Exodus 12 commentary

The Lord makes all things new to those whom he delivers from the bondage of Satan, and takes to himself to be his people. The time when he does this is to them the beginning of a new life. God appointed that, on the night wherein they were to go out of Egypt, each family should kill a lamb, or that two or three families, if small, should kill one lamb. This lamb was to be eaten in the manner here directed, and the blood to be sprinkled on the door-posts, to mark the houses of the Israelites from those of the Egyptians. The angel of the Lord, when destroying the first-born of the Egyptians, would pass over the houses marked by the blood of the lamb: hence the name of this holy feast or ordinance. The passover was to be kept every year, both as a remembrance of Israel's preservation and deliverance out of Egypt, and as a remarkable type of Christ. Their safety and deliverance were not a reward of their own righteousness, but the gift of mercy. Of this they were reminded, and by this ordinance they were taught, that all blessings came to them through the shedding and sprinkling of blood. Observe, 1. The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is our passover, 1Co 5:7. Christ is the Lamb of God, Joh 1:29; often in the Revelation he is called the Lamb. It was to be in its prime; Christ offered up himself in the midst of his days, not when a babe at Bethlehem. It was to be without blemish; the Lord Jesus was a Lamb without spot: the judge who condemned Christ declared him innocent. It was to be set apart four days before, denoting the marking out of the Lord Jesus to be a Saviour, both in the purpose and in the promise. It was to be slain, and roasted with fire, denoting the painful sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the death of the cross. The wrath of God is as fire, and Christ was made a curse for us. Not a bone of it must be broken, which was fulfilled in Christ, Joh 19:33, denoting the unbroken strength of the Lord Jesus. 2. The sprinkling of the blood was typical. The blood of the lamb must be sprinkled, denoting the applying of the merits of Christ's death to our souls; we must receive the atonement, Ro 5:11. Faith is the bunch of hyssop, by which we apply the promises, and the benefits of the blood of Christ laid up in them, to ourselves. It was to be sprinkled on the door-posts, denoting the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ. It was not to be sprinkled upon the threshold; which cautions us to take heed of trampling under foot the blood of the covenant. It is precious blood, and must be precious to us. The blood, thus sprinkled, was a means of preserving the Israelites from the destroying angel, who had nothing to do where the blood was. The blood of Christ is the believer's protection from the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and the damnation of hell, Ro 8:1. 3. The solemn eating of the lamb was typical of our gospel duty to Christ. The paschal lamb was not to be looked upon only, but to be fed upon. So we must by faith make Christ our own; and we must receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him, as from our food, see Joh 6:53, 55. It was all to be eaten; those who by faith feed upon Christ, must feed upon a whole Christ; they must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his cross, as well as Christ and his crown. It was to be eaten at once, not put by till morning. To-day Christ is offered, and is to be accepted while it is called to-day, before we sleep the sleep of death. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, in remembrance of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt; we must feed upon Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in remembrance of sin. Christ will be sweet to us, if sin be bitter. It was to be eaten standing, with their staves in their hands, as being ready to depart. When we feed upon Christ by faith, we must forsake the rule and the dominion of sin; sit loose to the world, and every thing in it; forsake all for Christ, and reckon it no bad bargain, Heb 13:13, 14. 4. The feast of unleavened bread was typical of the Christian life, 1Co 5:7, 8. Having received Christ Jesus the Lord, we must continually delight ourselves in Christ Jesus. No manner of work must be done, that is, no care admitted and indulged, which does not agree with, or would lessen this holy joy. The Jews were very strict as to the passover, so that no leaven should be found in their houses. It must be a feast kept in charity, without the leaven of malice; and in sincerity, without the leaven of hypocrisy. It was by an ordinance for ever; so long as we live we must continue feeding upon Christ, rejoicing in him always, with thankful mention of the great things he has done for us.

That night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no Israelite must stir out of doors till called to march out of Egypt. Their safety was owing to the blood of sprinkling. If they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was at their peril. They must stay within, to wait for the salvation of the Lord; it is good to do so. In after-times they should carefully teach their children the meaning of this service. It is good for children to ask about the things of God; they that ask for the way will find it. The keeping of this solemnity every year was, 1. To look backward, that they might remember what great things God had done for them and their fathers. Old mercies, to ourselves, or to our fathers, must not be forgotten, that God may be praised, and our faith in him encouraged. 2. It was designed to look forward, as an earnest of the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the fulness of time. Christ our passover was sacrificed for us; his death was our life.

The Egyptians had been for three days and nights kept in anxiety and horror by the darkness; now their rest is broken by a far more terrible calamity. The plague struck their first-born, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain the Hebrews' children, now God slew theirs. It reached from the throne to the dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments. The destroying angel entered every dwelling unmarked with blood, as the messenger of woe. He did his dreadful errand, leaving not a house in which there was not one dead. Imagine then the cry that rang through the land of Egypt, the long, loud shriek of agony that burst from every dwelling. It will be thus in that dreadful hour when the Son of man shall visit sinners with the last judgment. God's sons, his first-born, were now released. Men had better come to God's terms at first, for he will never come to theirs. Now Pharaoh's pride is abased, and he yields. God's word will stand; we get nothing by disputing, or delaying to submit. In this terror the Egyptians would purchase the favour and the speedy departure of Israel. Thus the Lord took care that their hard-earned wages should be paid, and the people provided for their journey.

The children of Israel set forward without delay. A mixed multitude went with them. Some, perhaps, willing to leave their country, laid waste by plagues; others, out of curiosity; perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But there were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites. Thus there are still hypocrites in the church. This great event was 430 years from the promise made to Abraham: see Ga 3:17. So long the promise of a settlement was unfulfilled. But though God's promises are not performed quickly, they will be, in their season. This is that night of the Lord, that remarkable night, to be celebrated in all generations. The great things God does for his people, are to be not only a few days' wonder, but to be remembered throughout all ages; especially the work of our redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover-night, in which Christ was betrayed and in which the first passover, with the rest of the Jewish ceremonies, was done away, was a night of the Lord, much more to be observed. Then a yoke, heavier than that of Egypt, was broken from off our necks, and a land, better than that of Canaan, set before us. It was a redemption to be celebrated in heaven, for ever and ever.

In times to come, all the congregation of Israel must keep the passover. All that share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for them. The New Testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any. Strangers, if circumcised, might eat of the passover. Here is an early indication of favour to the gentiles. This taught the Jews that their being a nation favoured by God, entitled them to their privileges, not their descent from Abraham. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1Co 5:7; his blood is the only ransom for our souls; without the shedding of it there is no remission; without the sprinkling of it there can be no salvation. Have we, by faith in him, sheltered our souls from deserved vengeance under the protection of his atoning blood? Do we keep close to him, constantly depending upon him? Do we so profess our faith in the Redeemer, and our obligations to him, that all who pass by may know to whom we belong? Do we stand prepared for his service, ready to walk in his ways, and to separate ourselves from his enemies? These are questions of vast importance to the soul; may the Lord direct our consciences honestly to answer them.

