Exodus 12
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The First Passover Instituted
12 [a]The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household is too small for a lamb, then a man and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old; you shall take it from the sheep or from the goats; 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs in the evening.[b] 7 Then they shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled with water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning, anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses, for if any one eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly; no work shall be done on those days; but what every one must eat, that only may be prepared by you. 17 And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt: therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, and so until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for if any one eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”
21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Select lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood which is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to slay the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to slay you. 24 You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. 25 And when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.
28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
29 At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where one was not dead. 31 And he summoned Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise up, go forth from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also!”
The Exodus: From Rameses to Succoth
33 And the Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said, “We are all dead men.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their mantles on their shoulders. 35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked of the Egyptians jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing; 36 and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they despoiled the Egyptians.
37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Ram′eses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any provisions.
40 The time that the people of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.
Directions for the Passover
43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the passover: no foreigner shall eat of it; 44 but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. 45 No sojourner or hired servant may eat of it. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth any of the flesh outside the house; and you shall not break a bone of it. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”
50 Thus did all the people of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.
Footnotes
- 12.1 The feast of the passover, the regulations for which are given here, commemorates the deliverance from Egypt. The feast of unleavened bread would probably have been added only after the entry into Canaan. The passover foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus (1 Cor 5.7).
- Exodus 12:6 Heb between the two evenings
Exodus 12
New King James Version
The Passover Instituted(A)
12 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 (B)“This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the (C)tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be (D)without[a] blemish, a male [b]of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the (E)fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that (F)night; (G)roasted in fire, with (H)unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but (I)roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. 10 (J)You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 And thus you shall eat it: [c]with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. (K)It is the Lord’s Passover.
12 ‘For I (L)will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and (M)against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: (N)I am the Lord. 13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘So this day shall be to you (O)a memorial; and you shall keep it as a (P)feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast (Q)by an everlasting ordinance. 15 (R)Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, (S)that [d]person shall be [e]cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be (T)a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for (U)on this same day I will have brought your [f]armies (V)out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 (W)In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For (X)seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’ ”
21 Then (Y)Moses called for all the (Z)elders of Israel and said to them, (AA)“Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 (AB)And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and (AC)strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 (AD)For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the (AE)blood on the [g]lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and (AF)not allow (AG)the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. 24 And you shall (AH)observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, (AI)just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 (AJ)And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, (AK)‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ ” So the people (AL)bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and (AM)did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn(AN)
29 (AO)And it came to pass at midnight that (AP)the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was [h]in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of (AQ)livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
The Exodus
31 Then he (AR)called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, (AS)both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have (AT)said. 32 (AU)Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”
33 (AV)And the Egyptians (AW)urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians (AX)articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 (AY)And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus (AZ)they plundered the Egyptians.
37 Then (BA)the children of Israel journeyed from (BB)Rameses to Succoth, about (BC)six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A (BD)mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of (BE)livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because (BF)they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.
40 Now the [i]sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in [j]Egypt was (BG)four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that (BH)all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is (BI)a [k]night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
Passover Regulations(BJ)
43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is (BK)the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have (BL)circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45 (BM)A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, (BN)nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 (BO)All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And (BP)when a stranger [l]dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 (BQ)One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
50 Thus all the children of Israel did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51 (BR)And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt (BS)according to their armies.
Footnotes
- Exodus 12:5 perfect or sound
- Exodus 12:5 a year old
- Exodus 12:11 Made ready to travel
- Exodus 12:15 soul
- Exodus 12:15 Put to death
- Exodus 12:17 hosts
- Exodus 12:23 Crosspiece at top of door
- Exodus 12:29 in prison
- Exodus 12:40 Length of the stay
- Exodus 12:40 Sam., LXX Egypt and Canaan
- Exodus 12:42 night of vigil
- Exodus 12:48 As a resident alien
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
