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| 1 Then spake Yahweh, unto Moses and unto Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying– |
In the land of Egypt – Satan's dominion of sin and death. R5643:1, R5273:1; F458
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| 2 This month, is, to you, a beginning of months,–the first, it is, to you, of the months of the year. |
The beginning of months – The Passover was the first feature of the Law given Israel as a typical people. R839:1
The new year always began with the appearance of the first new moon after the spring equinox. R1289:3
The new moon which came closest to the spring equinox was reckoned as the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, the first day of the month Nisan. R5642:2, R3961:2
The nearest new moon about or after the equinox, but not much before, was chosen as the commencement of the year. R4127:2, R5191:2, R2270:3
Knowing when to expect the equinox, the Elders of Israel accepted the appearance of the new moon whose full would be about the harvest time, and after the equinox. R2429:5
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| 3 Speak ye unto all the assembly of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month, then let them take to them, each man a lamb for his ancestral household, a lamb for a household. |
In the tenth day – The choosing of the lamb on the tenth day foreshadowed our Lord Jesus' presenting himself to Israel at the close of his ministry as their king. R2918:2, R5191:4, R1289:4, R839:2, R465:5
Showing that if Israel would be recognized as the Church of the first-born in the antitypical passover, they must accept Jesus then, five days before that Passover feast and four days before his crucifixion. R5191:4
A lamb – Each lamb represented the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) F460
"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (1 Cor. 5:7) F463
For an house – Each house of Israel represented the household of faith, the Lord's new household. In celebrating the last Passover supper, which was to be kept by each family apart, the Lord met with his 12 apostles as a separate family--separate from all of their connections and his. F460, F589
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| 4 But, if the household be too small for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour that is near unto his house take [one], according to the number of souls,–each man according to his eating, shall ye number for the lamb. |
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| 5 A lamb without defect, a male a year old, shall yours be,–from the sheep, or from the goats, shall ye take it. |
Lamb – Paul tells us that Christ is our Passover lamb, slain for us. (1 Cor. 5:7) R4966:6
Jesus, the Lamb of God-spotless, pure, holy, harmless, undefiled. R5273:5
The man Christ Jesus was the antitype of the Passover lamb slain by the Israelites. R5847:1
Without blemish – Showing the perfection and purity of Christ, our lamb. R211:5*, R1186:6
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| 6 So shall it be yours, to keep, until the fourteenth day of this month,–then shall all the convocation of the assembly of Israel slay it, between the two evenings. |
The fourteenth day – The day in which the Paschal lamb was to be killed and eaten. R5191:4
Foreshadowing the fact that, in God's plan, Jesus was to die at that time. R465:3
The moon was at its full at the time of Christ's crucifixion. R2270:6, R5191:3
The moon is the symbol of the Law covenant and of the people who were under it. Christ's crucifixion at the full of the moon, and the fact that the moon immediately began to wane, foreshadowed Israel's national decline. F481; R1289:3
The 12, and sometimes 13, lunations symbolize the tribes of Israel. After the crucifixion it immediately began to wane, and waned for as long as it had previously increased. So Christ's death was the turning point between the two equal parts of Israel's history. R2270:6, R5191:3, R1289:3
Shall kill it – The eating of the supper on the night preceding our Lord's death, and yet the same day, was made possible by the Jewish custom that began each day in the evening. F462
In the evening – See marginal reading. On the fourteenth day, between the evenings, between six p.m., where the day began, and the next six p.m., where it ended. R2918:2, R5191:3, R1289:4, R839:2, R465:3, R2115:5
The Jews had two evenings, one from noon to 3 o'clock, and the other from 3 o'clock until sunset. It was between these two evenings that the Paschal lamb was to be slain, and so was Jesus, the antitype. R2953:5*
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| 7 And they shall take of the blood, and put upon the two door-posts, and upon the upper-beam,–upon the houses wherein they are to eat it.