1. And the Lord spake. Although the institution of the Passover in some degree appertains to the Fourth Commandment, where the Sabbath and Feast-days will be treated of; yet, in so far as it was a solemn symbol Memorial. — Fr. of their redemption, whereby the people professed their obligation to God their deliverer, and in a manner devoted themselves to His dominion, I have not hesitated to insert it here as a supplement of the First Commandment. The observation of the day itself will again recur in its proper place; it will only be suitable to observe here, that God enjoined this ceremony in order that He might wholly bind the people under obligation to Himself alone, and that from it the Israelites might learn that they should never turn away from Him, by whose kindness and hand they were redeemed. For by these means He had purchased them to Himself as His peculiar people; and, therefore, whenever He reproves them for declining from His pure worship, He complains that they were forgetful of this great favor, the memory of which ought to have been sufficient to retain them. In effect, then, the celebration of the Passover taught the Israelites that it was not lawful for them to have regard to any other God besides their Redeemer; and also that it was just and right for them to consecrate themselves to His service, since He had restored them from death to life; and thus, as in a glass or picture, He represented to their eyes His grace; and desired that they should on every succeeding year recognize what they had formerly experienced, lest it should ever depart from their memory. First, let us define what the Passover (Pascha) is; This paragraph not in French. I use its trite and ordinary name. In its etymology there is no difficulty, except that the passage (transitus) of God, is equivalent to His leaping over, (transilitio) whereby it came to pass that the houses of the Israelites remained untouched; for Isaiah, Isaiah 31:5 C.’s own translation of the words rendered in our A. V., “passing over he will preserve it,” i.e., Jerusalem, is “transiliens servabit;” that of Bishop Lowth is “leaping forward, and rescuing her.” In his note on the passage, he expresses the opinion that the action described by the word פסח, in this chapter, is the “springing forward” of Jehovah the protector, to defend his people from the destroying angel. speaking of the second redemption, unquestionably alludes to this place, when he says, I will leap over Jerusalem. The reason, then, for this expression being used is, that God’s vengeance passed over the Israelites, so as to leave them uninjured. With respect to the twofold mention by Moses of a passing-over, observe that the same word is not used in both places; but Pesah פסח and עבר in verses 13 and 12. It is observable that C. now properly translates פסח, transilire, in his own comment; though, when commenting on it before, he had only used parts of the word transire, which expresses no more than עבר. — W refers to the chosen people, and Abar to the Egyptians; as if he had said, my vengeance shall pass through the midst of your enemies, and shall everywhere destroy them; but you I will pass over untouched. Since, then, God was willing to spare His Israel, He awakened the minds of the faithful to the hope of this salvation, by the interposition of a sign; “Symbolum.” — Lat. “Signe ou Sacrement.” — Fr. whilst He instituted a perpetual memorial of His grace, that the Passover might every year renew the recollection of their deliverance. For the first Passover was celebrated in the very presence of the thing itself, to be a pledge to strengthen their terrified minds; but the annual repetition was a sacrifice of thanksgiving, whereby their posterity might be reminded that they were God’s rightful and peculiar dependents (clientes). Yet both the original institution and the perpetual law had a higher reference; for God did not once redeem His ancient people, that they might remain safely and quietly in the land, but He wished to bring them onward even to the inheritance of eternal life, wherefore the Passover was no less than Circumcision a sign of spiritual grace; and so it has an analogy and resemblance to the Holy Supper, because it both contained the same promises, which Christ now seals to us in that, and also taught that God could only be propitiated towards His people by the expiation of blood. In sum, it was the sign of the future redemption as well as of that which was past. For this reason Paul writes, that “Christ our Passover is slain,” (1 Corinthians 5:7;) which would be unsuitable, if the ancients had only been reminded in it of their temporal benefit. Yet let us first establish this, that the observation of the Passover was commanded by God in the Law, that He might demand the gratitude of His people and devote to Himself those who were redeemed by His power and grace. I now descend to particulars. God commands the Israelites to begin the year with the month in which they had come out of Egypt, as if it had been the day of their birth, since that exodus was in fact a kind of new birth; “Une facon de faire renaistre;” a means of bringing about the new birth of the Church. — Fr. for, whereas they had been buried in Egypt, the liberty given them by God was the beginning of a new life and the rising of a new light. For though their adoption had gone before, yet, since in the mean time it had almost vanished from the hearts of many, it was necessary that they should be in a manner re-begotten, that they might begin to acknowledge more certainly that God was their Father. Wherefore He says in Hosea,

“I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me,” (Hosea 12:9, and Hosea 13:4;)

because He had then especially acquired them to Himself as His peculiar people; and He speaks even more clearly a little before,

“when Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” (Hosea 11:1.)

Now, although it was common to the race of Abraham with other nations to begin the year with the month of March; yet in this respect the reason for it was different, for it was only to the elect people that their resurrection was annually put before their eyes. But, up to that time, the Hebrews themselves had begun their year with the month of September, which is called in Chaldee Tisri, and in which many suppose that the world was created; because immediately on its creation the earth produced ripe fruits, so that its fecundity was in perfection. And still there remains among the Jews a twofold manner of dating and counting their years; for, in all matters which relate to the common business of life, they retain the old and natural computation, so that the first month is the beginning of Autumn; but, in religious matters and festivals, they follow the injunctions of Moses; and this is the legal year, beginning nearly with our month of March, There is a considerable abbreviation of this passage in the French. yet not precisely, because we have not their ancient embolisms; for, since twelve circuits of the moon would not equal the sun’s course, they were obliged to make an intercalation, lest, in progress of years, an absurd and enormous diversity should arise. Thence it happens that the month Nisan, in which they celebrated the Passover, begins among the Jews sometimes earlier, and sometimes later, according as the intercalation retards it.

3. Speak ye unto all. A question is asked on this passage, why, when one Lamb alone was offered in sacrifice for the reconciliation of the Church, and God was propitiated by the blood of one Christ alone, He should have commanded a lamb to be slain in every house, as if there were to be a special sacrifice for every one apart? The reply is easy; because, although all were protected from destruction by the same blood, and the general rite united them altogether into fellowship in the same expiation, yet still it was not unreasonable that, by that special application, so to speak, God would have every family separately reminded, so as to feel the grace more peculiarly conferred on itself. Thus now-a-days we have all the same baptism, whereby we are ingrafted in common into the body of Christ; yet His baptism is conferred on every individual, that they may more surely acknowledge that they are partakers in the adoption, and therefore members of the Church. God, then, in commanding them to slay a lamb in every house, did not wish to draw away the people to different grounds of hope, but only to shew them in a familiar way, that all houses were under obligation to Him, and that not only the salvation of the whole people ought to be confessed to come from Him, but that His singular blessing ought to shine forth in every family. The cause of his desiring the neighbors to be added if the number of people in one house were not, sufficient to eat the Passover, was that nothing might be left of it; and this amongst others appears to have been the chief reason why the whole lamb was to be consumed, viz., lest they should mix this sacred feast with their daily food, and also lest its dignity should be diminished by appearing in the form of tainted meat. Perhaps, too, God provided this, lest any superstition should creep in from the preservation of the remnants; and therefore commanded the very bones to be burnt.

