Exodus Chapter 12
God Institutes Passover
A. Passover Instructions
(Exodus 12:1–6) — Each Household Should Take a Lamb
“Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ‘This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: “On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.”’”
The LORD began by reshaping Israel’s understanding of time. Their calendar was to start with the month of their deliverance, making redemption the foundation of their national identity. God was declaring that their story, and by extension every believer’s story, begins with salvation. As G. Campbell Morgan observed, “God is ever the God of new beginnings in the history of failure. The ultimate statement is found in the Apocalypse in the words: ‘Behold, I make all things new.’” Likewise, Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Commence a nation’s annals from its evangelization. Begin the chronicle of a people from the day when they bow at the feet of Jesus.”
The LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to “speak to all the congregation of Israel,” which marks the first use of this term in the Pentateuch. It refers to Israel in its religious sense, the assembled people of God, and later provides the foundation for the New Testament term ekklesia, or “church.” Every man was to take a lamb for his household on the tenth day of the first month, and that lamb was to live with the family until the fourteenth day. In this way, the lamb became part of the family, deeply personal and beloved, so that its death would be felt and mourned. God desired the sacrifice of something precious, foreshadowing the costliness of redemption through Christ.
The lamb was to be “without blemish,” symbolizing purity and perfection. This requirement pointed directly to the sinless character of Christ, the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. The Hebrew term seh used here could refer to either a young sheep or a young goat, showing that both were acceptable. In ancient Israel, the distinction between sheep and goats was minor, a fact Jesus later used as a metaphor in His teaching about divine discernment in Matthew 25:32.
The command that “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight” foreshadowed the unity of the nation in their redemption and prophetically anticipated the sacrifice of Jesus Christ “in the evening of the world,” as Trapp noted, when spiritual darkness covered humanity.
(Exodus 12:7–11) — Instructions for Eating the Passover
“‘And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.’”
The blood of the lamb was central to the Passover. Before eating, the Israelites were to take some of the blood and apply it to the doorposts and lintel of their homes. The blood marked their faith in God’s promise of protection. The sacrifice’s only portion offered to God was the blood itself, representing life, while the rest was eaten or destroyed. As the blood was applied at the top and sides, it would have dripped downward, forming the shape of a cross—a powerful symbol of the atonement to come through Christ. Each time the Israelites entered or exited their homes, they would see the blood and remember that their deliverance came by substitutionary sacrifice.
The lamb was to be roasted in fire, eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Fire symbolizes God’s judgment, while unleavened bread represents purity and separation from sin, and the bitter herbs signify the bitterness of bondage in Egypt. Spurgeon beautifully wrote, “The paschal lamb was not killed in order to be looked at only, but to be eaten; and our Lord Jesus Christ has not been slain merely that we may hear about him and talk about him, and think about him, but that we may feed upon him.”
Nothing of the lamb was to remain until morning. This represented the immediacy of salvation and complete acceptance of God’s provision. There could be no saving leftovers, no partial participation. Each family had to fully partake of the lamb’s sacrifice, just as believers must wholly receive Christ. Salvation cannot be consumed selectively; we must receive all of Him.
The Israelites were to eat dressed for travel—with belts fastened, sandals on their feet, and staffs in hand—ready to depart in faith. Their obedience demonstrated trust in God’s promise of immediate deliverance. Hebrews 11:28 affirms, “By faith he [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”
The LORD called it His Passover because He alone provided the means of salvation. It was His act of grace, His institution of remembrance, and His prophetic drama that foreshadowed Jesus Christ, the true Passover Lamb. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). John the Baptist also declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The Gospel of John later records that Jesus was crucified on Passover (John 19:14), fulfilling this divine picture perfectly.
Every detail pointed to Christ. He dwelled among humanity, becoming part of the family He would redeem. His sacrifice applies personally to each home, not merely to a nation. He was spotless, sinless, and bore the full fire of God’s wrath for sin. He drank the bitter cup of judgment so His people could be free. His work must be received fully, leaving nothing behind. And just as Passover marked Israel’s beginning of freedom, so the cross marks the believer’s exodus from sin into eternal life.
