Exodus 12-14

New International Reader's Version

The First Passover Sacrifice

12 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. ² He said, “From now on, this month will be your first month. Each of your years will begin with it. ³ Speak 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. ⁴ Suppose 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. ⁵ The animals you choose must be males that are a year old. They must not have any flaws. You may choose either sheep or goats. ⁶ Take care of them until the 14th day of the month. Then the whole community of Israel must kill them when the sun goes down. ⁷ Take some of the blood. Put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where you eat the lambs. ⁸ That same night eat the meat cooked over a fire. Also eat bitter plants. And eat bread made without yeast. ⁹ Do 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. ¹⁰ Do not leave any of it until morning. If some is left over until morning, burn it up. ¹¹ Eat 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. ¹³ The 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. ¹⁵ For 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. ¹⁶ On 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. ¹⁸ In the first month eat bread made without yeast. Eat it from the evening of the 14th day until the evening of the 21st day. ¹⁹ For 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. ²⁰ Do not eat anything made with yeast. No matter where you live, eat bread made without yeast.”

²¹ Then 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. ²² Get 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. ²³ The 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. ²⁵ The Lord will give you the land, just as he promised. When you enter it, keep this holy day. ²⁶ Your children will ask you, ‘What does this holy day mean to you?’ ²⁷ Tell 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. ²⁸ They did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

²⁹ At 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. ³⁰ Pharaoh 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

³¹ During 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. ³² Go. Take your flocks and herds, just as you have said. And also give me your blessing.”

³³ The Egyptians begged the people of Israel to hurry up and leave the country. “If you don’t,” they said, “we’ll all die!” ³⁴ So 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. ³⁵ They 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. ³⁶ The 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.

³⁷ The 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. ³⁸ So did many other people. The Israelites also took large flocks and herds with them. ³⁹ The 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.

⁴⁰ The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years. ⁴¹ Then 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. ⁴² The 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

⁴³ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Here are the rules for the Passover meal.

“No one from another country is allowed to eat it. ⁴⁴ Any slave you have bought is allowed to eat it after you have circumcised him. ⁴⁵ But 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. ⁴⁷ The 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. ⁴⁹ The same law applies to Israelites and to outsiders living among you.”

⁵⁰ All the people of Israel did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. ⁵¹ On that day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.

Setting Apart the Oldest Sons

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Set apart for me the first boy born in every family. The oldest son of every Israelite mother belongs to me. Every male animal born first to its mother also belongs to me.”

³ Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day. It’s the day you came out of Egypt. That’s the land where you were slaves. The Lord used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt. Don’t eat anything with yeast in it. ⁴ You are leaving today. It’s the month of Aviv. ⁵ The Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites. He promised your people of long ago that he would give that land to you. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey. When you get there, celebrate this holy day in this month. ⁶ For seven days eat bread made without yeast. On the seventh day hold a feast to honor the Lord. ⁷ Eat bread made without yeast during those seven days. Nothing with yeast in it should be found among you. No yeast should be seen anywhere inside your borders. ⁸ On that day talk to your child. Say, ‘I’m doing this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹ When you celebrate this holy day, it will be like a mark on your hand. It will be like a reminder on your forehead. This law of the Lord must be on your lips. The Lord used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt. ¹⁰ Obey this law at the appointed time year after year.

¹¹ “The Lord will bring you into the land of Canaan. He will give it to you, just as he promised he would. He gave his word to you and your people of long ago. ¹² After you arrive in the land, give to the Lord the oldest son of every mother. Every male animal born first to its mother among your livestock belongs to the Lord. ¹³ By sacrificing a lamb, buy back every male donkey born first to its mother. But if you don’t buy the donkey back, break its neck. Buy back every oldest son.

¹⁴ “In days to come, your child will ask you, ‘What does this mean?’ Say to them, ‘The Lord used his mighty hand to bring us out of Egypt. That’s the land where we were slaves. ¹⁵ Pharaoh was stubborn. He refused to let us go. So the Lord killed every oldest son in Egypt. He also killed all those born first among the people and animals. That’s why I sacrifice to the Lord every male animal born first. And that’s why I buy back each of my oldest sons for the Lord.’ ¹⁶ This holy day will be like a mark on your hand. It will be like a sign on your forehead. It will remind you that the Lord used his mighty hand to bring us out of Egypt.”

Israel Goes Through the Red Sea

¹⁷ Pharaoh let the people go. The shortest road from Goshen to Canaan went through the Philistine country. But God didn’t lead them that way. God said, “If they have to go into battle, they might change their minds. They might return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ So God led the people toward the Red Sea by taking them on a road through the desert. The Israelites were ready for battle when they went up out of Egypt.

¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him. Joseph had made the Israelites give their word to do this. He had said, “God will surely come to help you. When he does, you must carry my bones up from this place with you.” (Genesis 50:25)

²⁰ The people left Sukkoth. They camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. ²¹ By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. It guided them on their way. At night he led them with a pillar of fire. It gave them light. So they could travel by day or at night. ²² The pillar of cloud didn’t leave its place in front of the people during the day. And the pillar of fire didn’t leave its place at night.

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. ² He said, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back. Have them camp near Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the Red Sea. They must camp by the sea, right across from Baal Zephon. ³ Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land. They don’t know which way to go. The desert is all around them.’ ⁴ I will make Pharaoh stubborn. He will chase them. But I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh and his whole army. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites camped by the Red Sea.

⁵ The king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped. Then Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them. They said, “What have we done? We’ve let the people of Israel go! We’ve lost our slaves and all the work they used to do for us!” ⁶ So he had his chariot made ready. He took his army with him. ⁷ He took 600 of the best chariots in Egypt. He also took along all the other chariots. Officers were in charge of all of them. ⁸ The Lord made Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, stubborn. So he chased the Israelites as they were marching out boldly. ⁹ The Egyptians went after the Israelites. All Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen and troops chased them. They caught up with the Israelites as they camped by the sea. The Israelites were near Pi Hahiroth, across from Baal Zephon.

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked back. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the Lord. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² We told you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians.’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the desert!”

¹³ Moses answered the people. He said, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.”

¹⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people of Israel to move on. ¹⁶ Hold out your walking stick. Reach out your hand over the Red Sea to divide the water. Then the people can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I will make the Egyptians stubborn. They will go in after the Israelites. I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh, his army, chariots and horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will gain glory because of what will happen to Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ The angel of God had been traveling in front of Israel’s army. Now he moved back and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved away from in front of them. Now it stood behind them. ²⁰ It came between the armies of Egypt and Israel. All through the night the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other. Neither army went near the other all night long.

²¹ Then Moses reached out his hand over the Red Sea. All that night the Lord pushed the sea back with a strong east wind. He turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided. ²² The people of Israel went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left.

²³ The Egyptians chased them. All Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. ²⁴ Near the end of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud. He saw the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic. ²⁵ He jammed the wheels of their chariots. That made the chariots hard to drive. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for Israel against Egypt.”

²⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Reach out your hand over the sea. The waters will flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ So Moses reached out his hand over the sea. At sunrise the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians tried to run away from the sea. But the Lord swept them into it. ²⁸ The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen. It covered the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the people of Israel into the sea. Not one of the Egyptians was left.

²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of Egypt. The Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ The Israelites saw the amazing power the Lord showed against the Egyptians. So the Israelites had great respect for the Lord and put their trust in him. They also put their trust in his servant Moses.