22 and ye have taken a bunch of hyssop, and have dipped 'it' in the blood which 'is' in the basin, and have struck 'it' on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, from the blood which 'is' in the basin, and ye, ye go not out each from the opening of his house till morning. 23 'And Jehovah hath passed on to smite the Egyptians, and hath seen the blood on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, and Jehovah hath passed over the opening, and doth not permit the destruction to come into your houses to smite. 24 'And ye have observed this thing, for a statute to thee, and to thy sons—unto the age; 25 and it hath been, when ye come in unto the land which Jehovah giveth to you, as He hath spoken, that ye have kept this service; 26 and it hath come to pass when your sons say unto you, What 'is' this service ye have? 27 that ye have said, A sacrifice of passover it 'is' to Jehovah, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, in His smiting the Egyptians, and our houses He delivered.' 28 And the people bow and do obeisance, and the sons of Israel go and do as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron; so have they done.
29 And it cometh to pass, at midnight, that Jehovah hath smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive who 'is' in the prison-house, and every first-born of beasts. 30 And Pharaoh riseth by night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there is a great cry in Egypt, for there is not a house where there is not 'one' dead, 31 and he calleth for Moses and for Aaron by night, and saith, 'Rise, go out from the midst of my people, both ye and the sons of Israel, and go, serve Jehovah according to your word; 32 both your flock and your herd take ye, as ye have spoken, and go; then ye have blessed also me.' 33 And the Egyptians are urgent on the people, hasting to send them away out of the land, for they said, 'We are all dead;' 34 and the people taketh up its dough before it is fermented, their kneading-troughs 'are' bound up in their garments on their shoulder. 35 And the sons of Israel have done according to the word of Moses, and they ask from the Egyptians vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments; 36 and Jehovah hath given the grace of the people in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they cause them to ask, and they spoil the Egyptians.
37 And the sons of Israel journey from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, apart from infants; 38 and a great rabble also hath gone up with them, and flock and herd—very much cattle. 39 And they bake with the dough which they have brought out from Egypt unleavened cakes, for it hath not fermented; for they have been cast out of Egypt, and have not been able to delay, and also provision they have not made for themselves. 40 And the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they have dwelt in Egypt 'is' four hundred and thirty years; 41 and it cometh to pass, at the end of four hundred and thirty years—yea, it cometh to pass in this self-same day—all the hosts of Jehovah have gone out from the land of Egypt. 42 A night of watchings it 'is' to Jehovah, to bring them out from the land of Egypt; it 'is' this night to Jehovah of watchings to all the sons of Israel to their generations.
43 And Jehovah saith unto Moses and Aaron, 'This 'is' a statute of the passover; Any son of a stranger doth not eat of it; 44 and any man's servant, the purchase of money, when thou hast circumcised him—then he doth eat of it; 45 a settler or hired servant doth not eat of it; 46 in one house it is eaten, thou dost not carry out of the house 'any' of the flesh without, and a bone ye do not break of it; 47 all the company of Israel do keep it. 48 'And when a sojourner sojourneth with thee, and hath made a passover to Jehovah, every male of his 'is' to be circumcised, and then he doth come near to keep it, and he hath been as a native of the land, but any uncircumcised one doth not eat of it; 49 one law is to a native, and to a sojourner who is sojourning in your midst.' 50 And all the sons of Israel do as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron; so have they done. 51 And it cometh to pass in this self-same day, Jehovah hath brought out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, by their hosts.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 12:22-51
Commentary on Exodus 12:21-28
(Read Exodus 12:21-28)
That night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no Israelite must stir out of doors till called to march out of Egypt. Their safety was owing to the blood of sprinkling. If they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was at their peril. They must stay within, to wait for the salvation of the Lord; it is good to do so. In after-times they should carefully teach their children the meaning of this service. It is good for children to ask about the things of God; they that ask for the way will find it. The keeping of this solemnity every year was, 1. To look backward, that they might remember what great things God had done for them and their fathers. Old mercies, to ourselves, or to our fathers, must not be forgotten, that God may be praised, and our faith in him encouraged. 2. It was designed to look forward, as an earnest of the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the fulness of time. Christ our passover was sacrificed for us; his death was our life.
Commentary on Exodus 12:29-36
(Read Exodus 12:29-36)
The Egyptians had been for three days and nights kept in anxiety and horror by the darkness; now their rest is broken by a far more terrible calamity. The plague struck their first-born, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain the Hebrews' children, now God slew theirs. It reached from the throne to the dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments. The destroying angel entered every dwelling unmarked with blood, as the messenger of woe. He did his dreadful errand, leaving not a house in which there was not one dead. Imagine then the cry that rang through the land of Egypt, the long, loud shriek of agony that burst from every dwelling. It will be thus in that dreadful hour when the Son of man shall visit sinners with the last judgment. God's sons, his first-born, were now released. Men had better come to God's terms at first, for he will never come to theirs. Now Pharaoh's pride is abased, and he yields. God's word will stand; we get nothing by disputing, or delaying to submit. In this terror the Egyptians would purchase the favour and the speedy departure of Israel. Thus the Lord took care that their hard-earned wages should be paid, and the people provided for their journey.
Commentary on Exodus 12:37-42
(Read Exodus 12:37-42)
The children of Israel set forward without delay. A mixed multitude went with them. Some, perhaps, willing to leave their country, laid waste by plagues; others, out of curiosity; perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But there were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites. Thus there are still hypocrites in the church. This great event was 430 years from the promise made to Abraham: see Galatians 3:17. So long the promise of a settlement was unfulfilled. But though God's promises are not performed quickly, they will be, in their season. This is that night of the Lord, that remarkable night, to be celebrated in all generations. The great things God does for his people, are to be not only a few days' wonder, but to be remembered throughout all ages; especially the work of our redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover-night, in which Christ was betrayed and in which the first passover, with the rest of the Jewish ceremonies, was done away, was a night of the Lord, much more to be observed. Then a yoke, heavier than that of Egypt, was broken from off our necks, and a land, better than that of Canaan, set before us. It was a redemption to be celebrated in heaven, for ever and ever.
Commentary on Exodus 12:43-51
(Read Exodus 12:43-51)
In times to come, all the congregation of Israel must keep the passover. All that share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for them. The New Testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any. Strangers, if circumcised, might eat of the passover. Here is an early indication of favour to the gentiles. This taught the Jews that their being a nation favoured by God, entitled them to their privileges, not their descent from Abraham. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Corinthians 5:7; his blood is the only ransom for our souls; without the shedding of it there is no remission; without the sprinkling of it there can be no salvation. Have we, by faith in him, sheltered our souls from deserved vengeance under the protection of his atoning blood? Do we keep close to him, constantly depending upon him? Do we so profess our faith in the Redeemer, and our obligations to him, that all who pass by may know to whom we belong? Do we stand prepared for his service, ready to walk in his ways, and to separate ourselves from his enemies? These are questions of vast importance to the soul; may the Lord direct our consciences honestly to answer them.