5. Your lamb shall be without blemish. We shall see elsewhere, that in all their sacrifices prescribed by the Law they were diligently to beware, lest there should be any spot or fault in them; and by this the people were reminded, that the expiation was not legitimate, unless it possessed the utmost perfection, such as is never to be found in men. It is not to be wondered, therefore, that God should now require the Passover to be of one year old, and without blemish, that the Israelites might know that in order to propitiate God, a more excellent price was required than could be discovered in the whole human race; and since such excellency could much less exist in a beast, the celestial perfection and purity of Christ was shewn forth by this visible perfection of the lamb, or kid. It was with reference to this also that; they were commanded to keep it up separate from the rest; of the flock, from the tenth until the fourteenth day of the month. As to God’s will, that the side-posts and lintel should be sprinkled with blood, by this sign He plainly taught them, that the sacrifice would profit none but those who were stained and marked with Christ’s blood; for this sprinkling was equivalent to their bearing each one the mark: of His blood upon their forehead. And, in effect, Christ, by the outpouring of His blood, has not delivered all, but only the faithful, who sanctify themselves with it. That internal sprinkling indeed holds the first place, which Peter teaches us to be effected by the power of the Spirit, (1 Peter 1:2;) yet by this external sign the Israelites were instructed that they could not be protected from God’s wrath, except by holding up against it the shield of the blood. And this corresponds with the lesson learnt above, that the same universal sacrifice was offered particularly in every house, in order that thus its peculiar instruction might affect them more seriously, when generally it would have been uninteresting and ineffectual. I prefer to be ignorant as to why He required the flesh to be roasted and not boiled, rather than to invent such unfounded subtleties, as that Christ was, in a manner, roasted on the Cross. A nearer approach to the truth appears to me to be, that God desired thus to mark their haste, because, when their implements were all packed up, the meat would be more easily roasted on a spit than cooked in the pot. And this also is the tendency of the precept respecting the manner of eating it, in which three things are to be observed, the unleavened bread, the sauce of bitter herbs, and the girded loins, together with the rest of the costume of travelers. Undoubtedly God commanded the bread to be made without leaven on account of their sudden departure, because He would snatch his people out of Egypt, as it were, in a moment; and, therefore, they baked unleavened loaves out of flour hurriedly kneaded. “N’ayant pas logsir d’avoir du pain ordinaire;” not having time to make ordinary bread — Fr. It was required that the remembrance of this should be renewed every year, in order that their posterity might know that their deliverance was afforded them from above, since their fathers hastily took flight without having made any preparation for their journey; for any greater preparation would have thrown some shade upon the divine grace, which shone forth more brightly on account of their want of food. God would have them content with bitter herbs, because hasty travelers, and especially in an enemy’s country, are satisfied without delicacies, and whatever sauce they meet with is very grateful to their taste, nor does its bitterness seem offensive to them, as it does in seasons of abundance and ease. Possibly too they were reminded of their former condition; for under so dire and bitter a tyranny nothing could be sweet or pleasant. But their haste was still more plainly represented by their eating the lamb hurriedly with their shoes on their feet, and their loins girded, and leaning on their staves. Men pass from their suppers to bed and to repose; and therefore the ancients used both to take off their shoes and to lie down to it; but the people’s necessity inverts this order, since they were compelled to fly immediately from their supper. And hence the reason is subjoined, “it is the Lord’s passover;” since they escaped in safety amidst the confusion, and when the sword of God was raging. We must, however, bear in mind what we have already said, that the use of this sacrament was twofold, both to exercise the people in the recollection of their past deliverance, and to nourish in them the hope of future redemption; and therefore the passover not only reminded them of what God had already done for His people, but also of what they were hereafter to expect from Him. Consequently there is no doubt that the Israelites ought to have learnt from this rite that they were redeemed from the tyranny of Egypt on these terms, viz, that a much more excellent salvation still awaited them. But this spiritual mystery was more clearly laid open by the coming of Christ; and therefore Paul, accommodating this, ancient figure to us, commands us, because

“Christ our passover is sacrificed for us,” to “keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice, and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:7, 8.)

God therefore formerly wished the houses, in which the Passover was celebrated, to be free from all corruption; and far more does it become us now to take care of this, lest the sacrifice wherewith Christ has redeemed us from eternal death, should be polluted by any leaven of wickedness. To the same effect “Nous avons aussi a prendre instruction touchant les herbes ameres, et equipages des voyageurs,” etc.; we must also receive instruction from the bitter herbs, and their equipment as travelers. — Fr. is what follows, warning us lest we should be devoted to the attractions of the world, and lest our course should be delayed by the enticements of pleasure; but that we are pilgrims on earth, and should be ever girt and ready to make haste; and that although the cross of Christ be bitter, yet we should not refuse to taste it.

12. For I will pass through the land. This refers to the first passover, the night in which they were to be delivered from Egypt; and God expressly declares that He will be the judge against the false gods, because it then especially appeared how utterly unable they were to help, and how vain and fallacious was their service. The absurd commentary of some of the Rabbins C. found in S. M. that Onkelos and the Rabbis said the Egyptian idols were laid prostrate. — W. is tame and far-fetched, that the idols should be cast down, because by the single miracle of their redemption, all superstitions were magnificently overturned, and whatsoever men believed about idols was condemned as folly and delusion. God therefore affirms, that he would not only conquer the nation itself, but its very gods. Perhaps Isaiah alludes to this passage when he says,

“Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence,” (Isaiah 19:1;)

for wherever He has appeared as the Savior of His people, He has asserted His glory in opposition to all impious and corrupt religions.

14. And this day shall be unto you. This is spoken of its annual celebration, which was as well a monument of their exodus as a symbol of their future deliverance. As to its being called a rite, or ordinance for ever, (edictum soeculi,) I admit that by this expression perpetuity is meant, but only such as would exist until the renovation of the Church; and the same explanation will apply to circumcision, as well as to the whole ceremonial of the Law; for although by Christ’s coming it was abolished as concerns its use, yet did it only then attain its true solidity; and therefore the difference between ourselves and the ancient people detracts nothing from this perpetual statute; just in the same way as the new Covenant does not destroy the old in substance, but only in form. A little further on, where he says, “save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you,” verse 18; the meaning is, that they must cease from every work, except the preparation of their day’s food; and this exception is expressly made, that they may not permit themselves to violate their sacred festivals by other business.

Exodus 12:24-27, 43-49

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

24. Observabitis itaque rem istam, (vel verbum istud,) in statutum tibi et filiis tuis usque in saeculum.

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.

25. Et erit quum intraveritis terram quam dabit Jehova vobis, ut pollicitus est, tunc observabitis hunc cultum.

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

26. Erit autem quum dixerint vobis filii vestri, Quis est cultus iste vobis?

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.

27. Tunc dicetis, Est sacrificium Pesah Jehovae, qui transiliit domos filiorum Israel in Aegypto quando percussit Aegyptios, et domos nostras eruit.

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

43. Et dixit Jehova ad Mosen et Aharon, Statutum Pesah: Nullus alienigena comedet ex eo.

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

44. Sed onmis servus viri pecunia emptus, postquam ipsum circunciderit, comedet ex eo.

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

45. Advena et mercenarius non comedet ex eo.

46. In one house shall it be eaten: thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.

46. In eadem domo comedetur: non efferes extra domum foras e, carne, et os non confringetis ex eo.

47. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.

47. Universus coetus Israel facient ipsum, (vel, mactabunt.)

48. And when a stranger shall sojourn 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.

48. Quod si inquilinus apud to peregrinetur, ut faciat Pesah Jehovae, circuncidetur ei omnis masculus, et tunc accedat ad faciendum illud, eritque sicut indigena terrae; nullus autem incircuncisus veseatur ex eo.

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

49. Lex una erit indigenae et peregrino, qui peregrinatur in medio vestri.

15. Whosoever eateth leavened bread. This law specially refers to the keeping of the Passover. God had before forbidden the use of leaven; and He now enacts the punishment to be inflicted, if any should neglect the prohibition, and mingle leaven with the Paschal feast. But it is not without reason that we have postponed to this place what Moses has joined together with the institution of the Passover; for the plan proposed by us demands that the political laws, which sanction God’s worship by the denunciation of punishments, should occupy their peculiar place. From the punishment it appears that, although it may be in itself a trifling matter to abstain from leaven, (as Paul teaches that “bodily exercise profiteth little,” 1 Timothy 4:8,) yet, inasmuch as in this ceremony the redemption of the people was kept in memory, it was a very gross crime not to observe whatever God had prescribed, for we must estimate the importance of the rites of the law from their object. “Selon leur fin, et leur verite.” — Fr.

Deuteronomy 17

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

14. When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

14. Quum ingressus fueris terrain quam Jehova Deus tuus dat tibi, et possederis eam, et habitaveris in ea, ac dixeris, Constituam super me regem sicut omnes gentes quae sunt per circuitus meos.

15. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

15. Constituendo constitues super te regem quem elegerit Jehova Deus tuus: e medio fratrum tuorum constitues super te regem: non poteris constituere super te virum alienigenam, qui non sit frater tuus.

16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

16. Verum non multiplicabit sibi equos, neque reducet populum in Aegyptum ad multiplicandos equos: quum Jehova dixerit vobis, Non adjicietis reverti per hanc viam amplius.

17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

17. Neque multiplicabit sibi uxores, neque avertetur cor ejus, neque plurimum argentum et aurum sibi cumulabit.

18. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shalt write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

18. Verum quum sederit super solium regni sui, tunc describet sibi exemplar legis hujus in volumine; a conspectu sacerdotum et Levitarum.

19. And it shalt be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

19. Eritque apud eum, et leget in eo cunctis diebus vitae suae: ut scilicet discat timere Jehovam Deum suum: et observare omnia verba legis hujus, atque statuta haec, ut faciat ea.

20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

20. Ne elevetur cor ejus super fratres ipsius, neque declinet a praecepto ad dextram aut ad sinistram, ut proroget dies in regno suo: ipsc et filii ejus in medio Israelis.