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Take of the blood – A striking figure of giving "life for life" – the requirement of divine justice before the condemned could be justified. R1321:6*
Not the eating of the unleavened wafers and roasted lamb, but because of the blood, they were passed over. R3454:2*
Strike it on the – The striking was a symbol, commanded at the beginning. Q524:4
The sprinkling of the lamb's blood symbolizes the imputation of the merit of the death of Jesus to the entire household of faith. R5640:5, R3959:5
The sprinkling of the blood indicated that all of the household of faith must believe in the precious blood of Christ. SM561:1; PD33/44
The sprinkling of the blood on the door-posts in the type implied public confession of the precious blood of the Lamb of God. SM561:2
The sprinkling of the door-posts of the heart with his blood: "Having their hearts sprinkled from a consciousness of evil." (Heb. 10:22) F463
Of the houses – Not merely upon the first-borns, but upon the house, indicating the household of faith. R5273:5
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| 8 Then shall they eat the flesh, in the same night,–roast with fire, and with unleavened cakes, with bitter herbs, shall they eat it. |
They shall eat the flesh – Jesus' sacrifice, the merit of his earthly perfection, was to be eaten, or appropriated, in the mind. R4703:4
We each have appropriated his flesh, his human nature, which is sacrificed on our behalf. We are hoping to be passed over on account of the blood without and the lamb within, as members of the Church of the first-born. R4966:6
As in the antitype, the Passover lamb was for their deliverance from Egypt, so our Lord delivers his people from Satan's yoke of bondage to sin. R5847:1
The shedding of the blood gives life, but we need more--strength for the journey of life, through heavenly food. R1321:6*
The eating of the lamb typified our appropriating justification from sin. SM562:2
In that night – This entire Gospel age is the antitype of that night. R3996:3, R4875:3, R4996:6, R5273:1, R17:4; SM559:3; Q693:8; CR471:2; PD33/44
The 6000 years in which sin and death have held sway are a night time. R5273:1
Unleavened bread – Truth, in its purity. R208:1
It symbolized the precious promises which come to us from the Heavenly Father through Christ. R2918:3, R4703:4
Leaven is a type of sin, and the symbol declares that our Lord Jesus was free from sin. R5192:4; T98
Symbolically, without the corruption (leaven) of human theory, blight, ambitions, selfishness, etc. F464; T98
With bitter herbs – Bitter experiences and trials which the Lord prepares for us, and which help wean our affections from earthly things and give us increased appetite to feed upon the Lamb and the unleavened bread of truth. R5870:4, R4703:4, R2116:1, R208:1, R17:4; F460
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| 9 Do not eat of it underdone, nor cooked by boiling in water,–but roast with fire, its head with its legs, and with its inward parts. |
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| 10 And ye shall let nothing thereof remain until morning,–but, that which is left remaining until morning, in the fire, shall ye consume. |
Nothing of it remain – Signifying that the privilege of participation in the Lord's sacrifice is confined to the Gospel age. R2116:4, R212:5*
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| 11 And, thus, shall ye eat it,–your loins, girded, your sandals, on your feet, and, your staff, in your hand,–so shall ye eat it, in haste, it is Yahweh's, passing over. |
With your loins girded – Loins girt about with truth. (Eph. 6:14) R212:2*
Shoes on your feet – Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (Eph. 6:15) R212:2*
Staff in your hand – As pilgrims and strangers. F461; R4703:2, R208:1
Ready for the journey, with full expectancy that the Lord would make the Egyptians willing to let them go and that they would share in this calamity were it not for the blood upon the door-posts and lintels. R5640:3
Passover – The term Passover signifies to pass by, or spare from an affliction. R1657:2
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| 12 I will pass along, therefore, throughout the land of Egypt, this night, and will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man even to beast,–and, against all the gods of Egypt, will I execute judgments–I, Yahweh. |
This night – Symbolizing this Gospel age, a time of darkness on the earth. R4875:3, R4966:6, R5273:1, R3996:3; SM559:3; Q693:8; CR471:2; PD33/44
Firstborn – The first-born of Israel typified spirit begotten ones now saved from sin and death as the Church of the firstborn. R4966:6
The gods of Egypt – The princes of Egypt, elohim. R1410:3
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| 13 Then shall the blood serve you for a sign, on the houses wherein ye are, then will I behold the blood, and will pass over you,–and there shall be among you no plague to destroy, when I smite the land of Egypt. |
