THE INSTITUTION OF THE PASSOVER. THE TENTH PLAGUE, AND THE DEPARTURE OF ISRAEL 1. In the land of Egypt] These words suggest that what follows was written independently of the foregoing narrative, and an examination of this chapter shows that it contains two separate accounts of the institution of t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS] The exodus is regarded as an 'epoch-making' event (cp. Judges 19:30; 1 Kings 6:1), and to mark its importance the month in which it occurs is to be reckoned the first month of the ecclesiastical year. This is the month Abib (see Exodus 13:4; Exodus 23:15; Exodus 34:18; Deute... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION] by means of their representatives: see on Exodus 3:16. A LAMB] The word may also mean a kid, but practically a lamb was always chosen: cp. Exodus 3:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
TOO LITTLE] According to Josephus the lower limit was fixed at ten persons. He also says that in his time (between the death of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem) 250,000 lambs were sacrificed at the Passover and partaken of by 2,700,000 people. 5· In accordance with the principle that whateve... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP IT UP UNTIL THE FOURTEENTH DAY] This is to ensure that no blemish shall pass undetected. IN THE EVENING] lit. 'between the evenings,' i.e. probably between sunset and darkness. Darkness was supposed to begin when three stars became visible. Josephus says that the time of sacrifice was from thre... [ Continue Reading ]
UPPER DOOR POST] RV 'lintel.' The shedding of the blood signified the offering of the life to God. The sprinkling of the lintel was not only a sign to the destroying angel, but an indication that atonement had been made on behalf of the inmates of the house.... [ Continue Reading ]
ROAST WITH FIRE] The flesh of sacrificial animals which were eaten by the offerers was usually boiled: cp. 1 Samuel 2:13; 1 Samuel 2:14. In the present case the roasting was probably to ensure haste (Exodus 12:39) and to prevent the dismemberment of the animal: see Exodus 12:9; Exodus 12:46. AND UNL... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS HEAD WITH HIS LEGS, AND WITH THE PURTENANCE (RV 'INWARDS') THEREOF] The entrails were taken out, cleansed, and replaced, and the lamb was then roasted whole: cp. Exodus 12:46, 'neither shall ye break a bone thereof.' The unmutilated lamb symbolises the unity of Israel. St. John sees in it also a... [ Continue Reading ]
This prohibition is meant to prevent what remains of the sacrifice from being profaned. Burning was the regular mode of disposing of the remains of every sacrificial animal: see Exodus 29:34; Leviticus 4:12; Leviticus 7:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
The passover is to be eaten with every indication of haste. WITH YOUR LOINS GIRDED] To gird up the loins is to gather up the long flowing skirt of the outer robe under the girdle, so as to leave the limbs free in working or running: see 1 Kings 18:46; Luke 12:37; Luke 17:8. At the present day (as in... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT] The gods of Egypt would be powerless to avert the judgment of Jehovah. As in Egypt many deities were worshipped in the form of animals, the destruction of the firstborn of beasts would be felt as the execution of a judgment upon these gods.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVER] The Jews still keep the feasts of the Passover and Unleavened Bread. They now offer no sacrifice, seeing that Jerusalem has passed from their possession, but they look forward to the time when they will return to Jerusalem and the sacrifice be resumed. Each celebration is closed with the p... [ Continue Reading ]
The seven days beginning with the Passover are to be kept as a feast of unleavened bread. The Passover (_pesach_) and feast of Unleavened Bread (_mazzoth_) are really distinct, but as they were always celebrated in succession the name Passover is sometimes used to cover both: cp. Luke 22:1. SHALL BE... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HOLY CONVOCATION] The word denotes a gathering of the people for a religious purpose: see Numbers 10:2. The abstention from work enjoined here is not so strict as on the sabbath and the Day of Atonement: cp. Leviticus 23:8 with Leviticus 23:3; Leviticus 23:28, and with Exodus 35:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
A STRANGER] a foreigner who had entered the congregation by circumcision, a proselyte, in contradistinction to 'one born in the land,' i.e. the land of Canaan (another indication of later date), a native Israelite.... [ Continue Reading ]
HYSSOP] supposed to be wild marjoram, which grows in Egypt and Sinai and Palestine. Its powder, which has a pungent aromatic flavour like that of mint, is used as a condiment. It was supposed to have cleansing properties, and a bunch of hyssop was frequently used in ceremonial sprinkling, for which... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MEAN YE BY THIS SERVICE?] To this day, at the Jewish celebration of the Passover, the youngest child present who is able to do so is made to ask this question, which is answered by a recitation of the circumstances attending the original institution of the feast. An interesting description of a... [ Continue Reading ]
AT MIDNIGHT] the Passover night, following the 14th day of Abib. The Jewish day is reckoned from sunset to sunset: see on Exodus 11:4. 31-42. The Departure from Egypt.... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESS ME ALSO] intercede for me, that no further plague come upon me for your sakes.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED] This shows the haste with which they departed: see Exodus 12:39. On the KNEADING-TROUGHS see on Exodus 8:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
BORROWED] RV 'asked,' as in Exodus 3:22; Exodus 11:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
LENT UNTO THEM.. _required_] RV 'let them have what they asked.'... [ Continue Reading ]
RAMESES] see on Exodus 1:11. SUCCOTH has been identified with the Egyptian Thuku, the region whose capital was Pithom: see on Exodus 1:11. SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND ON FOOT _that were_ MEN] i.e. of twenty years old and upwards, fit for war. This implies a total of perhaps three millions. On the number se... [ Continue Reading ]
A MIXED MULTITUDE] of foreigners and Egyptians who were associated with the Israelites through marriage and as slaves. We read of these again in Leviticus 24:10; Numbers 11:4. VERY MUCH CATTLE] On the resources of the wilderness and its ability to support a multitude of people with flocks and herds,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS] This agrees with the prophetical statement in Genesis 15:13. But the Samaritan text of the OT. and LXX after the words 'in Egypt' here add 'and in Canaan,' thus making the 430 years run from the immigration of Abraham into Canaan, and reducing the stay in Egypt after t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SELF-SAME DAY] on the 15th day of Abib: see Exodus 12:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
A NIGHT TO BE MUCH OBSERVED] This rendering rests on the injunction in Exodus 12:14. The Heb. is literally 'a night of watching unto the Lord,' i.e. a night of vigil or watch-festival. 43-49· These directions regarding the lawful participants in the Passover seem to be introduced here in consequenc... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE LAW] i.e. of the necessity of circumcision to participation in the Passover.... [ Continue Reading ]