I have here omitted what Moses has related in the beginning of the chapter up to this verse, because it pertains to the perpetual doctrine of the Law. I shall hereafter insert it in its proper place. But., since here also God gave precepts as to the observation of the Passover, I have thought it right to interweave them with the history; because Moses does not merely teach here what God would have observed by His people in all ages, but relates what He required on a particular occasion. But my readers are to be reminded that some precepts are temporary, and some perpetual, like the Law itself. Of this we may see a clear and familiar example in the chapter before us. For up to this place, Moses had explained what; would be the due observation of the Passover year by year for ever; but now he only relates historically, that, on the night in which the people went forth, they celebrated the Passover according’ to God’s command. I shall, therefore, lightly touch upon what is here repeated; since a more fitting place for a full exposition will be, when we come to the doctrine of the law. The word פסה, פסח. So. Seb M. A leaping, or passing-over. It is well known that this version has been discussed and defended at considerable length by Archbishop Magee, in No. 35 of the Illustrations to his First Discourse on the Atonement. See Calvin’s farther explanations, when he comments on verse 1 of this chapter. — W pesech, means a passing-over, not of the people, (as many have falsely thought,) but of God Himself, who passed over the houses of the Israelites without harm, when He slew the first-born in all Egypt. Since, then, the wrath of God, which then like a deluge covered the whole of Egypt, left the Israelites untouched, He instituted a memorial of His passing-over, whereby they had been preserved in safety amidst the public destruction of the whole land. He is also said to have passed-over the Egyptians, whom He deprived of their first-born; but after a different manner, because He spared His chosen ones, as if they had been far away, or protected in places of sure refuge.

21. Then Moses called for all the elders. His address is especially directed to the elders, that they might afterwards repeat it to the multitude; for he could not have been heard at the same time by so great a number of people. But, although the disorganization of the people had been terrible under that severe tyranny, still God willed that certain relics of order should be preserved, and did not suffer those, whom He had adopted, to be deprived of all government. This also had been an availing means of preserving their unity, so that the chosen seed of Abraham should not be lost. But Moses here only speaks of the sprinkling of the blood; because he had already addressed them as to the eating of the lamb. He therefore commands branches of hyssop to be dipped in the blood, which had been caught in the basin, and every one’s lintel and two side-posts to be sprinkled with this. By which sign God testified that He will preserve His people from the common destruction, because they will be discerned from the wicked by the mark of blood. For it was necessary that the Israelites should first be reminded, that by the expiation of the sacrifice, they were delivered from the plague, and their houses preserved untouched; and, secondly, that the sacrifice would profit them, only if its conspicuous sign existed among them. We elsewhere see that the Paschal lamb was a type of Christ, who by His death propitiated His Father, so that we should not perish with the rest of the world. But, already of old time, He desired to bear witness to the ancients under the Law, that He would not be reconciled to them otherwise than through the sacrifice of a victim. And there is no doubt that by this visible symbol He raised up their minds to that true and heavenly Exemplar, whom it would be absurd and profane to separate from the ceremonies of the law. For what could be more childish than to offer the blood of an animal as a protection against the hand of God, or to seek from thence a ground of safety? God, then, shows that He spares the Israelites on no other condition but that of sacrifice; from whence it follows, that the death of Christ was set before them in this ordinance, which alone constituted the difference between them and the Egyptians. But at the same time He taught that no advantage was to be expected from the blood poured forth, without the sprinkling; not that the external and visible sprinkling produced any good effect, but because by this familiar rite it was useful that the ignorant should be brought to perceive the truth, and that they might know that what was put before them Visibly must be spiritually fulfilled. It is notorious from the testimony of Peter, (1 Peter 1:2,) that our souls are sprinkled with the blood of Christ by the Spirit. This was typified by the bunch of hyssop, There has been much discussion as to the plant to which this name is given. “In no instance,” says the Illustrated Commentary, “has any plant been suggested, that at the same time had a sufficient length of stem, to answer the purpose of a wand or pole, and such detergent qualities, as to render it a fit emblem of purification.” The author himself has no question but. that it was of the genus Phytolacca; which combines, in a remarkable manner, these two qualities. Dr. Royle, however, considers it to have been the caper-plant, (Capparis spinosa,), which possesses another important condition wanting in the Phytolacca, viz., that it still grows in the countries to which it is attributed in Scripture. which herb possesses great cleansing power, and therefore, was often used in other sacrifices also, as we shall hereafter see in the proper places.

23. For the Lord will pass through. He forbids them to go out during the night, lest they should mix themselves with the Egyptians, but commands them to keep quietly under the protection of the blood. By this sign they were admonished that they also were exposed to destruction, if they did not separate themselves from the unbelievers under the safeguard of the blood. Afterwards the promise: is added, that, provided this were done, the angel would pass them over, and inflict no injury upon them, because God would acknowledge the houses so marked as His own. Wherefore, it is again repeated, that they should alone be safe by the blessing of the blood, who should not neglect to sprinkle themselves with it; because faith alone confers upon us the salvation which is obtained by the slaughter of the victim. The angel, whom God had delegated for afflicting Egypt, is here undoubtedly called “the destroyer;” and, although He often executes His judgments by evil angels, it is to be gathered from other passages that this was one of the elect angels, who also was the minister of the people’s deliverance under Christ as the Head.

24. And ye shall observe this thing. He again repeats the precept as to its annual celebration, and expressly says, that, when they have come into the land, the recollection of their deliverance is yearly to be revived by this rite. He adds, however, what he had not before touched upon, that they should also teach their children, since, without the aid of this teaching, it would have been an unmeaning and useless spectacle. For doctrine may justly be called the life of sacraments, without which no rigor remains in them, so far are they from imparting to us any life. Lest, then, the passover should be a lifeless ceremony, God in this place enjoins that it shall not be mute; for in these words, “when your children shall say unto you,” Moses does not mean that they are to wait until their children make inquiry of their own accord, and anticipate the zeal of their parents; but he only indicates the age when they are capable of being taught. Yet, at the same time, he indirectly exhorts the children to teachableness, when their age admits of their understanding what the passover signifies, and enjoins them diligently to inquire into the use of the ceremony; that thus religion may be handed down, and may ever flourish amongst the people. Since, then, the Paschal Lamb corresponds with the Holy Supper, we may gather from hence, that none can be duly admitted to receive it, but those who are capable of being taught.

25. When ye come into the land. He now adds that this rite must be annually observed, in order that the memory of this extraordinary grace might never perish. But since a commandment is given respecting the continual observation The word “Sabbath,” which is not translated in the French, is probably an accidental interpolation. of the Sabbath, I postpone its explanation to a more appropriate place; except I would cursorily remark, that the proclamation of the blessing is annexed to the sign; because otherwise it would be an empty and unmeaning proceeding. God, therefore, would have the fathers proclaim it unto their children, so that the knowledge of their redemption, being handed down by tradition, may flourish in all ages. The word עבד, עבדה. Est servitus et ministerium. Hic vero accipitur pro ritu. S M — W gnebod, some have improperly rendered “work,” whereas it is rather used for “worship;” as in many passages to serve God means the same as to worship Him. We too, in French, call whatever relates to the exercises of piety “God’s service.” Finally, Moses adds that the people professed their faith and obedience by solemn adoration. This indeed they had already done from the beginning, but with little constancy, because they had been so harassed by their afflictions as to neglect their duty; but now they correct the fault of ingratitude. Therefore, they not only declare their feelings of seriousness by bowing the head, but give actual proof of them; for it is expressly said, that they diligently performed whatever was commanded.

Exodus 12:29-39

29. And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.

29. Et factum est in medio noctis ut percuteret Jehova omne primogenitum in terra AEgypti, a primogenito Pharaonis sedente super solium ejus, ad primogenitum captivi qui erat in carcere: et omne primogenitum bestiae.

30. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and 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.

30. Surrexit ergo Pharao nocte, ipse et omnes servi ejus, et omnes AEgyptii: fuitque clamor magnus in AEgypto, quoniam nulla erat domus ubi non esset mortuus.

