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The Passover Lamb

12 Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of [a]Egypt, (A)This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a [b]lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a [c]lamb for [d]each household. Now if the household is too small for a [e]lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the [f]number of persons in them; according to [g]what each man should eat, you are to [h]apportion the lamb. Your [i]lamb shall be (B)a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. [j]And you shall keep it until the (C)fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it [k](D)at twilight. (E)Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel [l]of the houses in which they eat it. And they shall eat the flesh (F)that night, (G)roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with (H)unleavened bread [m](I)and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather (J)roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with (K)its entrails. 10 (L)And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is (M)the Passover of Yahweh. 12 And (N)I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and (O)against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—(P)I am Yahweh. 13 (Q)And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and I will see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague among you [n]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

14 ‘Now (R)this day will be (S)a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as [o](T)a perpetual statute. 15 (U)Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall [p]remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, (V)that [q]person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 (W)Now on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten [r]by every person, that alone may be done by you. 17 You shall also keep (X)the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this (Y)very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall keep this day throughout your generations as [s](Z)a perpetual statute. 18 (AA)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 (AB)Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that [t](AC)person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your places of habitation you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

21 Then (AD)Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “[u]Bring out and (AE)take for yourselves [v]lambs according to your families and slaughter (AF)the Passover lamb. 22 (AG)And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and [w]touch some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the doorway of his house until morning. 23 And (AH)Yahweh will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and He will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and Yahweh will pass over the doorway and will (AI)not allow the (AJ)destroyer to come into your houses to smite you. 24 And (AK)you shall keep this event as a statute for you and your children forever. 25 And it will be, when you enter the land which Yahweh will give you, as He has [x]promised, you shall keep this new [y]slavery. 26 (AL)And it will be when your children say to you, ‘[z]What is the meaning of this new slavery to you?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to (AM)Yahweh who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but delivered our homes.’” (AN)And the people bowed low and worshiped.

28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Death of the Firstborn of Egypt

29 Now it happened at (AO)midnight that (AP)Yahweh struck all (AQ)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 in the [aa]dungeon, and all the firstborn of (AR)cattle. 30 Then Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was (AS)a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. 31 Then (AT)he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, (AU)get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, [ab]serve Yahweh, as you have spoken. 32 Take (AV)both your flocks and your herds, as you have spoken, and go, and bless me also.”

Israel Goes Out from Egypt

33 (AW)And the Egyptians strongly pressed the people to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.” 34 So the people took up (AX)their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.

35 (AY)Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses—they had asked from the Egyptians for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; 36 and Yahweh had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they (AZ)plundered the Egyptians.

37 And the (BA)sons of Israel journeyed from (BB)Rameses to Succoth, about (BC)six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from the little ones. 38 A [ac](BD)foreign multitude also went up with them, [ad]along with flocks and herds, a (BE)very [ae]large number of livestock. 39 And they baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were (BF)driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they [af]prepared any provisions for themselves.

40 Now the time [ag]that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was (BG)430 years. 41 And it happened at the end of 430 years, [ah]to (BH)the very day, that (BI)all the hosts of Yahweh went out from the land of Egypt. 42 (BJ)It is a night to be kept for Yahweh for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for Yahweh, to be kept [ai]by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

The Statute of the Passover

43 And Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of (BK)the Passover: no [aj](BL)foreigner shall eat of it; 44 but every man’s (BM)slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. 45 (BN)A foreign resident or a hired person shall not eat of it. 46 It shall be eaten in a single house; you shall not bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, (BO)and you shall not break any bone of it. 47 (BP)All the congregation of Israel shall [ak]celebrate this. 48 But (BQ)if a sojourner sojourns with you and [al]celebrates the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to [am]celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 49 [an](BR)The same law shall [ao]apply to the native as to the sojourner who sojourns among you.”

50 So all the sons of Israel did; as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did. 51 And on that same day (BS)Yahweh brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt [ap](BT)by their hosts.

Sanctifying the Firstborn

13 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, (BU)Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first [aq]offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

And Moses said to the people, “(BV)Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of [ar]slavery; for (BW)by a strong hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. (BX)And nothing leavened shall be eaten. This day, in the (BY)month of Abib, you are going out. And it shall be when Yahweh (BZ)brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which (CA)He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, (CB)that you shall [as]do this service in this month. For (CC)seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to Yahweh. Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and (CD)nothing leavened shall be seen [at]among you, nor shall any leaven be seen [au]among you in all your borders. (CE)And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And (CF)it will be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with (CG)a strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt. 10 Therefore, you shall (CH)keep this statute at its appointed time from [av]year to year.