(Exodus 12:12–13) — The Protection of the Blood
“For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
The night of deliverance would also be the night of divine judgment. God declared that He Himself would pass through the land of Egypt and strike down all the firstborn—both human and animal. This judgment was not random nor cruel; it was righteous retribution upon a nation that had oppressed God’s people and hardened its heart against His repeated warnings. Moreover, the LORD declared that He would “execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt.” Every plague leading up to this moment had been a direct assault upon Egypt’s false deities—the Nile god, the sun god, the god of fertility, and others. Here, in the final act, God demonstrated His absolute sovereignty and authority over every spiritual pretender, fulfilling His word: “I am the LORD.”
The blood of the lamb became the distinguishing mark between life and death. God said, “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” This shows that salvation was not based on nationality, morality, or emotion—it was based on the applied blood of the lamb. The protection came only through obedience to God’s command and faith in His provision.
If an Israelite family killed the lamb but failed to apply its blood to the doorposts, their household would face judgment just as the Egyptians did. Likewise, if an Egyptian had believed in the power of the blood and obeyed the LORD’s instructions, that home would have been spared. The distinction was not race but redemption. The power was not in knowing about the blood but in applying it. Mere intellectual agreement with God’s Word could not save; obedience born of faith was required.
God regarded Israel as His “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22), His chosen people set apart for His purposes. When Pharaoh refused to release God’s firstborn, God justly required Egypt’s firstborn as the penalty. This final plague revealed both the severity and the mercy of God—judgment for those who rejected Him, and protection for those who trusted in His provision. The blood was a sign of substitutionary atonement, a prophetic picture fulfilled in Christ’s sacrifice. As Peter wrote, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19).
In the same way, when God looks upon the believer today, He does not see sin but the covering of the blood of Christ. The judgment passes over those who are under the blood, not because of their merit, but because the debt has already been paid by the Lamb of God.
(Exodus 12:14–20) — The Institution of Passover and Unleavened Bread as Feasts
“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 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. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”
The LORD established the Passover as a perpetual memorial, ensuring that Israel would remember His deliverance from bondage for all generations. This was not to be a single moment in history but an enduring feast that proclaimed the faithfulness of God. “So this day shall be to you a memorial,” He said, instituting what would become the cornerstone of Jewish identity and worship.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately followed Passover. The Passover was observed on the fourteenth day of the first month, and for the next seven days the people were to eat only unleavened bread. Initially, this command had a practical purpose—Israel’s departure from Egypt was so urgent that there was no time to allow the dough to rise. But after that first night, the feast became symbolic, representing the purity and separation God expected of His redeemed people.
Leaven in Scripture often represents sin, corruption, and pride because of its permeating and “puffing up” nature. The Apostle Paul later wrote, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:6–8).
By removing leaven from their homes, the Israelites were demonstrating both outward obedience and inward commitment to holiness. Anyone who disregarded this command and ate leavened bread during the feast was to be “cut off from Israel,” meaning excluded from the covenant community. This separation underscores how seriously God views sin—it spreads, corrupts, and destroys unless removed.
Additionally, there may have been a hygienic aspect to the command. Because leaven in ancient times was often produced by saving a piece of old dough to ferment the next batch, bacteria could accumulate over time. Clearing out all leaven once a year would have been both spiritually symbolic and physically beneficial.
The feast was marked by two “holy convocations”—one on the first day and one on the seventh day—during which no work was to be done except what was necessary for food preparation. This rhythm of worship and rest reflected God’s desire for His people to pause, reflect, and celebrate His redemption.
Through both Passover and Unleavened Bread, God was teaching Israel that redemption and holiness are inseparable. The blood of the lamb brought deliverance, but unleavened bread symbolized the new life that must follow. Just as Israel left behind Egypt, so believers are called to leave behind the leaven of sin and walk in purity before God.
B. Moses Leads the People in the Observance of Passover
(Exodus 12:21–23) — Moses Tells the Elders to Do as God Said
“Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.’”
Moses gathered the elders of Israel to give them direct instruction on how to carry out the LORD’s command. As spiritual and tribal leaders, the elders were responsible for setting the example of obedience. Their faith and leadership would determine whether their families and communities followed the word of God. When Moses said, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families,” it showed that every household needed to personally obey God’s command and apply the blood. Deliverance required personal obedience to the revealed word of God.