See the blood – The blood of Christ must be ever recognized in our hearts and confessed, manifested, and declared outwardly to others. R3996:6
I will pass over you – Faith in the precious blood is the only ground of acceptance with God. R3996:1
The Passover lamb and its blood preserved, "passed over," the first-born ones only, typical of the Church of the first-borns. R4384:3
To destroy you – Only the first-born were in danger, typifying that in the present time only the Church of the first-born has sufficient knowledge to be in danger of the Second Death. R3995:5
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| 14 So shall this day serve you for a memorial, and ye shall celebrate it, as a festival to Yahweh,–to your generations–as an age-abiding statute, shall ye celebrate it. |
For a memorial – The followers of Jesus are to celebrate the antitype yearly, as the Israelites had done, but now in remembrance of the reality and not of the type. R1657:5
Keep it a feast – What Jesus commemorated was the killing of the Passover lamb and not the "Feast of the Passover" which followed it for seven days. R208:2
It was not the intention of our Lord to commemorate the Feast of the Passover, which began the 15th of Nisan, but merely his death on the 14th. R1942:6
Typical of both the deliverance of spiritual Israel from the bondage of sin and the ultimate deliverance of all who love righteousness from Satan's bondage by his complete overthrow during the Millennium. R2379:6
An ordinance for ever - An event so widely observed for so long a time (more than 3300 years) must have a foundation in fact. R3959:2
To be observed yearly as a memorial of God's goodness and because it typed a still greater blessing to come. R4703:2
The Lord's Supper takes the place of the Passover supper as a Memorial of the antitype, a remembrance of the fulfillment of the antitypical Passover. F463
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| 15 Seven days, unleavened cakes, shall ye eat, surely, on the first day, shall ye put away leaven, out of your houses,–for, whosoever eateth what is leavened, then shall that soul be cut off out of Israel, from the first day, unto the seventh day. |
Ye shall put away – Anything containing leaven or putrefaction-bones, crusts, everything. So we must " put away the old leaven" of anger, malice, hatred, strife. R5193:3
Leaven – Symbol of corruption, sin. R5192:4, R2399:6; F464; T98
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| 16 Both, on the first day, a holy convocation, and, on the seventh day–a holy convocation, shall there be to you,–no work, shall be done therein, save only what must be eaten by every soul, that alone, shall be done by you. |
First day ... seventh day – On the 15th day the Passover Feast began, lasting seven days, the first and seventh days observed as specially holy, as Sabbath days or "high" days. R2270:5, R5191:3
Holy convocation – Some claim that the Jews had an abrupt beginning of weeks with the beginning of the Passover which was always counted a sabbath and the new start of a cycle. R2115:5
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| 17 So then ye shall observe the unleavened cakes, because, on this self-same day, brought I forth your hosts out of the land of Egypt,–so then ye shall observe this day to your generations, as a statute age-abiding. |
Observe the feast – By rejoicing in, and partaking of, the good things of God. R1800:3
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| 18 In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, shall ye eat unleavened cakes,–until the one-and-twentieth [day] of the month, in the evening. |
The fourteenth day – A picture of the passing over of the Church of the first-born. Q525:1
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| 19 For seven days, leaven, shall not be found in your houses,–for, whosoever eateth what is leavened, then shall that soul be cut off out of the assembly of Israel, whether sojourner, or native of the land. |
No leaven – A reminder (1) of the haste with which they fled, not having time to wait for the bread to rise; and (2) of their sufferings in Egypt, hence called "the bread of affliction" (Deut. 16:3); but (3) primarily to sign R1800:2, R5390:2
Although no command to fast 40 days of " lenten season," those who voluntarily fast and pray will be blest according to their faith. R2116:4
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| 20 Nothing leavened, shall ye eat,–in all your dwellings, shall ye eat unleavened cakes. |
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| 21 So then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them,–Proceed and take for yourselves one of the flock, according to your families, and slay the passover. |
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| 22 Then shall ye take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and strike the upper beam, and the two door-posts, with the blood which is in the basin,–and, ye, shall not go forth, any man out of the entrance of his house, until morning. |