11 “And it will be when (CI)Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as (CJ)He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 (CK)and you shall [aw]devote to Yahweh the first [ax]offspring of every womb and [ay]the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to Yahweh. 13 But (CL)every first [az]offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and (CM)every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 (CN)And it will be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘(CO)With a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, from the house of [ba]slavery. 15 And it happened, when Pharaoh hardened his heart with stiffness about letting us go, that (CP)Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to Yahweh the males, the first [bb]offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 So (CQ)it will be as a sign on your hand and as [bc]phylacteries between your eyes, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”

Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17 Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “(CR)Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the [bd]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up (CS)in battle array from the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took (CT)the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely [be]take care of you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.” 20 Then they set out from (CU)Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 (CV)And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. 22 [bf]He (CW)did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Israel Crosses the Red Sea

14 Now Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel so that they turn back and camp before (CX)Pi-hahiroth, between (CY)Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering in confusion in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ Thus (CZ)I will [bg]harden Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and (DA)he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that (DB)the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” And they did so.

Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. (DC)And Yahweh [bh]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an [bi](DD)exalted hand. Then (DE)the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, (DF)beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 Now Pharaoh drew near, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very afraid; (DG)so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 11 Then (DH)they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done against us in [bj]bringing us out of Egypt? 12 (DI)Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[bk]Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “(DJ)Do not fear! [bl]Stand by and see (DK)the salvation of Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 (DL)Yahweh will fight for you, and (DM)you will keep silent.”

15 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel so that they go forward. 16 As for you, raise up (DN)your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the sons of Israel shall [bm]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 As for Me, behold, (DO)I will [bn]harden the hearts of the Egyptians with strength so that they will go in after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 (DP)Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 (DQ)Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud [bo]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

21 (DR)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh [bp]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea into (DS)dry ground, so (DT)the waters were split. 22 (DU)So the sons of Israel [bq]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and (DV)the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 Then (DW)the Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 Then at the morning watch, (DX)Yahweh looked down on the camp of the Egyptians [br]through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the camp of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 And He [bs]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let [bt]us flee from Israel, (DY)for Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “(DZ)Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and (EA)the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak while the Egyptians were fleeing [bu]right into it; then Yahweh [bv](EB)overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, [bw]even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; (EC)not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on (ED)dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 (EE)Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (EF)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Then Israel saw the great hand which Yahweh had [bx]used against the Egyptians; and the people [by]feared Yahweh, and (EG)they believed in Yahweh and in His servant Moses.

The Song of Moses and Israel

15 (EH)Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Yahweh [bz]and said,

[ca](EI)I will sing to Yahweh, for He [cb]is highly exalted;
(EJ)The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
[cc](EK)Yah is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
(EL)This is my God, and I will praise Him;
(EM)My father’s God, and I will (EN)extol Him.
(EO)Yahweh is a warrior;
(EP)Yahweh is His name.
(EQ)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are sunk in the [cd]Red Sea.
The deeps cover them;
(ER)They went down into the depths like a stone.
(ES)Your right hand, O Yahweh, is majestic in power,
(ET)Your right hand, O Yahweh, shatters the enemy.
And in the greatness of Your [ce]exaltation You (EU)pull down those who rise up against You;
(EV)You send forth Your burning anger, and it (EW)devours them as chaff.
(EX)And at the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
(EY)The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
(EZ)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will (FA)divide the spoil;
My [cf]desire shall be fulfilled against them;
I will draw out my sword, my hand will dispossess them.’
10 (FB)You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
(FC)They sank like lead in the [cg]mighty waters.
11 (FD)Who is like You among the gods, O Yahweh?
Who is like You, (FE)majestic in holiness,
(FF)Fearsome in praises, (FG)working wonders?
12 (FH)You stretched out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 In Your lovingkindness You have (FI)guided the people whom You have (FJ)redeemed;
In Your strength You have led them (FK)to Your holy habitation.
14 (FL)The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the (FM)chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
(FN)The leaders of Moab, trembling seizes them;
(FO)All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 (FP)Terror and dread fall upon them;
(FQ)By the greatness of Your arm they are still as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O Yahweh,
Until the people pass over whom You (FR)have purchased.
17 (FS)You will bring them and (FT)plant them in (FU)the mountain of Your inheritance,
(FV)The place, O Yahweh, which You have made for You to inhabit,
(FW)The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 (FX)Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”

19 (FY)For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on (FZ)dry land through the midst of the sea.

20 (GA)And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the (GB)tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with [ch](GC)dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them,

(GD)Sing to Yahweh, for He [ci]is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

Yahweh Sweetens the Water

22 (GE)Then Moses [cj]had Israel set out from the [ck]Red Sea, and they went out into (GF)the wilderness of (GG)Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 And they came to (GH)Marah, but they could not drink the waters [cl]of Marah, for they were [cm]bitter; therefore it was named [cn]Marah. 24 So the people (GI)grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 Then he (GJ)cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him (GK)a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There He (GL)set for them a statute and a judgment, and there He (GM)tested them. 26 And He said, “(GN)If you will earnestly listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear (GO)to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, (GP)I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, (GQ)Yahweh, am your healer.”