The people were commanded to take a bunch of hyssop and use it as a brush to apply the blood of the lamb to the doorposts and lintel. Hyssop, a small aromatic plant with clustered stems, was used throughout Scripture as an instrument of purification. In Leviticus 14:6, hyssop was used in the ritual cleansing of a leper: “As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.” In Numbers 19:6, it was used to make the ashes of a red heifer for the water of purification, and in Numbers 19:18, it was again used to apply that water for ceremonial cleansing.
David later cried in repentance, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). Hyssop thus became a biblical symbol of cleansing through sacrifice. It also appeared at the crucifixion of Christ: “Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth” (John 19:29). In this, God tied the hyssop of Passover to the ultimate sacrifice of His Son, showing that true cleansing and protection come only through the shed blood of the Lamb.
Moses warned that no one should go out of their house until morning, meaning their safety depended upon remaining under the protection of the blood. Judgment would sweep through Egypt, and the only place of refuge was behind the blood-stained door. God Himself said, “When He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.” This emphasizes that it was not Israel’s virtue or effort that saved them, but the sight of the blood. The LORD’s judgment passed over not because of who they were, but because of what covered them.
The “destroyer” mentioned here is understood to be a supernatural agent of judgment, an angel sent by God to carry out His sentence upon Egypt’s firstborn. Yet even this being of destruction could not cross the threshold marked by blood. The blood of the lamb stood as the barrier between life and death, between divine wrath and divine mercy.
Rescue did not come through prayer, fasting, or good deeds, but only through the substitutionary death of the lamb. As Hebrews 9:22 declares, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” The same principle remains true under the New Covenant—deliverance from death and sin is possible only through the blood of Jesus Christ.
(Exodus 12:24–27a) — Passover as an Enduring Ordinance
“And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’”
Moses instructed that Passover was not to be a one-time observance, but an everlasting ordinance to be remembered “for you and your sons forever.” The LORD wanted every future generation of Israel to remember that their deliverance came by His power and grace. The feast would serve as a continual memorial of redemption, reminding them that salvation always comes through the blood of the Lamb.
Passover was the greatest act of redemption in the Old Testament, a national salvation event that established Israel’s identity as God’s redeemed people. In the same way, Jesus Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper as the memorial of the New Covenant. On the night of His betrayal, He fulfilled the Passover when He said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer… This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me… This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:15, 19–20). Just as Israel remembered their deliverance from Egypt, believers today remember their deliverance from sin through the body and blood of Christ.
Moses also foresaw that children would ask, “What do you mean by this service?” The question itself was part of God’s design, ensuring that each generation would have the opportunity to teach the next about God’s redeeming power. The answer was simple but profound: “It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.” The Passover pointed both backward to God’s deliverance from Egypt and forward to the ultimate Deliverer, Jesus Christ.
In Passover, there was a twofold work of God: He struck down His enemies and delivered His people. “When He struck the Egyptians” speaks of His righteous judgment upon sin and rebellion. “And delivered our households” speaks of His saving grace toward those who believed and obeyed His word. Redemption is always twofold: the defeat of evil and the liberation of the faithful.
Israel was not only freed from bondage but was given a new identity as God’s redeemed nation, with new promises and a new way of life. Likewise, those who come to Christ are given new birth, new purpose, and a new destiny. As Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
(Exodus 12:27b–28) — The Obedience of the People
“So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.”
The Israelites responded to God’s instruction with immediate reverence and obedience. Upon hearing Moses’ words, “the people bowed their heads and worshiped.” This act of bowing was both a sign of humility and deep gratitude toward God. Before any deliverance had taken place, they chose to believe His promise and honor His authority. Their faith was not based on seeing the miracle but on trusting the word of the LORD. True worship always begins with belief in what God has spoken, even before the fulfillment of His promises.
Their worship was then followed by action: “Then the children of Israel went away and did so.” This simple phrase demonstrates one of the most important truths in Scripture—faith must be accompanied by obedience. The people not only believed God’s word but also acted upon it, following the instructions for the Passover exactly “as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.” This obedience was the key to their salvation from judgment. If they had merely acknowledged the command but failed to act, the blood would not have been applied and judgment would have fallen upon them.
This verse stands as one of the most significant in the Exodus account because it illustrates that deliverance is always contingent upon obedient faith. The LORD provided the means of salvation, but each family had to apply the blood personally. It raises a sobering question—were there any Israelites who refused to believe and therefore suffered under the judgment of the firstborn? And were there any Egyptians who did believe, obeyed, and were spared? The text leaves this open, but it reminds us that God’s mercy was available to all who would trust and act upon His word.
