Exodus 14:1-4 Hemmed In?

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth,

between Migdol and the sea.

They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.

Pharaoh will think,

'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion,

hemmed in by the desert.'

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them.

But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army,

and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.'

So the Israelites did this."

Exodus 14:1-4 (NIV)

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The Israelites are told to turn back and camp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea.  They are to camp near the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.  There are many theories concerning the route of the Exodus.  I am not knowledgeable enough about the subject at this time to pick which one I believe is correct, although I do have certain leanings.  Also, there are other passages in the Bible which list the various places where Israel camped during their journey, so that should be helpful.  Perhaps when I have read a bit more I can do an article about that subject.

However, one thing seems certain.  Whatever the route at this point, it would lead Pharaoh to believe that the Israelites were wandering about in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.  Pharaoh's hardened heart will cause him to pursue the Israelites in an attempt to force them to come back to Egypt.

God had different goals.  He would gain glory through what would happen, and the Egyptians would receive further evidence that the LORD was the only true God.

Further evidence?! How much did they need?  The Egyptians had already seen the miracles which Moses and Aaron performed with the staff and Moses' hand.  The ten plagues had laid waste to Egypt and discredited Egypt's 'gods', while exhibiting the LORD's sovereignty over nature and mankind.  The final plague (death of the firstborn sons) on Egypt had been the means by which God broke Pharaoh's will and caused him to release the Israelites.  Yet now Pharaoh is contemplating a pursuit of the Israelites.

Perhaps Pharaoh himself is the one who is hemmed in at this point.

Exodus 13:17-22 Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire

"When Pharaoh let the people go,

God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country,

though that was shorter.

For God said, 'If they face war,

they might change their minds and return to Egypt.'

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.

The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him

because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath.

He had said, 'God will surely come to your aid,

and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.'

After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

By day the LORD went ahead of them
in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way

and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light,
so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day
nor the pillar of fire by night
left its place in front of the people."

Exodus 13:17-22 (NIV)

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Some observations:

• God led the Israelites out of Egypt and toward Canaan using a desert road which led toward the Red Sea.  He could have led them by a more direct path through the country of the Philistines, but if war broke out against them, some might want to give up and return to Egypt.  [That may seem astonishing, but remember that Egypt was all that these Israelites had ever known.  They personally had not been to Canaan, although their ancestors had lived there.]  The NIV Study Bible comments on this verse (v.17) that the direct route was also "...heavily guarded by a string of Egyptian fortresses."  So God knew what He was doing.  He always does.  Sometimes the longest way around really is the shortest way home.
• The Israelites were armed for battle.  They probably had spears, bows and arrows, and slings.  Perhaps some had obtained other weapons from the Egyptians.  However, it is likely that they were not exactly battle-ready.  Their years of slavery had doubtless helped to increase their endurance and physical strength, and their travels in the desert would form them into a formidable army by the end of their journey.
• Moses took Joseph's bones with him.  This fulfilled the oath which Joseph made his brothers swear.  Joseph had been confident that God would keep His word and deliver the Hebews from Egypt as He had promised.  Now God had done just that.  Remembering Joseph's confidence in the LORD and seeing that God had indeed kept His word was probably a great comfort to the Hebrews as they began their long journey back to Canaan.
• After leaving Succoth, they camped at Etham.  I am just starting to examine the possible routes for the Exodus, so that will have to be the subject of another post sometime.  This verse tells us that Etham was on the edge of the desert.
• The LORD went ahead of them, by day and by night.  He is always the shepherd, leading His people. 

Exodus 13:1-16 Observe the Passover, Consecrate the Firstborn

This is another one of those chapters which needs to be considered as a unit, for to split it up otherwise would negate some of the elements which tie it together.  For example, in this chapter, I see several smaller sections:

Verses 1-2 speak of how the firstborn belongs to the LORD.
Verses 3-10 speaks of the importance of  continuing to observe the Passover.
Verses 11-15 return to the theme of the firstborn and then...
Verse 16 seems to sum up that both of these actions (observing the Passover and consecrating the firstborn) will be perpetual reminders of how the LORD delivered the Israelites out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Let's see what we can discover within these sections.