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.

31. Vocavitque Mosen et Aharon nocte, et ait, Surgite, et exite e medio populi mei tam vos quam filii Israel: ite et servite Jehovae secundum sermonem vestrum.

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

32. Etiam greges vestros, etiam armenta vestra accipite: sicuti dixistis: et ite, ac benedicite etiam mihi.

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

33. Et vehementer instabant AEgyptii erga populum ut festinanter eos emitterent e terra: quia dicebant, Omnes sumus mortui.

34. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

34. Tulit ergo populus conspersionem suam antequam fermentaretur, cibos suos ligatos in vestibus super humerum suum.

35. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment.

35. Fecerunt autem filii Israel secundum sermonem Mosis, ut postulatent ab Aegyptiis vasa argentea, et vasa aurea, et vestes.

36. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required: and they spoiled the Egyptians.

36. Et dedit Jehova gratiam populo in oculis AEgyptiorum, et commodaverunt eis: itaque spoliaverunt Aegyptios.

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

37. Profectique sunt filii Israel e Ramesses in Sucoth circiter sexcenta millia peditum et quidem virorum, praeter parvulos.

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

38. Atque etiam mixtio multa ascendit cum eis, et pecudes et boves, pecus copiosum valde.

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.

39. Et coxerunt conspersionem quam extulerant ex AEgypto, placentas infermentatas, quia non erat fermentatum, eo quod ejecti fuissent ex Aegypto, nec potuissent morari, ideoque cibum non paraverant sibi.

29. And it came to pass, that at midnight. Lest the hand of God should be hidden in this miracle, as well in the preservation of the people as in taking vengeance upon the Egyptians, Moses sets forth its power by many circumstances. For he both relates that the destruction took place at midnight, which was the time prescribed by God, and then adds, that all the first-born of the land were smitten, from the son of the king to the son of the captive in the dungeon. It is thus that he indicates proverbially the most abject persons, as he had said before, “unto the first-born of the maidservant that is behind the mill.” For it could only be by an extraordinary miracle that this calamity could affect every house without exception, at the same hour, especially when it extended even to the beasts. Thirdly, he recounts that all the Egyptians were aroused suddenly, and manifestly convinced that the God of Israel was wroth with them. Fourthly, that Pharaoh humbly prayed of Moses to lead forth the people in haste; nay, that he even importunately thrust them out. Yet not even by such clear and solid proofs has the dishonesty and impudence of some been prevented from attempting to upset by their falsehoods this memorable work of God. The calumnies are too well known which Josephus refutes in his reply to Apion the Grammarian; and it appears from Justin Vide Justini Hist., lib. 36 cap. 2. that they were generally received. Nor can we wonder that the devil should have employed all sorts of artifices, so that by the introduction of various fables he might efface from men’s minds the redemption of the Church. But here also was manifested the admirable wisdom of God, that the futility of these absurdities refutes itself, without the use of any arguments against them. Perhaps there was no intention to deceive on the part of profane writers, when they reported these frivolous and silly stories about the Jews; for doubtless Strabo Vide Strabonis Geog., lib. 17 desired to give the true history of the origin of circumcision when he wrote his foolish and unfounded fables. Nor did even Cornelius Tacitus, C. Tacit. Hist., 5:3, 4. although he wrote with malignant and virulent feelings, intentionally put himself to shame; but when by the impulse of Satan they obscured God’s glory, they were smitten with blindness and folly, so that their ridiculous want of truth might be discovered even by children; from whence, however, some sparks of fact may still be elicited, because God would not suffer so memorable an operation to be altogether forgotten, of which these blind men were the proclaimers, when the devil was using their aid to obliterate its memory.

31. And he called for Moses. It is not probable that God’s servants were recalled into the presence of Pharaoh; but the sense of this passage must be sought for in the prediction of Moses. Pharaoh, therefore, is said to have called them, when, by sending to them his chief courtiers, he compelled their departure. And this is sufficiently proved by the context, because it is immediately added, that the Israelites were by the Egyptians compelled to go out: in haste. Therefore, although Pharaoh never should have seen Moses from the time that he threatened him with death if he came to him again, there is nothing absurd in saying that he called for him when he sent his nobles to him with his command. The perturbation of an alarmed and anxious person is expressed to the life in these words, — “Rise up, get you forth, both ye and your children; go, serve the Lord; also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said.” For he takes no less precaution lest he should give any occasion for delay, than he had before been diligent in bargaining. Whilst, then, he hastily cuts off all objections, the change in the man betrays itself, for the same God who had before hardened his iron heart has now broken it. Hence, too, that cry — the signal of despair — “We be all dead men;” hence, too, their readiness to give willingly of their substance, and to dress up in spoils those whom they had pillaged before. Nor indeed does he without reason repeat that this favor proceeded from divine inspiration, since there would never have been such liberality in robbers as willingly to proffer whatever precious things their houses possessed, and to give them to the Israelites, now ready to depart, whom they knew to be justly hostile to them on account of so many injuries. And that the children of Israel should be so prompt to obey, who before had been either slow, or inconstant, or sullen, or rebellious, was brought about by the guidance of the Spirit, who turned their hearts in a moment; since God well knew how to dispose opportunely all the springs of action.

37. And the children of Israel journeyed. Although it is probable that they were more widely dispersed, since that district could not have contained so great a multitude, especially when the Egyptians occupied it together with them; still because the recollection of the promise remained among them, from whence some hope of their redemption always was preserved, it is not wonderful that they should have preferred to be kept within narrow bounds, to their great inconvenience, rather than, by seeking other habitations, to separate from the main body. That this was the peculiar abode of the nation is plain also from what has gone before, where Moses related that they were forced to servile tasks in building those fortified cities wherein they might be shut up, as in prison. In the number of men which he reports, he commends the incredible miracle of God’s favor in increasing and multiplying their race. Thus is the effrontery of the impious refuted who think it a sufficient ground for their sneers, that this great people could not in so short a time have naturally proceeded from a single family; and therefore they burst out into unrestrained and blasphemous laughter, as if Moses were simply relating what had happened, and not rather extolling the extraordinary power of God in the sudden increase of His Church. But we know that it was no more a matter of difficulty for the Creator of the whole world to exceed the ordinary course of nature, in the multiplication of a particular nation, than at the beginning to produce speedily many people from one man and woman; and again, after the deluge, to renew the human race by a miraculous augmentation. Now, this is the peculiar character of the Church, that in producing and preserving it, God exerts unusual power, that it may be separated from the common condition of mankind; for although it sojourns on earth, yet is its nature in a manner heavenly, that the work of God may shine forth more brightly in it. No wonder then if, contrary to usual custom, it should emerge, as it were, from nothing, if it grows in the same way and makes continual progress. Such an example does Paul set before us in Romans 4., in the person of Abraham. But whilst the impious despisers of God betray their stupidity in their wicked audacity, when they estimate this work of God by their own senses and by common reason, so, too, do they foolishly err who attempt to defend Moses by philosophical arguments; for his intention was very different, viz., to show that the promises were not unfulfilled, “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore,” (Genesis 22:17, and Genesis 12:2, and Genesis 15:5,) the effect of which promises was beyond human comprehension.

38. And a mixed multitude. Although Abraham possessed many servants, yet is it scarcely probable that in the famine Jacob maintained any other persons in his family besides his own children, whom he could hardly so sustain as to preserve them from dying of hunger. And since Moses, in relating their coming into Egypt, does not mention any servants, we may conjecture that they brought no great number, because necessity compelled them to be content at any rate with a few. From hence we gather that the mixed multitude, which united themselves with the Israelites, were either the offspring of Egypt, or had migrated from the neighboring countries to take up their habitation there; as fertile lands often attract many strangers to them by the pleasures of abundance. The same expression is used in Nehemiah 13:3, where it is said that “the mixed multitude” was separated from the true Israelites, lest all should promiscuously arrogate to themselves the same dignity, and, thus the Church should be polluted by a confused admixture, But if any should think it absurd that ungodly men, with no better hope before them, would voluntarily forsake a rich and convenient habitation in order to seek a new home as wanderers and pilgrims, let him recollect that Egypt had now been afflicted by so many calamities that by its very poverty and devastation it might easily have driven away its inhabitants. A great part of the cattle had perished; all the fruits of the earth were corrupted; the fields were ravaged and almost desert; we need not, therefore, wonder if despair should have caused many sojourners to fly away, and even some of the natives themselves. It may be also that, having been inhumanly treated, they shook off the yoke of tyranny when a way to liberty was opened to them.

