7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat

it.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand;

lamb, it was to be shared with the neighbouring family. The lamb was to be without blemish; a male of the first year; to be kept till the 14th day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel were to kill it in the evening. And they were to take of the blood; and strike it on the two side posts, and on the upper door post of the houses; so when the Lord should pass through the land of Egypt, to smite the Egyptians, and should see the blood, He would not suffer the destroyer to smite His people. Moreover the lamb was to be eaten whole, and care was to be taken, "not to break a bone of it." The most superficial observer must instantly see the immediate reference of the Paschal lamb to Him, who is called "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," John i. 29. The two sacrifices are strictly analogous. And in the same month, on the same day, and at the same hour, in which the Israelites were ordered to kill the lamb, was Jesus crucified. And, as in all sacrifices it was the blood which made atonement for the soul, Lev. xvii. 11; so it is "the blood of Christ, which cleanseth us from all sin,” 1 John i. 7. Christ too was the lamb, of whom we are told, that "not a bone of Him was broken," John xix. 33, 36. In this grand sacrifice of Christ all other offerings for sin were for ever closed. Polwhele.

8.-unleavened bread;] Partly to put them in mind of their hardships in Egypt; for unleavened bread is heavy and unsavoury: and partly to commemorate their deliverance from thence in such haste, that they had not time to leaven it, ver. 39; Deut. xvi. 3. Bp. Patrick.

with bitter herbs] To put them in mind of their grievous bondage in Egypt, which made "their lives bitter" to them, chap. i. 14. Bp. Patrick. These bitter herbs, according to the Jews, were probably such as lettuce, endive or succory, chervil, and the like. Script.

illust.

11. And thus shall ye eat it ;] Like travellers, or persons engaging in some laborious work, as appears from the following particulars. Bp. Patrick.

with your loins girded,] It being usual for travellers so to do in the East, where they wear long and loose garments. Bp. Patrick. All persons in the East, that journey on foot, always gather up their vest, by which they walk more commodiously, thus having the leg and knee unembarrassed. Sir J. Chardin.

your shoes on your feet,] As necessary for tra

the passover.

and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.

Before CHRIST 1491.

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I Or, princes. will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, Heb. for a when I smite the land of Egypt.

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

destruction.

vellers. Either they were without shoes in their state of bondage; or it was their custom to put off their shoes during meals. Bp. Patrick. The latter is still the custom in the East, either to avoid soiling the carpets, on which they sit; or because shoes would be troublesome to persons who sit cross-legged. Sir J. Chardin.

・your staff in your hand;] Another characteristick of persons travelling. Bp. Patrick.

ye shall eat it in haste:] After the manner and posture of distressed pilgrims, who were setting out instantly on a long journey, through a dreary wilderness, towards a pleasant land, where their toil and travel was to cease. Dr. Hales. These latter particulars were to be observed only in the first passover celebrated in Egypt, and not in aftertimes. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.

12.—against all the gods of Egypt] That is, I will destroy the idols and images of Egypt. Pyle. Or perhaps the beasts are meant, whose firstborn were smitten. Bryant. By "the gods of Egypt" in this place, some interpreters understand, as in the margin, the 'princes" and judges, the great men of the kingdom, upon whom the judgment of God was now executed. Bp. Patrick.

13. I will pass over you,] My destroying angel shall pass over you." Here is the reason of its being called the Passover. In Hebrew it is called Pesach, which signifies to pass over. Hence the expression of the Paschal lamb. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.

14. ye shall keep it a feast for ever.] Not only now, but after their arrival in Canaan, till the time of the Messiah, or final period of the ceremonial law and Jewish polity. Bp. Kidder.

This passover was ordained by God to be observed by every Israelite, at the peril of excommunication, at every return of this day of the year; not only because it was to be a standing proof to all future ages of this their deliverance, but also a standing figure or type of a much greater. Bp. Wilson. As the Israelites were instructed to keep the passover in remembrance of their escape from the Egyptian bondage, so are we required to observe the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in memory of our deliverance from the yoke of sin. And it is remarkable, that both the Jewish and the Christian rite were enjoined in commemoration of events, which had not yet happened, with the same degree of precision as if they had actually taken place. Polwhele.

The feast of

Before CHRIST

1491.

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that + Heb. soul. which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

a Lev. 23. 5. Numb. 28.16.