Verses 1-2

"The LORD said to Moses, 'Consecrate to me every firstborn male.

The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me,

whether man or animal.' "

Exodus 13:1-2 (NIV)

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Exodus 13:1-2 is fairly straightforward:  Because the LORD had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, he wanted them to consecrate to Him all the firstborn males of Israel.  The comment on Ex. 13:2 from the NIV Study Bible is instructive on this point:  "God had adopted Israel as his firstborn (see 4:22 and note) and had delivered every firstborn among the Israelites, whether man or animal, from the tenth plague (see 12:12-13).  All the firstborn of Israel were therefore his."

Verses 3-10

"Then Moses said to the people,

'Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt,

out of the land of slavery,

because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand.

Eat nothing containing yeast.

Today in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites,
Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites

-- the land he swore to your forefathers to give you,

a land flowing with milk and honey --

you are to observe this ceremony in this month:

For seven days eat bread made without yeast
and on the seventh day hold a festival to the LORD.
Eat unleavened bread during those seven days;
nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you,
nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders.

On that day tell your son,
'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.
This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand
and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips.
For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.
You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

Exodus 13:3-10 (NIV)
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Some observations:

• Passover was to be celebrated in order to commemorate the day the LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt with a mighty hand.  Note that this focuses on the might of the One who brought them out as well as the fact of their deliverance.
• Five times (in five verses -- v.3-7) the prohibition against eating yeast during the Passover week is emphasized.
• The Exodus took place in the month of Abib.  The Israelites were to celebrate the Passover in that month as well.
• The observance of Passover would also be a reminder to the Israelites "that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips." (v.9)  The Israelites had obeyed the LORD regarding the Passover lamb, and the sprinkling of its blood upon the door-frames of their houses.  They had eaten the Passover dinner according to the LORD's directions and in a manner which symbolized their readiness to move out at the LORD's command.  Observance of the Passover would continue to be a reminder that they should practice continued obedience to the word of the LORD.  However, the emphasis is not on what they did, but on what the LORD did for them in delivering them out of Egypt.
• The Passover was to be observed "...at the appointed time year after year".

Verses 11-15

"After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you,

as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers,

you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb.

All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.

Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey,

but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.

Redeem every firstborn among your sons.

In days to come, when your son asks you,

'What does this mean?' say to him,

'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go,

the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal.

The is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb

and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' "

Exodus 13:11-15 (NIV)

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Observations:

• The LORD would certainly bring them into the land He had promised on oath to them and their forefathers.
• The firstborn male of every womb, man or animal, belonged to the LORD.  The animals were to be sacrificed to the LORD, while the humans were to be redeemed.  The NIV Study Bible (pg.107) comment on v.13 notes: "Redeem...The verb means 'obtain release, often (as here) by means of payment."  It also notes that the donkeys were to be redeemed rather than sacrificed because they were considered an 'unclean' animal.  The sons of the Israelites were to be redeemed because, as the same NIV Study Bible indicates, "Humans were to be consecrated to the LORD by their life, not by their death." (Genesis 22:12, Numbers 3:39-51, Romans 12:1)
• The Passover observance would provide the opportunity for the Israelites to tell the history of the Exodus to their children.

 Verse 16

"And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead

that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

Exodus 13:16 (NIV)

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Finally, verse 16 repeats the fact that the observation of the Passover and the sacrifice/redemption of the firstborn males of Israel would be a reminder of the way that the LORD had brought them out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

Kaleidoscript Two Year Birthday

Today is the second anniversary of the starting of this blog.  I have learned a lot, but still have a long way to go.  I have some plans for continued improvement of this blog.  Please feel free to add your own suggestions and comments.  How can I make this blog more helpful to you?

May God bless all who read and study His Word, and seek to follow Him.

Exodus 12:43-51 Passover Regs

"The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

'These are the regulations for the Passover:

No foreigner is to eat of it.

Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him,

but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.