Bunch of hyssop – Symbol of purging, cleansing. R1872:5; T109
None of you shall go out – If any abide not under the covering of the blood of Christ he must surely perish. R1657:2, R131:5
None of the nominal first-born shall be passed over and become members of the Church in glory except those who, during this night, abide under the blood. R2272:5
Until the morning – And so the deliverance of spiritual Israel comes in the Millennial morning. "God shall help her, early in the morning." (Psa. 46:5, Margin) R2918:3
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| 23 And Yahweh will pass along to plague the Egyptians, and, when he beholdeth the blood upon the upper beam, and upon the two door-posts, then will Yahweh pass over the entrance, and not suffer the destroyer to enter into your houses, to inflict on you the plague. |
The blood – Symbolizing the application of the merit of the death of Jesus to the entire household of faith. R3959:5, R5640:5
By faith the merit of Jesus' sacrifice, his blood, is to be sprinkled on the door-posts of our hearts. R4703:4
The blood sprinkled on the door-posts typed faith in the blood of Christ. PD33/44; SM561:1
Pass over the door – The Passover night typified this Gospel age, during which the Church of the first-borns are to be specially saved. PD33/44; R4966:6
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| 24 And ye shall observe this thing,–for a statute to thee and to thy sons, unto times age-abiding. |
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| 25 And so it shall come to pass, when ye shall enter into the land which Yahweh will give you, as he hath spoken,–and ye shall observe this service; |
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| 26 and it shall come to pass, that your sons shall say unto you,–What is this your service? |
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| 27 Then shall ye say–A passover sacrifice, it is to Yahweh, who passed-over the houses of the sons of Israel, in Egypt, when he plagued the Egyptians, but, our houses, he delivered. Then did the people bend their heads and bow themselves down. |
The LORD'S passover – The first feature of the Law. OV74:T, B47
Represented the death of Jesus and the passing over of his people during this age. Q525:3
The passing over will be the resurrection. CR471:3
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| 28 And the sons of Israel went their way and did,–as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so, did they. |
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| 29 And it came to pass, at midnight, that Yahweh, smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat upon his throne, unto the firstborn of the captive who was in the pit of his prison,–and every firstborn of beasts. |
The firstborn – Only the first-borns, the Church of Christ, are now being passed over; only these are in danger of the destroying angel. R5870:2
The special object in confining the plague to the first-born was to show that only the first-born of the Hebrews were spared or passed over. R3995:5
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| 30 Then rose up Pharaoh by night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there arose a great outcry throughout Egypt,–for there was not a house, where there was not one dead. |
Pharaoh – Typifies Satan. R5273:2, R5419:5; F458
In the night – The Gospel age is the antitype of that night. R3996:3, R4875:3, R4966:6, R5273:1; SM559:3; Q693:8; CR471:2; PD33/44
The Egyptians – Typifying Satan's servants who have oppressed God's people during the night of sin and death. R5273:2, R5643:1, F458
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| 31 So he called for Moses and for Aaron by night, and said–Rise ye, go forth out of the midst of my people, both ye, and the sons of Israel,–and go, serve Yahweh, according to your word; |
Get you forth – As in the first exodus, so in the next exodus, apparently some pressure will suddenly be brought to bear upon the nations which will result favorably to Israel. D554[D553]
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| 32 also, your flocks and your herds, take ye, as ye spake, and go your way,–so shall ye bless, even me. |
And bless me also – Doubtless representing a changed attitude at the close of the time of trouble of some who now oppress the poor. A336
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| 33 And the Egyptians became urgent with the people, to send them in haste out of the land,–for they said–We all, are dying. |
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| 34 So the people took up their dough, ere yet it was leavened,–with their kneading-bowls, bound up in their mantles, on their shoulders. |
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| 35 And, the sons of Israel, did according to the word of Moses,–and asked of the Egyptians, articles of silver and articles of gold and mantles. |
Borrowed – Misleading translation of the Hebrew word shaal. The Israelites did not borrow, but asked for (as in R.V.), as just payment for past services. R1657:6, R2911:5, R3996:3