But although God gave His people a ready departure, still He did not choose to let them go out altogether without any inconvenience; for they go not out satiated with food, nor having delicately supped, but are compelled to carry in their bags unbaked masses of dough, that they may eat bread burned or toasted on the embers in their journey. By this example we are taught that God’s blessings are always mingled with certain inconveniences, lest too great delight should corrupt the minds of the godly.

Exodus 12:40-42, 50, 51

40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

40. Habitatio autem filiorum Israel, qua habitaverunt in AEgypto, triginta fuerunt anni et quadringenti anni.

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

41. Factumque est a fine triginta et quadringentorum annorum, ipsa eadem die egressi sunt omnes exercitus Jehovae e terra AEgypti.

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.

42. Nox observabilis (Hebrews observantiarum, vel custodiarum) haec est Jehovae, qua eduxit eos e terra Aegypti: nox inquam haec observanda est Jehovae apud omnes filios Israel per aetates suas.

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

50. Et fecerunt omnes filii Israel sicuti praeceperat Jehova Mosi et Aaron, sic fecerunt.

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.

51. Et factum est ut ipsa eadem die educeret Jehova filios Israel e terra Aegypti per exercitus suos.

40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel. The beginning of this period is not reckoned from the coming down of Jacob, for it is very clear from other passages, that, from the time that Jacob entered into Egypt to the Exodus, not more than 230 years at most had passed. This sentence is omitted in the French. The Latin is, “Hebraei communiter tantum decem recensent.” A reference, however, to R. Sal. Jarchi explains it, “you will find, (he says,) that from the arrival of the Israelites in Egypt to the time of their departure, was 210 years.” — In loco. Compare the LXX. The Jews generally only reckon 210; but Moses includes also the period during which Abraham and his children were not in possession of the promised land. The meaning therefore is, that from the time that the inheritance of the land of Canaan was given to Abraham, the promise was suspended for 400, years before his posterity enjoyed their right. For Paul also thus explains this difficulty, (Galatians 3:1,) where he says, that God had confirmed his covenant with Abraham 430 years before the law was promulgated. Moses, therefore, dates the commencement of this period from the sojourning of Abraham, when he was still the lord of the land of Canaan by the just title of donation. With respect to the omission of the thirty years in the 15th chapter of Genesis, in this there is no contradiction, because the land had already been promised to Abraham some years previously, though, so far from obtaining dominion over it, he had scarcely been permitted to occupy it as “a stranger.” Therefore God apprizes him, that 400 years still remained before he would put his descendants into possession of it; and, consequently, that the little time which had elapsed was not sufficient for the trial of his patience, but that both for himself and for his posterity there was need of extraordinary endurance, lest they should faint under the weariness of the long delay. Moreover, there is no departure from the usual manner of speaking, in His not exactly reckoning the number of years. More than 400 years, some twenty, or thereabouts, indeed, remained; but, since God had no other object than to exhort His people to patience, He does not accurately compute or define the exact number of years, because it was sufficient to put before them 400 years in a round sum. In the same way, it is added in the next verse, “at the end of 430 years,” viz., from the time that Abraham had begun to be the legitimate lord of the land; for Moses wished to show, that although God had long delayed the fulfillment of His promise, still His truth and faithfulness were certainly proved, not only because He had precisely performed what He had proraised, but because He had observed the: foreappointed time. He calls the people, weak as they were, by an honorable title, “the hosts of the Lord,” both to enforce again the power of God’s blessing, and to give due honor to His grace in ruling and marshalling so confused a band. Although soldiers may be accustomed to obedience, and have learnt from exercise to keep their ranks; although they may have generals, commandants, and captains, and banners also under which to range themselves, still it is a very difficult thing to march an army of 20,000, or 30,000 men by night without. confusion, and in good order; how great a miracle was it, then, for 600,000 men, with women and children, much baggage, herds, and flocks, and other encumbrances, to pass by night through the midst of enemies, and all to escape safely without a single exception! To the same effect, Moses repeats in the last verse of this chapter, that “the Lord did bring the children of Israel out — by their armies,” as much as to say, that there was no confusion in that immense multitude; since God performed the part of an incomparable Leader in His marvelous power.

42. It is a night to be much observed. He shows that the Israelites have good cause for sacrificing to God with a solemn ceremony year by year for ever, and for celebrating the memory of that night; and that the Passover was instituted in token of their gratitude. But this admonition was very useful, in order that the Israelites should retain the legitimate use of this solemn feast-day, and that it might not grow into a mere cold ceremony, as is often the case; but that rather they might profitably, and to the advancement of their piety, exercise themselves in this emblem of their redemption. At the same time, he teaches that this so inestimable a benefit was not to be celebrated in one, or two, or three generations, but that as long as the people should remain it was worthy of eternal remembrance, and that it might never be forgotten, the Passover was to be sacredly observed.

Moreover we must remark, that the generations of the ancient people were brought to an end by the coming of Christ; because the shadows of the Law ceased when the state of the Church was renewed, and the Gentiles were gathered into the same body.

43. This is the ordinance of the passover. Since the passover was the sacred bond whereby God would hold the elect people in obligation to Himself, He forbids all strangers from partaking of it; because a promiscuous permission to eat of it would have been an unworthy profanation. And in fact, since this is a supplement to the First Commandment, it only addresses itself to those unto whom is directed the preface of the Law, “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.” We know that among the Gentiles none but the initiated “Ceux qui y estoyent sollennellement introduits, et comme emmatriculez;” those who had been solemnly introduced to them, and as it were, matriculated. — Fr. were admitted to their sacred rites. This was an absurd imitation “Vray est que cela n’a este qu’une singerie: mais tant y a que le diable a voulu contrefaire ce qui est du vray ordre et legitime, lequel doit estre observe en tous sacremens, c’est puis qu’ils sont tesmoinages de la grace speciale de Dieu envers son Eglise, qu’on ne les doit pas prostituer a tons venans;” it is true that this was but a monkey-like imitation; but whilst the devil has thus wished to counterfeit the true and legitimate, order, which should be preserved in all sacraments, it is because they are the testimonies of the special favor of God to His Church, that they must not be prostituted to all comers. — Fr. of this true and lawful ordinance; because such a condition is only applicable to the institution of God, lest strangers should promiscuously usurp the testimonies of His grace, with which He honors His Church alone. For circumcision was then like a hedge, which should distinguish heathen nations from the holy race of Abraham; if, then, any should wish to celebrate the passover together with the elect people, it was necessary that he should be circumcised, so as to attach himself to the true God; though God did not merely refer to the outward sign, but to the object, viz., that all who were circumcised should promise to study sincere piety. Moses, therefore, first of all, excludes all strangers who were unclean through their uncircumcision; and then he adds two exceptions, viz., that servants bought with money should be circumcised, (which was a necessary requirement;) and that free and independent persons, if they chose to embrace the same alternative, should also be received to the passover. Hence it appears that this rite was not only peculiar to God’s people, but that it was a sign of the future redemption. For strangers could not testify that they were sharers in that redemption which had been promised to the race of Abraham alone; and, therefore, the ceremony of the sacred feast would have been vain and useless to them. Nor does Moses refer only to that mixed multitude which had followed the Israelites out of Egypt; but prescribes a law respecting all strangers, who for many succeeding ages should come on business into the land. No doubt but that, in celebrating the passover, they would have expected another redemption; since that which was already vouchsafed to the children of Abraham had not extended to them. For although they might be reckoned among the people, yet did no portion of the land in consequence fall to their lot, nor was their condition improved as to temporal rights; Omitted in the French. but it was only that they might become members of the Church. From the analogy between the Holy Supper and the Passover, this law remains in force now, viz., that no polluted or impure person should intrude himself at the Lord’s table, but that only the faithful should be received, after they have professed themselves to be followers of Christ. “Fait protestation de leur roy et Chrestiente;” made open profession of their faith and Christianity. — Fr. And this is expressed also in the words, “One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger,” etc., ver. 49; viz., that the ordinance of the sacrament should be solemnly observed by all, and that thus they should equally participate in the grace offered to them in common, and that in this respect the condition of all should be equal, though it differed as to their inheritance of the land.