It must be eaten inside one house;

take none of the meat outside the house.

Do not break any of the bones.

The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.

An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover

must have all the males of his household circumcised;

then he may take part like one born in the land.

No uncircumcised male may eat of it.

The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.'

All the Israelites did just what the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

And on that very day the LORD brought the Israelites
out of Egypt by their divisions."

Exodus 12:43-51 (NIV)

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Some comments:

1. No foreigner was to eat of the Passover, but this was not because of some kind of discrimination against foreigners.  As the NIV Study Bible says (pg.106 commentary on Ex. 12:48):  "Only those consecrated to the LORD in covenant commitment could partake of the Passover; only for them could it have its full meaning (see Genesis 17:9-14)."
2. The fact that a temporary resident or hired worker could not eat of the Passover and the rule that it must be eaten inside one house seems to underline the point of #1 above:  no casual partaking, no eat-n-run.
3. The bones of the sacrifice lamb must not be broken.  Why not?  Why should this matter?  Well, God was leaving a clue in the Scriptures as to the identity of the real sacrifice for sin, Jesus, the One known as the Lamb of God.  Psalm 34:19-20 notes that "A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." Later in the New Testament, the apostle John says that this verse applies to Jesus:

"Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath.
Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath,
they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man
who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear,
bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.
He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.
These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:
'Not one of his bones will be broken,'
and, as another scripture says,
'They will look on the one they have pierced.'

John 19:31-37 (NIV)



Note: The 'special Sabbath' spoken of in verse 31 above was the Passover.
(See John 13:1)
The fact that Psalm 34 was detailing some characteristics of a righteous man
reminds us that Jesus was also righteous, a "lamb without blemish" or without sin,
and therefore the perfect and acceptable Passover sacrifice.

 4.  Both native-born and aliens were to be bound by these Passover regulations.  Anyone could participate, as long as he complied with the rules which God had given.  None were excluded, nor were any exempt from these regulations because of some type of special exception or status.

 5.  The Israelites obeyed and on that same day, the LORD immediately set about to deliver them.  He brought Israel out of Egypt 'by their divisions', battle imagery which underlined the fact that these were the people and the army of the LORD and that the LORD had fought a great battle for them.

[On a side note, I just saw a PBS documentary about Egypt which declared that Egypt had the greatest army in the world at that time.  However, the Israelites had the Maker of the Universe as their covenant-keeping God.  No contest.]

Exodus 12:37-42 On Their Way (to the very day)

"The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth.

There were about six hundred thousand men on foot,
besides women and children.

Many other people went up with them,
as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.

With the dough they had brought from Egypt,
they baked cakes of unleavened bread.

The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt

and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years.

At the end of the 430 years, to the very day,

all the LORD's divisions left Egypt.

Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt,

on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD
for the generations to come.

Exodus 12:37-42 (NIV)

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There are a lot of interesting things in this portion of Scripture.  Here are some of my thoughts after reading this passage:

1. It will be interesting to investigate the journey of the Israelites as they made their way out of Egypt.  I know there is some controversy regarding the route that they traveled.  I also know that there are places in the Bible which name specific places where they camped along the way.  Hopefully that can help sort out some of the questions, unless the places which are named are places which are unknown to us today.
2. I was thinking that now would be a great time to make use of one of those programs which have maps, so we can plot the Exodus journey, or other places which we encounter.  It may take me some time to get that going, but I do intend to do it.  I like visuals.
3. It was good that the LORD had warned the people through Moses that they should eat their final meal in Egypt in a 'ready to leave' mode, for apparently once things started happening, there was no time for further preparations.  They had brought along their bread dough, which provided some sustenance on their journey, but did not have time to prepare other food for themselves.  It was also good that they had had that first Passover dinner before they left.  Apart from other symbolic aspects, it gave them strength for the arduous journey ahead.  [God thinks of everything.]
4. The text states that the Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years.  In fact, it was 430 years to the very day, according to this passage.  I think there is also controversy about when (and for how long) the Israelites were in Egypt.  We will look into that, but this passage is pretty specific, wouldn't you say?
5. "Many other people'' (v.38) accompanied the Israelites.  Some Egyptians had seen the power of the LORD and had tried to obey His word.  (see Exodus 9:20)  Probably members of other people groups or nations were also living in (or passing through) Egypt at the time, whether as slaves, businessmen, traders, etc.  Some of these seem to have joined the Israelites as they left Egypt.
6. Large droves of flocks and herds accompanied the Israelites.  True to His word, the LORD had brought the Israelites out of Egypt with great possessions. 
7. The LORD kept vigil that night to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  Therefore the Israelites are to honor the LORD by keeping the Passover for the generations to come.
8. Sometimes there are discussions about how many Israelites actually left Egypt in the Exodus.  The round figure given in this passage (600,000 men, besides women and children) can help give us some idea of the great number of people involved in the journey.  If we figure roughly an equal amount of women, and about two children per couple (although I think this is conservative), we already have about two and a half million people.  Now these are very rough figures, and hopefully we can investigate this question further, but I think we can say that this is no tiny ragtag group of escaped slaves, as some articles and documentaries about the Exodus seem to imply.