17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

15. Seven days &c.] Seven days, following the feast of the Passover, were observed as a distinct festival, and called the feast of unleavened bread. Bp. Kidder.

- ye shall put away leaven] There would be great inconvenience in putting away all leaven from the houses for several days in some countries; but not so in the East, for there they use no other leaven than dough, kept till it is become sour: so that, if there should be no leaven in all the country for some days, fresh leaven would be produced in a few hours.

Harmer.

-that soul shall be cut off] Excommunicated; excluded the privileges and blessings of My people; and shall become liable to severe punishment, which I will either inflict Myself, or appoint the magistrates to inflict. Dr. Wells. See the note on Gen. xvii. 14.

16. And in the first day &c.] The first and last days of the feast of unleavened bread were kept holy, (the other five being working days,) because God delivered the people from their bondage on the first, and overthrew Pharaoh in the Red sea on the seventh. Bp. Patrick.

19.-a stranger,] One of another nation, who had embraced the Jewish religion by receiving circumcision. Bp. Patrick.

22.-hyssop,] This herb is a cathartick, and is used

unleavened bread.

the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

b

Before CHRIST 1491.

|| Or, kid.

28.

22 And ye shall take a bunch of b Hebr. 11. hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

26 And it shall come to pass, c Josh. 4. 6. when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

as emblematical of purification. Le Clerc. It has its name in the Hebrew from its detersive and purgative qualities. Parkhurst.

23. — and will not suffer the destroyer &c.] In the awful punishments of the Egyptians, we see every element and every class of animated beings subservient to the command of Moses; he gives notice when they shall begin and when they shall cease their operations; he sets them their bounds, beyond which they shall not pass; and while the raging storm and the silent pestilence sweep away thousands on every side, they presume not to touch the chosen race of Israel. The destroying angel selects from each family through the land of Egypt the single victim pointed out; and while with unerring hand he aims at this the shaft of death, he passes over every habitation of Jacob, marked with the sign appointed by the Divine command. Do we not in all this discover the plain operation of that Being, who alone is the God of nature, and the Lord of life; whose will controls every element, and directs every event? Dr. Graves.

26.—when your children shall say unto you, &c.] When children were twelve years old, their parents were bound to bring them to the temple, where, seeing what was done at this festival, they would be apt to inquire into the meaning of it. At every feast also of the Passover the eldest person at the table instructed

29 ¶ And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the e Wisd. 18. firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the +Heb. house captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

of the pit.

The Israelites driven out of the land.

32 Also take flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be and bless me also.

Before

your CHRIST

gone;

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead

men.

1491.

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said."

all the younger persons present in the reason of this institution, rehearsing the very words here prescribed. Bp. Patrick.

29.-the Lord smote &c.] Now God begins to call for the blood they owed Him: in one night every house hath a carcass in it; and, which is more grievous, of their firstborn; and which is yet more fearful, in an instant. No man could comfort another: every man was too full of his own sorrow, helping rather to make the noise of the lamentation more doleful and astonishing. Bp. Hall.

the captive-in the dungeon:] The expression in chap. xi. ver. 5. is, "the maidservant that is behind the mill." Perhaps the meaning here is, "the captive or bondwoman that was kept in the dungeon to turn the mill." Dr. Wells. The working at the mill was looked upon as the lowest and severest drudgery; and was allotted to the meanest slaves: (Bryant :) and this often in a prison; of which we have an instance in the story of Samson, Judg. xvi. 21. Bp. Patrick.

31. And he called for Moses &c.] Here we see the proud heart of Pharaoh is at last subdued, and compelled to obey the will of God, without reserve or limitation. But as this obedience was extorted, not free; and the effect only of a slavish and servile fear; so it did not long continue. He soon repented of his repentance, as such constrained penitents generally do: and soon after perished in the Red Sea. This aptly reminds us of the wise man's saying, which should be a warning to us all," He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy," Prov. xxix. 1.

Wogan.

Rise up, and get you forth from among my people,] We might not long since contemplate Moses, engaged in an attempt to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage, to all appearance, if we consider human means, utterly desperate. He was resisted and scorned by the Egyptian monarch; deserted and almost execrated by his countrymen, for involving them in new miseries. He stood on one side, without arms, without followers, without resources of any human kind: opposed to a mighty sovereign, who was surrounded by his wise men and priests, his counsellors, his officers, his armies; and invested with despotick power, which he was determined to exercise, in opposition to the authority of that

and raiment :

36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

& 11. 2.

