12:2 the beginning of months The exodus from Egypt is of such profound importance that the Israelite calendar is reoriented to it. The first month of the year will now be the month that Israel left Egypt, and the remaining months are numbered accordingly.

Israelite Calendar Table

Calendars in Old Testament Times

12:3 the tenth During the conquest period, Joshua chose the 10th day of the first month to cross the Jordan and claim the promised land (Josh 4:19). The 10th day of months appears to have some religious significance, since the Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) falls on the 10th day of the seventh month (Lev 23:27; 25:9–10).

a lamb for the household Each household has a lamb, and the lambs are killed, prepared, and consumed at home (Exod 12:4–10).

Passover Regulations in Exodus and Deuteronomy Table

12:5 without defect Using a defective animal for a meal or sacrifice was considered a terrible insult. Since God is the recipient of the Passover sacrifice, this principle takes on even greater importance (see Lev 1:3; 3:1; 22:19, 21; Deut 15:21; 17:1; compare Mal 1:8).

12:7 doorposts and on the lintel The Israelites were to collect the blood of the sacrifice in a bowl or basin (Exod 12:22) and daub it on the doorposts and lintel. The blood itself had no power to ward off the destruction; passing over the house was Yahweh’s decision.

12:8 unleavened bread The Hebrew word used here, matsah, refers to a type of bread that has no yeast. Since the dough does not rise, it can be baked quickly; it is thus ideal for unexpected guests or eating hastily (see vv. 11; Gen 19:3).

fire-roasted Roasting eliminates the blood entirely; blood was forbidden for consumption (see Lev 3:17; 17:10–14; Deut 15:23).

bitter herbs Likely represent the bitterness of the Israelites bondage in Egypt (see Exod 1:14).

12:11 your waists fastened Men at this time usually wore an ankle-length, flowing garment. When they needed greater mobility, they pulled the excess length of the garment toward their waists and tightened it with a sash.

Passover The Hebrew noun used here is pesach.

12:12 I will go Yahweh again uses the first person. See note on 11:1–3.

I will do punishments among all of the gods of Egypt The first reference to the plagues as judgments on Egypt’s gods.

12:13 I will pass over The Hebrew verb used here is pasach, meaning “to pass over;” hence the noun pesach. See note on v. 11.

12:15 You will eat unleavened bread for seven days The narrative moves from the Passover and its use of unleavened bread to the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. The original Passover was not seven days long; it lasted one evening—the evening when Yahweh passed through Egypt. The seven-day feast was celebrated later in Israel’s history.

you shall remove yeast The reason for this prohibition of leaven is unknown. During the Passover, the rationale was clearly haste (see note on Exod 12:8), but this cannot be true of a seven-day festival.

will be cut off from Israel This phrase likely refers to ostracism or banishment from the community.

12:16 it alone The prohibition of work during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is more lax than the Sabbath or Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Working to prepare meals is permitted.

12:21 Moses called all the elders of Moses now gives God’s instructions for the Passover to the elders of Israel. For the elders, see Exod 3:16.

12:22 a bunch of hyssop The branches of this plant were to be used as a brush to apply the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts and lintel (v. 7). Hyssop was also used in other ritual acts (see Lev 14:4, 6, 49, 51, 52; Num 19:6, 18; Psa 51:9).

12:23 will go through to strike Yahweh will pass through Egypt and kill the firstborn. Elsewhere in the ot, the destruction at Passover is also attributed to Yahweh (Psa 78:51; 105:36), but in Psa 78:49, a group of destructive angels takes the lives of the firstborn. The imagery in Psa 78 is similar to that of Ezek 9, where a group of angels kill the idolaters in Jerusalem (compare Ezek 10:2–7; Dan 12:6–7).

destroyer Though the Hebrew word mashchith can be rendered “destroyer,” it is typically rendered “destruction.” In view of Psa 78:49, where a group of destroying angels kills the firstborn, this use of mashchith may mean that Yahweh will not allow destruction to enter their houses.

12:25 you will keep this religious custom Compare Exod 12:14, 17.

12:31 serve Yahweh, as you have said Pharaoh gets up in the middle of the night to surrender in humiliation. Since no face-to-face conversation is presented (unlike in other passages), Pharaoh apparently sends word to Moses and Aaron to leave Egypt (see 10:28–29).

12:34 before it had yeast Not a reference to the Passover ritual; that had already been performed. Rather, the Egyptians push Israel out of Egypt so quickly that their bread with leaven does not have time to rise.

12:35 objects of silver and objects of gold and for clothing See 11:1–3; compare Gen 15:14.

12:37 Rameses Refers to Goshen. See note on Gen 47:11. On the route of the exodus, see Exod 13:17 and note.

six hundred thousand The numbers given here and elsewhere in the story of the exodus and wilderness wanderings are logistically problematic. See note on Num 1:20–46; note on Num 1:46.

Large Numbers in the Exodus and Wilderness Journey

12:38 a mixed multitude The Hebrew phrase used here, erev rav, refers to a mixed group of non-Israelites who joined them in their departure. Others who wanted to leave Egypt—probably also slaves—took the opportunity to join the Israelites. Elsewhere, the word erev refers to foreigners in the midst of the Israelite population (Jer 50:37; Neh 13:3). The incident recorded in Lev 24:10–16 indicates that some Egyptians had joined with the Israelites.

12:40 four hundred and thirty years Genesis 15:13 indicates Israel’s affliction in Egypt would last 400 years. This reference to 430 years may be interpreted as conflicting with that chronology, but it is more likely that the Genesis reference is just a round number.

12:42 a night of vigils The Israelites spend their final night in Egypt in extreme watchfulness. They are likely worried about retaliation by Pharaoh.

12:43 foreigner The Hebrew term used here, nekhar, refers to someone whose nationality is not Israelite.

12:45 A temporary resident and a hired worker The Hebrew terms used here are toshav and sakhir. Based on Lev 22:10–12, these two classes of people were also excluded from sacred donations, even if they were in the service of a priest (Lev 25:6, 40).

12:48 an alien dwells with you See Num 9:14.