Exodus 12:31-36 Leave My People

"During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said,

'Up!  Leave my people, you and the Israelites!

Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.

Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go.  And also bless me.'

The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country.

'For otherwise,' they said, 'we will all die!'

So the people took their dough before the yeast was added,

and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing.

The Israelites did as Moses instructed

and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.

The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people,

and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians."

Exodus 12:31-36 (NIV)

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Pharaoh has finally gotten the message.  He realizes that if he continues to rebel, he and his nation will be destroyed.  He urges Moses and the Israelites to leave immediately, along with their flocks and herds.

Oddly, Pharaoh also asks Moses and Aaron for a blessing.  He may not understand everything which is going on, but he seems to have at least realized that the LORD is powerful, holding the authority over life and death, and that Moses and Aaron are His spokesmen.

The other Egyptians also urge the Israelites to hurry and get out of their country.  They, too, fear for their lives.  They are so anxious that the Israelites have to leave before they have even finished preparing their daily bread.  They have not yet added yeast, so the dough is wrapped up in clothing and carried with them as they depart.

The Israelites also follow Moses' instructions and request gifts of silver and gold and clothing from the Egyptians, who are more than eager to comply as long as they leave immediately.  In this way they plunder the Egyptians, although this is more than fair, since they had been enslaved by (and had labored for) the nation for over 400 years. 

Exodus 12:29-30 Tragedy Beyond Description

"At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,

from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne,

to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon,

and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.

Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night,

and there was loud wailing in Egypt,

for there was not a house without someone dead."

Exodus 12:29-30 (NIV)

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These two verses are incredibly solemn and tragic.  The LORD has done exactly what He said He would do if Pharaoh continued to resist His commands to let the Israelites go.  What a cost!  The other plagues which have been inflicted upon Egypt pale to insignificance when compared to this latest punishment.

The above link also discusses how God thought of the nation of Israel as his firstborn son.  God explicitly warns Pharaoh that the death of his own firstborn son would be the result of continued disobedience.

A firstborn son represented all the future of a family.  He was entitled to inherit a double portion of his father's possessions, and usually held the leadership position among the other siblings.  He was also a symbol of all the future of that family, one who would continue the family name and reputation.  The firstborn was kind of the firstfruits of all of the increase which hopefully would occur within the family.

Now, all of the firstborn sons of Egypt are dead.  The text says that there was not one house in which there was not someone dead.  The whole nation of Egypt was plunged into mourning.  The misery and tragedy of this situation are beyond description, especially when we consider that none of it had to happen if Pharaoh had only submitted to the LORD's instructions.

Sin is always like that.  It brings destruction and misery, not freedom or accomplishment.  Think of the effect that such a removal of the firstborn would have upon your own family.  Each family's situation would be different, of course, because of the different positions which the firstborn would occupy in each case.  For example, if it happened in my own family, a husband, a son, a grandfather, two uncles, several cousins and three nephews would have been swept away...all in one night.