This same pattern holds true for salvation today. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, has shed His blood for the sins of the world. Yet only those who receive and apply that truth by faith are spared from judgment. As James 2:17 declares, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” The Israelites’ obedience was the outward evidence of inward faith, and their faith brought deliverance.
C. The Final Plague: The Death of Egypt’s Firstborn
(Exodus 12:29–30) — God Slays the Firstborn of Egypt
“And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all 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 dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.”
At the stroke of midnight, judgment fell exactly as the LORD had declared. “The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,” demonstrating His absolute sovereignty and perfect justice. The plague extended from the highest to the lowest—from Pharaoh’s palace to the prisoner’s dungeon, and even to the animals of the field. This fulfilled what God had earlier revealed to Moses: “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders… and after that he will let you go” (Exodus 3:19–20). God had also warned that His judgment would touch the firstborn: “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn’” (Exodus 4:22–23).
The judgment struck the “firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon.” The Hebrew term translated as “dungeon” literally means “pit-house,” referring to deep underground chambers commonly used as prisons. As commentator Cole observed, “Here the opposite to Pharaoh is not the ‘mill girl’ (Exodus 11:15), but the prisoner of war in the dungeon.” In other words, the plague was universal—it struck every social level, showing that God is no respecter of persons.
This final plague also struck at the heart of Egypt’s idolatry. It was a direct assault on two of their most revered deities. First, it confronted Osiris, the god of life and death, who was believed to control the cycle of fertility and resurrection. By taking the lives of the firstborn, God demonstrated that He alone held the power of life and death. Second, it struck against Pharaoh himself, who was regarded as a divine being, the living embodiment of Horus. The death of Pharaoh’s own son shattered the illusion of his deity and exposed the impotence of Egypt’s gods.
Archaeological evidence adds an interesting historical note to this event. An inscription in a shrine connected to the Great Sphinx records a divine promise to Thutmose IV, assuring that he would succeed his father Amenhotep II, whom many scholars identify as the Pharaoh of the Exodus. The unusual wording of that inscription, emphasizing that the gods would guarantee his succession, suggests that Thutmose IV was not the firstborn son. This may reflect the aftermath of the Passover judgment, when the true firstborn of Pharaoh perished. The Egyptians, believing their gods had intervened, attempted to secure the line of succession through their idolatrous vows.
“So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt.” This moment was the breaking point of Pharaoh’s defiance. God had already informed his mind through signs and wonders; now He broke his will. Pharaoh’s problem was not lack of evidence but hardness of heart. Only when crushed by the weight of divine judgment did he acknowledge the LORD’s supremacy.
The text says, “There was not a house where there was not one dead.” The wailing that filled Egypt that night echoed the cries of Israel from earlier chapters—when they had groaned under bondage and cried out for deliverance (Exodus 2:23). The roles had been reversed. Egypt, once the oppressor, now cried under judgment. God’s justice had come full circle: Egypt refused to give up His firstborn, Israel, so God took the firstborn of Egypt. Pharaoh now understood that the LORD was greater than all the gods of Egypt—and greater than Pharaoh himself.
(Exodus 12:31–36) — The Response of Pharaoh and the Egyptians
“Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.’ And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’ So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”
After the devastating judgment of the tenth plague, Pharaoh’s defiance was broken. In the dark hours of the night, he summoned Moses and Aaron and declared, “Rise, go out from among my people.” Pharaoh no longer resisted the will of God. His tone had shifted from proud refusal to urgent release, fulfilling the exact words God had spoken earlier: “When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether” (Exodus 11:1). Now Pharaoh not only permitted the Israelites to leave but commanded them to do so, showing complete surrender to the sovereign power of the LORD.
Pharaoh added, “And bless me also,” revealing that at last he recognized the supremacy of the God of Israel. The once-arrogant ruler who had said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2) now begged for His blessing. Pharaoh learned through humiliation what he refused to learn through revelation—that there is no god but the LORD. Yet his request was not born of repentance but of desperation. Pharaoh wanted relief from judgment, not reconciliation with God. This mirrors the heart of many who turn to God only in crisis rather than in surrender.
The Egyptians shared Pharaoh’s fear, urgently pressing the Israelites to leave the land. “They urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’” Egypt’s society was shattered, its economy ruined, and its religion exposed as false. Their plea revealed that the fear of God had gripped the nation. They were eager to see the Israelites go, lest more judgment fall upon them.
