Exodus 12

The Lord Gives Passover Instructions

1 The Lord told Moses and Aaron in Egypt,

2 ‘This month is going to be the first month of your year from now on.’

3 ‘Tell the whole Israelite crew: On the tenth day of this month, each family must take a lamb or young goat, one for each household.’

4 ‘If the household is too small for a whole lamb, team up with your neighbor. Share based on how much you all can eat.’

5 ‘The animal must be a one-year-old male without any defects, either a lamb or a goat.’

6 ‘Take care of it until the 14th day of the month. Then, the whole community of Israel must slaughter their lambs at twilight.’

7 ‘Take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where you eat the lambs.’

8 ‘That night, roast the meat over a fire and eat it with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.’

9 ‘Do not eat it raw or boiled. Roast it whole, head, legs, and everything.’

10 ‘Do not leave any leftovers till morning. If anything is left, burn it up.’

11 ‘Eat it dressed for travel, your cloak tucked in, your sandals on, and your walking stick in hand. This is the Lord’s Passover.’

The Plague on the Firstborn

12 ‘That night, I am rolling through Egypt and striking down every firstborn, both human and animal. I will bring judgment on all Egypt’s gods. I am the Lord.’

13 ‘But the blood on your houses will be the sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.’

14 ‘This day will be a memorial for you all. Celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. Keep it as a tradition forever.’

The Festival of Unleavened Bread

15 ‘For seven days, eat bread without yeast. On the first day, get rid of all the yeast in your house. Anyone who eats yeast during these seven days gets kicked out of Israel.’

16 ‘Have a holy assembly on the first and seventh days. No work is allowed, except to prepare food.’

17 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread because this is the day I brought you all out of Egypt. Do this forever, it is tradition.’

18 ‘From the evening of the 14th day to the evening of the 21st day of the month, eat bread without yeast.’

19 ‘No yeast should be found in your homes. Anyone eating it will be cut off, whether they are an Israelite or just living with you.’

20 ‘No yeast at all. Eat unleavened bread only.’

Moses Gives the Instructions

21 Moses called the elders of Israel together and said, ‘Pick a lamb for your families and slaughter it for the Passover.’

22 ‘Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood from the bowl, and smear it on the top and sides of the doorframe. Do not leave your house till morning.’

23 ‘When the Lord comes through to strike Egypt, He will see the blood on your door and pass over. He will not let the destroyer come into your house.’

24 ‘Obey this rule forever. Teach it to your kids, too.’

25 ‘When you all get to the land the Lord promised you, keep celebrating this ceremony.’

26 ‘When your kids ask, What does this ceremony mean?’

27 ‘Tell them, It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord. He passed over our houses when He struck Egypt and saved us.’ Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

28 The Israelites did exactly what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

The Death of the Firstborn

29 At midnight, the Lord struck down every firstborn in Egypt, from Pharaoh’s son on the throne to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, and even the firstborn of the animals.

30 Pharaoh, his officials, and all Egypt woke up during the night, and the wailing was loud, there was not a single house without someone dead.

The Exodus Begins

31 Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron that night and said, ‘Get out! Leave my people. Take the Israelites with you and worship the Lord like you said.’

32 ‘Take your animals and everything else. Just go! And bless me on your way out!’

33 The Egyptians were rushing the Israelites, saying, ‘You all must leave now! If you do not, we are all are going to die!’

34 So the Israelites grabbed their dough before it had risen, wrapped it up in their clothes, and carried it on their shoulders.

35 They did what Moses told them and asked the Egyptians for silver, gold, and clothes.

36 The Lord made the Egyptians generous, so they hooked the Israelites up. That is how they stripped Egypt of its wealth.

The Journey Begins

37 The Israelites left Rameses and headed to Succoth, about 600,000 men, not counting women and kids.

38 A mixed group of people went with them, along with tons of animals.

39 They baked unleavened bread with the dough they brought out of Egypt, since they had no time to let it rise. They had to leave in a hurry.

40 The Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years.

41 On that exact day, the Lord’s people marched out of Egypt, free at last.

42 That night is dedicated to the Lord for bringing them out of Egypt. All Israelites are to keep this night as a tradition forever.

Passover Rules

43 The Lord told Moses and Aaron, ‘Here are the rules for Passover: No foreigners can eat it.’

44 ‘But if you have a slave you have bought, they can eat it after being circumcised.’

45 ‘Temporary residents or hired workers cannot eat it.’

46 ‘Eat it in one house. Do not take any meat outside, and do not break any of the bones.’

47 ‘The whole Israelite community must celebrate it.’

48 ‘If a foreigner living with you wants to celebrate Passover, every male in their household must be circumcised. Then they can celebrate like they are part of Israel.’

49 ‘The same rules apply to Israelites and foreigners living among you.’

50 The Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

51 On that exact day, the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt, tribe by tribe.