Aside from the family tragedy, imagine what an effect these deaths would have upon the society around them.  In Egypt, important family leaders and officials and craftsmen of all types of occupations would have been missing.

The loss of the firstborn of the livestock would have carried its own, although lesser, cost.  Such animals represented the wealth of a family.

Later, in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, shortly before the Israelites enter into the promised land, Moses urges the people to continue to obey the LORD in order that they may live:

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you

that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

and that you may love the LORD your God,

listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.

For the LORD is your life,

and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers,

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)

I would think that Moses' words would have taken on additional significance to a people who had witnessed this punishment upon the nation of Egypt.

But what about the Pharaoh of Egypt?  His nation has been decimated.  What is his reaction to this grievous loss?  He has already ordered Moses and Aaron out of his presence and warned them that he will kill them if they dare to return.  If Pharaoh wants to see them, he will have to swallow his pride and summon them to his court.

                                                       That is exactly what he does.

 

Exodus 12:21-28 What Does This Ceremony Mean To You?

"Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them,

'Go at once and select the animals for your families

and slaughter the Passover lamb.

Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin

and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe.

Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning.

When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians,

he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe

and will pass over that doorway,

and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.

When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised,

observe this ceremony.

And when your children ask you,

"What does this ceremony mean to you?"

then tell them, "It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD,

who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes

when  he struck down the Egyptians." '

Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

The Israelites did just what the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron."

Exodus 12:21-28 (NIV)

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Moses summoned the elders and gave them the instructions for the Passover.  The individuals who obeyed these instructions and applied the blood of the lamb to their doorframes would discover that the LORD had seen the blood and passed over those homes, not permitting the destroyer to enter their homes or strike them down.

These instructions were to be a lasting ordinance for the Israelites.  Even when they arrived at the land which the LORD had promised them, they were to continue to observe this ceremony.  As they did so, their children would surely inquire about the meaning of these activities, and they would have the opportunity to explain how the LORD had passed over the houses of the Israelites and spared their firstborn sons.

The people worshiped when they heard the details of this gracious provision.  I am sure that they were also glad to hear that Moses firmly believed that the LORD would make good on His promise to bring them back to the land of their ancestors, the land which God had given to the Israelites.

The Israelites did all that the LORD had commanded them through Moses and Aaron.  For them, the Passover would become a day to remember and celebrate the deliverance which the LORD had accomplished on their behalf.  Unfortunately, Pharaoh, his officials and the majority of the Egyptians did not obey these instructions.  For them, this day would become something entirely different...

Exodus 12:14-20 Lasting Passover and No-Yeast Feast

"This is a day you are to commemorate;

for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD --

a lasting ordinance.

For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast.

On the first day remove the yeast from your houses,

for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh

must be cut off from Israel.

On the first day hold a sacred assembly,

and another one on the seventh day.

Do no work at all on these days,

except to prepare food for everyone to eat --

that is all you may do.

Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread,

because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt.

Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.

In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast,

from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.

For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses.

And whoever eats anything with yeast in it
must be cut off from the community of Israel,

whether he is an alien or native-born.

Eat nothing made with yeast.

Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread."

Exodus 12:14-20 (NIV)

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Thoughts:

• Commemorate:  "1. preserve in memory by a celebration or ceremony  2. be a memorial of" (The Oxford Desk Dictionary, pg. 115.)  The above passage holds both aspects of 'remembering' and 'celebrating'.  This is not just a dry memorial, but an ongoing celebration of the LORD's victory of delivering the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.
• Passover is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. (v.14,17)
• Yeast must be removed from each household.  Later, yeast would be seen as a symbol for sin.  I don't know if it was viewed in a similar way by these Israelites -- and I wonder if they wondered why the yeast had to be removed from their homes.  However, it is repeatedly emphasized (seven or eight times, by my count) in this passage that they had to remove the yeast/eat nothing with yeast/eat unleavened bread during this commemorative period.
• This command to remove the yeast was a serious one.  Violation of this would result in being cut off from Israel.  Being cut off from Israel might result in execution or banishment (See Genesis 17:14, Exodus 31:14, Leviticus 20:2-3)  At any rate, it would definitely remove the offender from being part of the covenant relationship with the LORD.  Notice that this ordinance applied to both native-born Israelis and aliens living with them.  It was to be observed 'wherever you live' (v.20).
• This Feast of Unleavened Bread would start at the Passover meal and continue for seven days.

