reason of it is given in the 23rd verse. In after-times, when the children of Israel were s... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL EAT THE FLESH IN THAT NIGHT— That is to say, the night following the fourteenth, and beginning the fifteenth day; for we must not forget, that the Hebrew day commenced from the setting of the sun. The lamb was to be sacrificed the fourteenth, between three and six; but it was eaten on the... [ Continue Reading ]
EAT NOT OF IT RAW, &C.— Particular caution is here given, that the lamb should be _roasted with fire;_ that he should be roasted _whole: his head, with his legs, and all which pertains to him._ It was not to be eaten _raw;_ that is _rare,_ or _half-roasted:_ it was to be thoroughly done, none of the... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL LET NOTHING OF IT REMAIN UNTIL THE MORNING— If the guests were not sufficient to eat up the whole lamb, what remained in the morning was then to be consumed in the fire. The verse might be rendered, _ye shall let nothing it remain until the morning; but if any shall happen to remain, ye sha... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SHALL YE EAT IT— The reason of these peculiar ceremonies is abundantly evident: and they were to be kept in perpetual commemoration of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and of their redemption, when the Lord passed through the land: and, in a moral and spiritual view, they serve well... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT I WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENT— The original word here rendered _gods,_ is אלהי _alei;_ which, in the margin of our Bibles, is rendered _princes;_ as the word _aleim_ sometimes signifies: and Wall is strongly of opinion that this is its true meaning. But the generality of inte... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL PASS OVER YOU— Here the reason of the name _passover_ is given: and, to the believing Israelites, it must have been a source of continual comfort. _An ordinance for ever,_ at the end of the 14th verse, means an ordinance which shall be observed so long as the Jewish church subsists; or till C... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN DAYS SHALL YE EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD— In consequence of this command, the Jews searched with the utmost diligence the evening before the passover, that there might not be the least leaven, or leavened bread, remaining in their houses. They were to continue in the use of unleavened bread seven da... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE BROUGHT OUT— This translation may be proper, as God may truly be said to have done what he has fully proposed and decreed to do. But perhaps it might have been as well rendered, in agreement with several of the versions, _I will bring out,_ or _I am about to bring out._ REFLECTIONS.—The deli... [ Continue Reading ]
DRAW OUT AND TAKE—AND KILL THE PASSOVER.— The word משׁכו _mishecu_ signifies, properly, as we have rendered it, to _draw out_ or _take from_ a number; as if it was said, _choose out now,_ and _take you a lamb._ It deserves particularly to be remembered, that Moses here calls the paschal lamb by the... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL TAKE A BUNCH OF HYSSOP— This herb was to be used in the cleansing of the leprous person and the leprous house, as well as on other occasions. See Leviticus 14:6; Leviticus 7:38. Numbers 6:18. In allusion to this, David, praying for purification from the leprosy of sin, says, _purge me with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT AT MIDNIGHT, &C.— See ch. Exodus 11:4. If the common interpretation of the words in Exodus 12:12 _the gods of Egypt_ be embraced; we may reasonably suppose, that _the first-born of beasts_ is here so particularly specified, on account of the veneration which the Egyptians p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CALLED FOR MOSES AND AARON, &C.— See note on ch. Exodus 10:29. Hence we see, how vain it is to contend against the Almighty. Sooner or later the most obstinate must submit before him; and even an obdurate Pharaoh prays for a blessing from him.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BLESS ME ALSO— That is, not only freely depart, but pray for a blessing upon me and my people, at this dreadful hour of destruction; and intreat the Lord to deliver us from the imminent danger of this plague.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE TOOK THEIR DOUGH BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED— Or, more properly, _not yet leavened,_ or _which had not yet been leavened; i.e_. their dough unleavened, according to the immediate order of God; the vessels in which they were used to knead their dough being hastily bound up in their garments, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY BORROWED OF THE EGYPTIANS JEWELS OF SILVER, &C.— This was the immediate command of God himself, ch. Exodus 3:22 and, therefore, we might reasonably conclude, could not be any act of injustice, as proceeding from the great Fountain of right and truth: and, perhaps, the only reason which has caus... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SPOILED THE EGYPTIANS— So long ago as in the time of Abraham, this event had been foretold, Genesis 15:14. See Psalms 105:37. See also Waterland's Scripture vindicated, par. 2: p. 9. REFLECTIONS.—_Observe,_ 1. Heavy the dreadful stroke descends. At midnight the destroyer comes: one awful groan... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM RAMESES TO SUCCOTH— In Genesis 47:11. Goshen is called _the land of Rameses;_ and therefore it is most reasonable to suppose, that no particular city is here meant, but the land of Goshen in general: though some have thought that Rameses was the chief city of the land of Goshen, and that the Is... [ Continue Reading ]
A MIXED MULTITUDE WENT UP—WITH THEM— _A great mixture_ of people of other nations, but more particularly of the Egyptians. These are thought to have been proselytes to the Jewish religion. See Numbers 11:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOJOURNING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, &C.— That the children or descendants of Israel did not sojourn or dwell four hundred and thirty years in Egypt, may be easily and has been frequently demonstrated, says Dr. Kennicott: some therefore would fancy, that, by _Egypt,_ are to be understood here,... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE SELF-SAME DAY—ALL THE HOSTS OF THE LORD— Archbishop Usher supposes, that as this day of their Exodus was Abib 15th, or May 5th, of this year, so Abraham's coming out of Charran was Abib 15th of that year. REFLECTIONS.—1. Moses embraces the favourable moment. The people march immediately, an... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER SHALL YE BREAK A BONE THEREOF— No other comment can be necessary on these words, than a reference to the completion of the type, John 19:33; John 19:36.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SELF-SAME DAY— See Exodus 12:41. Thus the Lord wonderfully delivered his people, and appointed a solemn festival to perpetuate the memory of this great event: some traces of which, however corrupted and imperfect, were preserved in the most distant nations. Strabo, in particular, says, there was... [ Continue Reading ]