27 Then they came to (GR)Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 12:1 Lit Egypt, saying
  2. Exodus 12:3 Or kid
  3. Exodus 12:3 Or kid
  4. Exodus 12:3 Lit the
  5. Exodus 12:4 Or kid
  6. Exodus 12:4 Or amount
  7. Exodus 12:4 Lit each man’s eating
  8. Exodus 12:4 Lit compute for
  9. Exodus 12:5 Or kid
  10. Exodus 12:6 Lit It shall be to you for a guarding
  11. Exodus 12:6 Lit between the two evenings
  12. Exodus 12:7 Lit upon
  13. Exodus 12:8 Lit in addition to
  14. Exodus 12:13 Lit for destruction
  15. Exodus 12:14 Or an eternal
  16. Exodus 12:15 Lit cause to cease
  17. Exodus 12:15 Lit soul
  18. Exodus 12:16 Lit pertaining to
  19. Exodus 12:17 Or an eternal
  20. Exodus 12:19 Lit soul
  21. Exodus 12:21 Lit Draw out
  22. Exodus 12:21 Lit sheep
  23. Exodus 12:22 Lit cause to touch
  24. Exodus 12:25 Lit spoken
  25. Exodus 12:25 Or service
  26. Exodus 12:26 Lit What is this service to you?
  27. Exodus 12:29 Lit house of the pit, cf. Gen 37:20; 40:15
  28. Exodus 12:31 Or worship
  29. Exodus 12:38 Or mixed, cf. Neh 13:3; Jer 25:20; 50:37
  30. Exodus 12:38 Lit and
  31. Exodus 12:38 Or glorious, cf. 9:24; lit heavy
  32. Exodus 12:39 Lit made
  33. Exodus 12:40 Or of the sons of Israel who dwelt
  34. Exodus 12:41 Lit that it happened on this very day
  35. Exodus 12:42 Lit to the sons
  36. Exodus 12:43 Lit son of a stranger
  37. Exodus 12:47 Lit do
  38. Exodus 12:48 Lit does
  39. Exodus 12:48 Lit do
  40. Exodus 12:49 Lit One law
  41. Exodus 12:49 Lit be
  42. Exodus 12:51 Lit according to
  43. Exodus 13:2 Lit opening
  44. Exodus 13:3 Lit slaves
  45. Exodus 13:5 Lit serve this service
  46. Exodus 13:7 Lit to
  47. Exodus 13:7 Lit to
  48. Exodus 13:10 Lit days to days
  49. Exodus 13:12 Lit cause to pass over
  50. Exodus 13:12 Lit opening
  51. Exodus 13:12 Lit every issue the offspring of a beast
  52. Exodus 13:13 Lit opening
  53. Exodus 13:14 Lit slaves
  54. Exodus 13:15 Lit opening
  55. Exodus 13:16 Or frontlet-bands
  56. Exodus 13:18 Lit Sea of Reeds
  57. Exodus 13:19 Lit visit
  58. Exodus 13:22 Or The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart
  59. Exodus 14:4 Lit strengthen
  60. Exodus 14:8 Lit strengthened
  61. Exodus 14:8 Lit high hand
  62. Exodus 14:11 Lit so as to bring
  63. Exodus 14:12 Lit Cease from us
  64. Exodus 14:13 Or Take your stand
  65. Exodus 14:16 Lit enter the
  66. Exodus 14:17 Lit strengthen
  67. Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
  68. Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
  69. Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
  70. Exodus 14:24 Or in
  71. Exodus 14:25 Or removed
  72. Exodus 14:25 Lit me
  73. Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
  74. Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
  75. Exodus 14:28 Lit in respect to
  76. Exodus 14:31 Lit done
  77. Exodus 14:31 Or reverenced
  78. Exodus 15:1 Lit and said, saying
  79. Exodus 15:1 Or Let me sing
  80. Exodus 15:1 Or triumphed gloriously
  81. Exodus 15:2 The shortened form of Yahweh, found in poetry and praise (e.g. Hallelujah), and in names (e.g. Zechariah)
  82. Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
  83. Exodus 15:7 Or loftiness
  84. Exodus 15:9 Lit soul
  85. Exodus 15:10 Or majestic
  86. Exodus 15:20 Lit dances
  87. Exodus 15:21 Or has triumphed gloriously
  88. Exodus 15:22 Lit caused Israel to journey
  89. Exodus 15:22 Lit Sea of Reeds
  90. Exodus 15:23 Lit from
  91. Exodus 15:23 Heb Marim
  92. Exodus 15:23 Bitterness