Exodus 12:1-13 The LORD's Passover

"The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt,

'This month is to be for you the first month,

the first month of your year.

Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month

each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.

If any household is too small for a whole lamb,

they must share one with their nearest neighbor,

having taken into account the number of people there are.

You are to determine the amount of lamb needed

in accordance with what each person will eat.

The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect,

and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.

Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month,

when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.

Then they are to take some of the blood

and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes

of the houses where they eat the lambs.

That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire,

along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.

Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water,

but roast it over the fire -- head, legs and inner parts.

Do not leave any of it till morning;

if some is left till morning, you must burn it.

This is how you are to eat it:

with your cloak tucked into your belt,

your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand.

Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

On that same night I will pass through Egypt

and I will strike down every firstborn -- both men and animals --

and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.

I am the LORD.

The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are;

and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.

No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.' "

Exodus 12:1-13 (NIV)

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Some observations:

• The LORD is setting up a new calendar for the Hebrews.  This month would be the first one of their calendar year.  This deliverance from Egypt would be so significant that it demanded a fresh way of looking at the year.
• On the tenth of the month, a lamb would be selected in accordance with what each person would eat.  Households could share with their nearest neighbor if they were too small to need a whole lamb for themselves.  Why the nearest neighbor?  Probably because this would not be a night where they should be out and about any more than necessary while the LORD was bringing judgment upon Egypt.  [I was also impressed with the careful use of resources -- no wasted animals.  This reminds me of One who instructed His disciples to gather up the unused portions of bread after he had fed the crowds.]
• These lambs (which could be from the sheep or the goats) would be cared for from the tenth until the fourteenth of the month.  I do not know if this is the main reason, but the time span gave additional time for Pharaoh or other Egyptians to turn to God before God's judgment fell.
• The lamb was to be without defect.  [I Peter 1:19 calls Jesus Christ a lamb without defect as well.  These lambs were symbolic of the sinless One who gave His life for a ransom for sinners.]
• The Israelites were to take some of the blood from the lamb and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where the lamb was being eaten.  This blood is not some magic substance applied to ward off evil, but a solemn reminder that their freedom was not purchased without the sacrifice of a life.
• The meat was to be roasted and eaten with bitter herbs (a symbol of their suffering in Egypt).  Bread made without yeast could be quickly prepared, as the meal was eaten in haste.  The people were to be basically ready to run at a moment's notice, since their cloaks were tucked up and sandals secured on their feet and staff in hand.
• God would pass through Egypt that same night, striking down the firstborn of Egypt and demonstrating the inability of any of the 'gods' of Egypt to deliver them.  Each of the plagues had already shown that these 'gods' could offer no help in times of need.  Now, however, the losses were about as severe as could be, as each family lost its firstborn son.  [I suppose if a family had a grandfather who had been the firstborn and the father was also a firstborn, and had a son, all three might drop dead in one household, which would be a truly horrifying and devastating event for that family.]
• The blood applied to the doorframes would be a sign for the Israelites [I suppose as they observed later that all who had the blood applied had been spared, while those who did not had suffered the loss of the firstborn son.]  The LORD would pass over the homes marked by the blood, hence the term, 'Passover'.  No destructive plague would touch these homes.
• A former Pharaoh had been responsible for the death of many of the newborn sons of Israel, when he had ordered them to be thrown into the Nile River.  The present Pharaoh had threatened to kill Moses if he appeared before him again.  In the previous post, I had discussed how God had promised to bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who cursed them.  I also said that it seemed that God would bring upon Israel's enemies the very same evil which they had planned for Israel.  Here is another example of that same type of judgment, as the firstborn of Egypt will die in a final plague.