The people of Israel left so quickly that they could not allow their dough to rise. They took their kneading bowls, wrapped in cloth, and carried them on their shoulders as they fled. This haste fulfilled the LORD’s earlier command regarding unleavened bread (Exodus 12:15–20). Their departure was so sudden that the practical circumstance became a divine object lesson: there was no time to delay obedience.
The Israelites had also followed Moses’ instruction to request articles of silver, gold, and clothing from their Egyptian neighbors. The LORD gave them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, who freely handed over their valuables, perhaps viewing these gifts as offerings to appease the God who had brought such destruction. In this way, “they plundered the Egyptians,” not by force, but through divine favor and fulfillment of prophecy. God had told Abraham centuries earlier, “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14). The wealth of Egypt was thus transferred to the people of God as both recompense for generations of forced labor and provision for their journey to the Promised Land.
This event also illustrates a profound spiritual principle: when God delivers His people, He not only frees them from bondage but equips them for the journey ahead. The Israelites did not leave empty-handed; they left supplied for worship, for building the tabernacle, and for the future of the nation. God’s deliverance always includes both liberation and provision.
D. Israel Leaves Egypt
(Exodus 12:37–39) — The Children of Israel Go Out of Egypt
“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.”
This was the climactic moment toward which all of Exodus had been building: Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The people departed from Rameses—a city in the Nile Delta region that had served as one of Pharaoh’s royal storehouses—and journeyed to Succoth. The name “Succoth,” meaning “shelters” or “booths,” likely refers not to a permanent city but to their first encampment as a free nation. The atmosphere that night must have been charged with awe, celebration, and perhaps fear. After centuries of bondage, the people of Israel were walking out of Egypt, not as slaves, but as a liberated multitude under the hand of Almighty God.
The text records that about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children made the journey. This figure suggests a total population of roughly two million when accounting for women and children. Some scholars have attempted to reduce this number, arguing that the Hebrew term elep (“thousand”) could refer to a family unit or military division rather than a literal thousand. Yet as Kaiser and others point out, this interpretation fails to remain consistent with the term’s usage elsewhere in Scripture. Even if the exact number cannot be determined with precision, the biblical account clearly portrays a vast and powerful exodus—a great host that made an unmistakable impact on the surrounding nations. As Cole noted, “By the time they reached Canaan, they were certainly a sizable horde, to judge from the archaeological impact on Canaanite civilization.”
The passage also mentions that a mixed multitude went up with them. This phrase, literally “a swarm,” comes from the same Hebrew root used in Exodus 8:21 to describe the plague of swarming insects. It suggests that many non-Israelites, including Egyptians and other foreigners, chose to accompany the departing Hebrews. Having witnessed the LORD’s power over Egypt’s gods, they desired to align themselves with the God of Israel. Yet this mixed multitude would later bring challenges, as not all shared Israel’s covenant faith or obedience (Numbers 11:4).
The people baked unleavened cakes from the dough they had brought with them, for “it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait.” The haste of their departure left no opportunity for preparation. God again used their circumstances to ensure obedience to His earlier command concerning unleavened bread. In this, we see how divine providence arranges events so that His people fulfill His will—even when they may not fully comprehend the reason at the time.
This passage beautifully marks the beginning of Israel’s national journey. What began with bondage and bitter servitude ended with freedom and promise. The hand of God had delivered them exactly as He foretold, and the children of Israel now marched forward as a redeemed people, destined for covenant relationship and worship in the wilderness.
(Exodus 12:40–42) — Passover as a Solemn Observance
“Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.”
The Exodus marks one of the most pivotal moments in redemptive history, and Scripture takes care to anchor it precisely in time. The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years, fulfilling God’s word to Abraham: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13). Yet, God also promised, “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14). Now, four centuries later to the very day, God’s word was fulfilled exactly as He had declared.
The phrase “on that very same day” signifies that God orchestrated the deliverance of Israel on the precise anniversary of their entry into Egypt. This demonstrates the divine precision of His promises. God’s timing is never random; He often fulfills His word on anniversaries of key covenant moments, reminding His people that history unfolds under His sovereign hand.