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| 36 And, Yahweh, gave the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they gave them gladly,–so they spoiled the Egyptians. |
So that they lent – Gave. R2911:5
Spoiled the Egyptians – This was quite proper anyway, as the equivalent of back pay due the Israelites. R2911:6
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| 37 Then did the sons of Israel break up from Rameses, towards Succoth,–about six hundred thousand foot, of men grown, besides little ones. |
About 600,000 on foot – Possibly 600 groups, families or tents. (This idea rebutted in a letter on R5355:4*.) R5277:2
In a somewhat similar case, 400,000 Tartars left Russia under cover of a single night. R3997:1
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| 38 Moreover also, a mixed multitude, came up with them,–flocks also, and herds, exceeding much cattle. |
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| 39 Then baked they the dough which they had brought out of Egypt–into round unleavened cakes, for it had not been leavened,–for they had been driven out of Egypt, and could not tarry, and indeed no, provisions, had they made ready for themselves. |
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| 40 Now, the time during which the sons of Israel dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. |
Now the sojourning – From the covenant with Abraham to the exodus. B46
Who dwelt In Egypt – For a portion of the period, and who previous to that time sojourned in the loins of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even as Levi paid tithes to Melchizedec while yet in Abraham's loins. B47
Not that they sojourned in Egypt 430 years, but the sojourning of the people who dwelt in Egypt was that many years. HG104:3
Was 430 years – One-half of 430 years. R2482:2*
The statements of Moses and Paul (Gal. 3:17) refer to precisely the sahe Law. B47; R2482:3*, R1980:2; HG44:2
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| 41 And it came to pass, at the end of four hundred and thirty years, yea it came to pass, on this self-same day, that all the hosts of Yahweh had come forth out of the land of Egypt. |
The selfsame day – Illustrating the accuracy of Bible chronology. B48
All the hosts of the LORD – During the night the Israelites were still in bondage, waiting for the deliverance which could come only after the passing over of the first-borns. SM560:T
Went out – Typifying the ultimate deliverance of the world. CR471:3
Egypt – Satan's dominion of sin and death. R5643:1, R5273:1; F458
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| 42 A night of solemn observances, it is unto Yahweh, for bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt,–this same night, pertaineth to Yahweh, for solemn observances, by all the sons of Israel, to their generations. |
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| 43 And Yahweh said unto Moses and Aaron: This, is the statute of the passover,–No stranger, shall eat thereof; |
This is the ordinance – The beginning of the Law. B47; OV74:T
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| 44 but, every man's servant bought with silver,–when thou hast circumcised him, then, shall he eat thereof: |
When thou hast circumcised – The Passover stood in a certain relation to circumcision, as the second sacrament of the Hebrew church. F484*
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| 45 An alien or a hireling, shall not eat thereof. |
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| 46 In one house, shall it be eaten, thou shalt not take forth, out of the house, any of the flesh, outside; and a, bone thereof, shalt thou not break. |
In one house – In other sacrifices, the body was cut into various pieces, showing Christ and the Church. Thus this represented Christ alone in his sacrifice. SM559:2
Break a bone thereof – "A bone of him shall not be broken." (John 19:36) R198:2
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| 47 All the assembly of Israel, shall keep it. |
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| 48 And, when there may sojourn with thee a sojourner who may wish to keep a passover to Yahweh, there must be circumcised to him every male, and, then, may he draw near to keep it, so shall he be as a native of the land,–but, no uncircumcised male, shall eat thereof. |
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| 49 One law, shall there be for the native,–and for the sojourner that sojourneth in your midst. |
Unto the stranger – The Mosaic Law was 32 centuries ahead of its time. A50
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| 50 Thus did all the sons of Israel,–as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so, did they. |
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| 51 And it came to pass, on this self-same day, that Yahweh brought forth the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, by their hosts. |
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