Exodus 12

V 1–11: PASSOVER God gives to Moses and Aaron His instructions for the Passover. Each household (or combined households) must take a year-old male lamb without blemish and keep it from the tenth to the fourteenth day of the month, and then kill it at twilight. The blood of the lamb is to be applied to the two doorposts and the lintel of the house where it is eaten. The roasted flesh is to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and any left is to be burned in the fire the following morning. It is to be eaten in haste with readiness for the journey. The Israelites are to wear belts and have a staff in their hand. This is the Lord’s Passover. V 12–13: PROTECTED God confirms that He will smite the firstborn of the Egyptians, man or beast, thus executing judgement against them and their gods. However, when He sees the lamb’s blood on each house of the Israelites, God will pass over and the plague will not strike them. As with the other plagues that He has performed, His protected people shall not suffer in them. V 14–20: PROHIBITIONS In telling the Israelites to keep a memorial of this feast throughout future generations, He makes prohibitions for them. Leaven must neither be found in the house nor eaten. There must be no work done on the first or seventh day upon which the Passover will take place. V 21–23: PROVISION The elders have to pick out for the families the lambs that qualify as Passover lambs. They have to take a bunch of hyssop, a plant, dip it in the blood, and paint the lintels and the doorpost with the blood. Everyone must stay indoors until morning. God promises that when He goes to strike the Egyptians, He will pass over every house that is protected by the blood on the lintel and the doorpost. V 24–28: POSTERITY God commands that a memorial of Passover must be kept in future generations as a remembrance of how He delivered His people from Egypt. The people bow their heads, worship, go away, and do what Moses and Aaron have commanded. V 29–30: PLAGUE The tenth miraculous plague, the death of the firstborn, is fulfilled at midnight exactly as God said. Pharaoh and his servants and all the Egyptians rise in the night to hear ‘a great cry in Egypt’. No Egyptian household escapes. V 31–32: PERMISSION Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and tells them to leave as they have requested, with no reservations or compromises this time. He asks them to bless him, too. V 33–42: PLUNDER The Egyptians want the Israelites to leave quickly, and favour the Israelites by giving them silver, gold and clothing. The Israelites not only plunder the Egyptians, but also take unleavened bread and kneading bowls along with their belongings. A huge crowd of Israelites leave, including 600,000 men on foot, probably their fighting men. They bake unleavened bread and are driven out by the Egyptians after 430 years in Egypt. The people are to observe this event solemnly in the future throughout their generations. V 43–51: PARTICULARS The particulars of how the Passover is to be kept are given. Basically, only circumcised Israelites, and those staying with them who are prepared to be circumcised, can keep it. None of the meat must be carried outside the house, and the bones must not be broken. Israel does what God commands and the Lord brings the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.