The text refers to the departing Israelites as “the armies of the LORD.” This is striking language for a people who had just been freed from slavery. They were not leaving as refugees but as a redeemed nation organized under divine authority. God viewed them not as scattered individuals but as His covenant people—a unified body destined to inherit the Promised Land.
The LORD designated this as “a night of solemn observance.” It was a night of worship, remembrance, and awe—a sacred memorial to the power and faithfulness of God. This event became the foundation of Israel’s national identity, just as the cross would later become the central event of redemption for the Church. As God commanded Israel to remember the Passover annually, so Christ commanded His followers to remember His death until He comes: “This do in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24–26).
The phrase “out of Egypt” becomes a defining motif throughout Scripture, appearing fifty-six times after this event. Each repetition serves as a reminder of God’s saving power. It points to the unchanging truth that deliverance from bondage—whether physical or spiritual—comes only by the hand of God. Just as He redeemed Israel out of Egypt, He redeems believers today out of sin and death.
(Exodus 12:43–49) — Regulations for Passover
“And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to 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 a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.’”
Once the Exodus was underway, God gave specific regulations for how the Passover was to be commemorated. These instructions preserved both the sanctity and the symbolism of this divine ordinance.
First, “No foreigner shall eat it.” Participation in the Passover required covenant membership. Only those who had entered into the covenant through circumcision could partake of the meal. Circumcision symbolized belonging to the covenant family of God, and therefore participation in the Passover was restricted to those who were under that covenant. Redemption and fellowship with God were not available apart from the covenant sign. However, the LORD made clear that if a foreigner desired to join Israel and serve the true God, he could be included—once he submitted to circumcision. This foreshadowed the inclusion of Gentiles through faith in Christ, who brings all believers into the covenant of grace, as Paul wrote, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).
Second, “In one house it shall be eaten.” The Passover was to be observed at the family level, reinforcing the importance of the household in God’s redemptive plan. Each family shared the same lamb, and the meal was not to be divided or taken elsewhere. This unity within each home reflected the unity of God’s people and the completeness of salvation—each household fully protected under the blood of the lamb.
Third, “Nor shall you break one of its bones.” This regulation carried deep prophetic significance. The unbroken bones of the Passover lamb pointed forward to Christ, the perfect and final Passover Lamb. As David wrote, “He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psalm 34:20). The Apostle John explicitly connected this prophecy to Jesus’ crucifixion: “But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs… For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken’” (John 19:33, 36). The preservation of the lamb’s bones symbolized the integrity of Christ’s sacrifice—complete, sufficient, and unblemished.
“All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.” Every person who belonged to God’s covenant community was expected to participate. The Passover was not optional. It was a sacred duty to remember the redemption God had provided. Likewise, for believers today, remembering the cross and partaking of the Lord’s Supper is both a privilege and a command. The Apostle Paul emphasized this in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8: “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Finally, God declared, “One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.” This revealed both the unity and inclusivity of God’s redemptive plan. The same covenant applied equally to all who placed their faith in the LORD. There was not one standard for Israelite and another for Gentile. Those who were willing to come under God’s covenant could enjoy full fellowship and protection.
(Exodus 12:50–51) — Departure from Egypt: The Exodus Begins
“Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.”
With these verses, the Exodus—the great deliverance of God’s people—formally begins. Israel’s obedience to the LORD’s commands brought the fulfillment of His promises. “Thus all the children of Israel did” shows that their faith was expressed through action. Their obedience preserved their firstborn, secured God’s favor, and prepared them to leave Egypt.
The phrase “on that very same day” underscores again the divine precision of God’s timing. The 430 years of affliction ended exactly as foretold, reminding believers that God’s promises are certain and His timing perfect. The LORD Himself “brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” Though Moses was the human leader, Scripture attributes the deliverance entirely to God. This was not a human rebellion but a divine redemption.
When Israel departed, it was as if a nation was born in a single day. The centuries of servitude were the gestation period; the plagues were the labor pains; and now, the birth of a new nation had come forth by the hand of God. This imagery is echoed in Isaiah 66:8: “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.”
The children of Israel left Egypt not as slaves escaping bondage but as the armies of the LORD—redeemed, organized, and destined for the Promised Land. The Exodus was not only a physical deliverance from oppression but also a spiritual picture of salvation itself. As Israel came out of Egypt through the blood of the lamb, so believers come out of sin and death through the blood of Christ, the true Passover Lamb.