God, whose ambassadour the Jewish legislator declared himself, and in contempt of those menaces which he denounced.

A very short period elapses; and what is the event? No human force is exercised, not a single Israelite lifts the sword, or bends the bow; but the Egyptian monarch is humbled, his people terrified, they urge the Israelites to hasten their departure. These are now honoured as the masters of their late oppressors: "they demand of the Egyptians silver, and gold, and jewels;" as the remuneration due to their past unrequited labours, conceded by Divine justice, and obtained by Divine power; as the homage due to their present acknowledged superiority, and the purchase of their immediate departure. The Egyptians grant every thing. Dr. Graves.

34.-their kneading-troughs] The vessels, which the Arabs of that country still use for kneading the unleavened cakes, which they prepare for travellers in this very desert, are only small wooden bowls: nothing could be more convenient than kneading-troughs of this sort, for the Israelites on their journey. Dr. Shaw, Harmer. The Arabs, among their other kitchen furniture, have a round leather coverlid, which they lay on the ground, and which serves them to eat from. It has rings round it, by which it is drawn together with a chain, that has a hook to it to hang it by, either to the side of the camel, or in the house. This draws it together; and sometimes they carry in it their meal made into dough: and in this manner they bring it full of bread; and, when the repast is over, carry it away at once with all that is left. Bp. Pococke. Niebuhr describes a piece of furniture of the same nature as this, mentioning that it is usually slung on the camels in travelling. Which accounts for the remark of Moses, that the people "carried their kneading bags on their shoulders;" bound up, probably, like knapsacks. This may be ascribed to two causes: 1st, They had not camels sufficient to transport the baggage of so numerous a host: 2dly, They were sent away with all speed, and had no time allowed them to procure travelling animals for their accommodation. They must either carry their food themselves, or relinquish it. Script. illust.

22.

35.— they borrowed &c.] See the notes on chap. iii.

The ordinance of the passover.

Before CHRIST 1491.

g Numb. 33.

3.

+ Heb. a great mixture.

37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.

38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in h Gen. 15. 13. Egypt, was h four hundred and thirty

Acts 7.6.

Gal. 3. 17.

+ Heb. a night of observations.

years.

41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

The firstborn sanctified to God. neither shall ye break a bone Before thereof.

47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.

CHRIST 1491.

i Numb. 9.

12. John 19. 36.

48 And when a stranger shall so- + Heb. do it. journ with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

CHAP. XIII.

The firstborn are sanctified to God.

1 3 The memorial of the passover is commanded. 11 The firstlings of beasts are set apart. 17 The Israelites go out of Egypt, and carry Joseph's bones with them. 20 They come to Etham. 21 God guideth them by a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire.

43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:

44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.

45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.

46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house;

37.- Rameses] See chap. i. 11.

Succoth] See chap. xiii. 20. that were men,] Fit for war: twenty years old and upwards. Bp. Patrick.

38.— a mixed multitude] Of others besides Israelites: perhaps proselytes, who had renounced idolatry; or persons with whom the Israelites were connected by intermarriages. Bp. Patrick.

40.-the sojourning of the children of Israel,] This includes their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and their sojourning in the land of Canaan as well as in Egypt. From the time of Abraham's coming from Charran into the land of Canaan, when this sojourning began, till the going of his descendants out of Egypt, was just 430 years. From his arrival in Canaan to the birth of Isaac was twenty-five years; Isaac was sixty years old when he begat Jacob; and Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he went down into Egypt: making together two hundred and fifteen years: and from his family's coming into Egypt till their de

parture was just two hundred and fifteen more. Bp. Patrick.

41.- all the hosts of the Lord] Hosts, or armies; see ver. 51. So called, because they were led forth under the Lord, as their king and captain general. The word implies also, that they went out not confusedly, but in good order. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells. This event of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt was so notorious, that the memory of it, as well as of various particulars in the birth, life, and adventures of Moses, was preserved in far distant nations, though the story was much corrupted for want of the knowledge of these sacred records. Stackhouse.

Chap. XIII. ver. 2. Sanctify unto me all the firstbornit is mine.] It is dedicated or appropriated to Me. God claimed this, not only by right of creation, but more especially to put the Israelites in mind of His miraculous providence, in sparing their firstborn, when those of the Egyptians were all destroyed. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.