46. Neither shall ye break a bone thereof. I am not certain why God desired no bone to be broken; unless that this might also be a sign of haste; because people at table seldom partake of the marrow, unless when their entertainment is protracted. For I fear there is too much subtlety in the explanation which some give, that the virtue of Christ, which is represented by the bones, is not diminished whilst we feed on His flesh. But the former opinion which I have glanced at above, as it is the simplest, so also it is by no means unsuitable here; that they were commanded, when they were standing in readiness for their journey, and eating hurriedly, to burn the bones in order to prevent all delay. What God commanded as to the lamb, He chose to have openly fulfilled in the person of His only-begotten Son; that the truth corresponding with its type, and the substance with its shadow, might shew that God would be reconciled to His people by no other blood than Christ’s. Whence it is again clear that the ancients under the Law were instructed by the Paschal Lamb as to the future redemption, for otherwise this passage could not have been properly accommodated to Christ. But when the Evangelist quotes it, (John 19:33,) he takes it for granted that thus was typically shewn what God would bestow by His Son. Hence it came to pass that He was distinguished by this visible mark, which proved Him to be the true Passover. But, in order that no bone of Christ’s should be broken, God’s providence wonderfully interfered. The soldiers were commanded to hasten the death of Christ, no less than that of the robbers, by breaking their bones. They execute their intention on the robbers, but lest they should attempt the same on Christ, it is certain that they were restrained by a divine power, so that the wholeness of His bones might be a presage of the approaching redemption.

Exodus 13

Exodus 13:3-10

3. And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

3. Tune dixit Moses ad populum, Memento diei hujus quo egressi estis ex Aegypto, e domo servorum: quia in fortitudine manus eduxit vos hinc Jehova: neque comedatur fermentatum.

4. This day came ye out, in the month Abib.

4. Hodie vos egredimini mense Abib.

5. And it shall be, when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

5. Quum to introduxerit Jehova in terram Chananaei, Hittaei, Amorrhaei, et Hivaei, et Jebusaei, de qua juravit patribus tuis se daturum tibi, terram fluentem lacte et melle, tum coles cultum istum in meuse isto.

6. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord.

6. Septem diebus comedes infermentata, die autem septimo solemnitas erit Jehovae.

7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days: and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee; neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

7. Infermentata comedentur septem diebus: nec conspicietur apud to fermentatum, neque apparebit apud to fermentum in universo termino tuo.

8. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

8. Annuntiabisque filio tuo eo die, dicendo, Propter hoc quod fecit (vel, propterea quod hoe fecit) Jehova mihi quum exirem ex Aegypto.

9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.

9. Et erit tibi in signum super manum tuam, et in memoriale inter oculos tuos, ut sit lex Jehovae in ore tuo, quia in manu forti eduxit to Jehova ex Egypto.

10. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

10. Observabisque statutum hoc in tempore suo quotannis.

50. Thus did all the children of Israel. This chiefly refers to the slaying of the Paschal lamb with its adjuncts, although I do not deny that allusion is also made to the other circumstances attending their sudden departure. But it is not so much their promptitude and alacrity which are praised, as the wondrous power of God in fashioning their hearts, and directing their hands, so that, in the darkness of the night, amidst the greatest disturbances, in precipitate haste, with nothing well prepared, they were so active and dexterous. Meanwhile, Moses concludes, from the obedience of the people, that nothing was done without the command and guidance of God; from whence it is more clearly manifest that He was the sole author of their deliverance.

EXODUS 13

Exodus 13:17-22

17. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

17. Factum est autem quum emitteret Pharao populum, ut non duceret eos Deus per viam terrae Philistim, quia propinqua erat. Nam dixit Deus, Ne forte poeniteat populum quum viderint praelium et revertantur in AEgyptum.

18. But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea. And the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

19. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

18. Circunduxit ergo Deus populum per viam deserti, per Mare Rubrum: et dispositi ascenderunt filii Israel e terra AEgypti.

19. Et tulit Moses ossa Joseph secum. Adjurando enim adjuraverat filios Israel, dicendo, Visitando visitabit vos Deus, et tolletis ossa mea hinc vobiscum.

20. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

20. Itaque profecti sunt e Suchoth, et castrametati sunt in Ethan, in extremitate deserti.

21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night.

21. Jehova autem praecedebat eos interdiu in columna nubis, ut deduceret eos per viam; noctu vero in columna ignis, ut luceret eis, ut ambularent die et noctu.

22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

22. Non abstulit columnam nubis interdiu, neque columnam ignis noctu a facie populi.

CHAPTER 12

Ex 12:1-10. The Passover Instituted.

1. the Lord spake unto Moses--rather, "had spoken unto Moses and Aaron"; for it is evident that the communication here described must have been made to them on or before the tenth of the month.

2. this month shall be unto you the beginning of months--the first not only in order but in estimation. It had formerly been the seventh according to the reckoning of the civil year, which began in September, and continued unchanged, but it was thenceforth to stand first in the national religious year which began in March, April.

3. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel--The recent events had prepared the Israelitish people for a crisis in their affairs, and they seem to have yielded implicit obedience at this time to Moses. It is observable that, amid all the hurry and bustle of such a departure, their serious attention was to be given to a solemn act of religion.

a lamb for an house--a kid might be taken (Ex 12:5). The service was to be a domestic one, for the deliverance was to be from an evil threatened to every house in Egypt.

4. if the household be too little for the lamb, &c.--It appears from Josephus that ten persons were required to make up the proper paschal communion.

every man according to his eating--It is said that the quantity eaten of the paschal lamb, by each individual, was about the size of an olive.

5. lamb ... without blemish--The smallest deformity or defect made a lamb unfit for sacrifice--a type of Christ (He 7:26; 1Pe 1:19).

a male of the first year--Christ in the prime of life.

6. keep it up until the fourteenth day, &c.--Being selected from the rest of the flock, it was to be separated four days before sacrifice; and for the same length of time was Christ under examination and His spotless innocence declared before the world.

kill it in the evening--that is, the interval between the sun's beginning to decline, and sunset, corresponding to our three o'clock in the afternoon.

7. take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts, &c.--as a sign of safety to those within. The posts must be considered of tents, in which the Israelites generally lived, though some might be in houses. Though the Israelites were sinners as well as the Egyptians, God was pleased to accept the substitution of a lamb--the blood of which, being seen sprinkled on the doorposts, procured them mercy. It was to be on the sideposts and upper doorposts, where it might be looked to, not on the threshold, where it might be trodden under foot. This was an emblem of the blood of sprinkling (He 12:24; 10:29).

8. roast with fire--for the sake of expedition; and this difference was always observed between the cooking of the paschal lamb and the other offerings (2Ch 35:13).

unleavened bread--also for the sake of despatch (De 16:3), but as a kind of corruption (Lu 12:1) there seems to have been a typical meaning under it (1Co 5:8).

bitter herbs--literally, "bitters"--to remind the Israelites of their affliction in Egypt, and morally of the trials to which God's people are subject on account of sin.

9. Eat not of it raw--that is, with any blood remaining; a caveat against conformity to idolatrous practices. It was to be roasted whole, not a bone to be broken, and this pointed to Christ (Joh 19:36).

10. let nothing of it remain until the morning--which might be applied in a superstitious manner, or allowed to putrefy, which in a hot climate would speedily have ensued; and which was not becoming in what had been offered to God.

Ex 12:11-14. The Rite of the Passover.

11. thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet--as prepared for a journey. The first was done by the skirts of the loose outer cloth being drawn up and fastened in the girdle, so as to leave the leg and knee free for motion. As to the other, the Orientals never wear shoes indoors, and the ancient Egyptians, as appears from the monuments, did not usually wear either shoes or sandals. These injunctions seem to have applied chiefly to the first celebration of the rite.

it is the Lord's passover--called by this name from the blood-marked dwellings of the Israelites being passed over figuratively by the destroying angel.

12. smite ... gods of Egypt--perhaps used here for princes and grandees. But, according to Jewish tradition, the idols of Egypt were all on that night broken in pieces (see Nu 33:4; Is 19:1).

14. for a memorial, &c.--The close analogy traceable in all points between the Jewish and Christian passovers is seen also in the circumstance that both festivals were instituted before the events they were to commemorate had transpired.

Ex 12:15-51. Unleavened Bread.

15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread, &c.--This was to commemorate another circumstance in the departure of the Israelites, who were urged to leave so hurriedly that their dough was unleavened (Ex 12:39), and they had to eat unleavened cakes (De 16:3). The greatest care was always taken by the Jews to free their houses from leaven--the owner searching every corner of his dwelling with a lighted candle. A figurative allusion to this is made (1Co 5:7). The exclusion of leaven for seven days would not be attended with inconvenience in the East, where the usual leaven is dough kept till it becomes sour, and it is kept from one day to another for the purpose of preserving leaven in readiness. Thus even were there none in all the country, it could be got within twenty-four hours [Harmer].

that soul shall be cut off--excommunicated from the community and privileges of the chosen people.

16. there shall be an holy convocation--literally, calling of the people, which was done by sound of trumpets (Nu 10:2), a sacred assembly--for these days were to be regarded as Sabbaths--excepting only that meat might be cooked on them (Ex 16:23).

17. ye shall observe, &c.--The seven days of this feast were to commence the day after the passover. It was a distinct festival following that feast; but although this feast was instituted like the passover before the departure, the observance of it did not take place till after.

19. stranger--No foreigner could partake of the passover, unless circumcised; the "stranger" specified as admissible to the privilege must, therefore, be considered a Gentile proselyte.

21-25. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, &c.--Here are given special directions for the observance.

26. when your children shall say, ... What mean ye by this service--Independently of some observances which were not afterwards repeated, the usages practised at this yearly commemorative feast were so peculiar that the curiosity of the young would be stimulated, and thus parents had an excellent opportunity, which they were enjoined to embrace, for instructing each rising generation in the origin and leading facts of the national faith.

27-28. the people bowed the head, and worshipped--All the preceding directions were communicated through the elders, and the Israelites, being deeply solemnized by the influence of past and prospective events, gave prompt and faithful obedience.

29. at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt--At the moment when the Israelites were observing the newly instituted feast in the singular manner described, the threatened calamity overtook the Egyptians. It is more easy to imagine than describe the confusion and terror of that people suddenly roused from sleep and enveloped in darkness--none could assist their neighbors when the groans of the dying and the wild shrieks of mourners were heard everywhere around. The hope of every family was destroyed at a stroke. This judgment, terrible though it was, evinced the equity of divine retribution. For eighty years the Egyptians had caused the male children of the Israelites to be cast into the river [Ex 1:16], and now all their own first-born fell under the stroke of the destroying angel. They were made, in the justice of God, to feel something of what they had made His people feel. Many a time have the hands of sinners made the snares in which they have themselves been entangled, and fallen into the pit which they have dug for the righteous [Pr 28:10]. "Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth" [Psa 58:11].

30. there was not a house where there was not one dead--Perhaps this statement is not to be taken absolutely. The Scriptures frequently use the words "all," "none," in a comparative sense--and so in this case. There would be many a house in which there would be no child, and many in which the first-born might be already dead. What is to be understood is, that almost every house in Egypt had a death in it.

31. called for Moses and Aaron--a striking fulfilment of the words of Moses (Ex 11:8), and showing that they were spoken under divine suggestion.

32. also take your flocks, &c.--All the terms the king had formerly insisted on were now departed from; his pride had been effectually humbled. Appalling judgments in such rapid succession showed plainly that the hand of God was against him. His own family bereavement had so crushed him to the earth that he not only showed impatience to rid his kingdom of such formidable neighbors, but even begged an interest in their prayers.

34. people took ... their kneading-troughs--Having lived so long in Egypt, they must have been in the habit of using the utensils common in that country. The Egyptian kneading-trough was a bowl of wicker or rush work, and it admitted of being hastily wrapped up with the dough in it and slung over the shoulder in their hykes or loose upper garments.

35. children of Israel borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver--When the Orientals go to their sacred festivals, they always put on their best jewels. The Israelites themselves thought they were only going three days' journey to hold a feast unto the Lord, and in these circumstances it would be easy for them to borrow what was necessary for a sacred festival. But borrow conveys a wrong meaning. The word rendered borrow signifies properly to ask, demand, require. The Israelites had been kept in great poverty, having received little or no wages. They now insisted on full remuneration for all their labor, and it was paid in light and valuable articles adapted for convenient carriage.

36. the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians--Such a dread of them was inspired into the universal minds of the Egyptians, that whatever they asked was readily given.

spoiled the Egyptians--The accumulated earnings of many years being paid them at this moment, the Israelites were suddenly enriched, according to the promise made to Abraham (Ge 15:14), and they left the country like a victorious army laden with spoil (Psa 105:37; Eze 39:10).

37. The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses--now generally identified with the ancient Heroopolis, and fixed at the modern Abu-Keisheid. This position agrees with the statement that the scene of the miraculous judgments against Pharaoh was "in the field of Zoan" [Psa 78:12, 43]. And it is probable that, in expectation of their departure, which the king on one pretext or another delayed, the Israelites had been assembled there as a general rendezvous. In journeying from Rameses to Palestine, there was a choice of two routes--the one along the shores of the Mediterranean to El-Arish, the other more circuitous round the head of the Red Sea and the desert of Sinai. The latter Moses was directed to take (Ex 13:17).

to Succoth--that is, booths, probably nothing more than a place of temporary encampment. The Hebrew word signifies a covering or shelter formed by the boughs of trees; and hence, in memory of this lodgment, the Israelites kept the feast of tabernacles yearly in this manner.

six hundred thousand ... men--It appears from Nu 1:3 that the enumeration is of men above twenty years of age. Assuming, what is now ascertained by statistical tables, that the number of males above that age is as nearly as possible the half of the total number of males, the whole male population of Israel, on this computation, would amount to 1,200,000; and adding an equal number for women and children, the aggregate number of Israelites who left Egypt would be 2,400,000.

38. a mixed multitude went with them--literally, "a great rabble" (see also Nu 11:4; De 29:11); slaves, persons in the lowest grades of society, partly natives and partly foreigners, bound close to them as companions in misery, and gladly availing themselves of the opportunity to escape in the crowd. (Compare Zec 8:23).

40. the sojourning of the children of Israel ... four hundred and thirty years--The Septuagint renders it thus: "The sojourning of the children and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt." These additions are important, for the period of sojourn in Egypt did not exceed two hundred fifteen years; but if we reckon from the time that Abraham entered Canaan and the promise was made in which the sojourn of his posterity in Egypt was announced, this makes up the time to four hundred thirty years.

41. even the selfsame day--implying an exact and literal fulfilment of the predicted period.

49. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger--This regulation displays the liberal spirit of the Hebrew institutions. Any foreigner might obtain admission to the privileges of the nation on complying with their sacred ordinances. In the Mosaic equally as in the Christian dispensation, privilege and duty were inseparably conjoined.

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months - It is supposed that God now changed the commencement of the Jewish year. The month to which this verse refers, the month Abib, answers to a part of our March and April; whereas it is supposed that previously to this the year began with Tisri, which answers to a part of our September; for in this month the Jews suppose God created the world, when the earth appeared at once with all its fruits in perfection. From this circumstance the Jews have formed a twofold commencement of the year, which has given rise to a twofold denomination of the year itself, to which they afterwards attended in all their reckonings: that which began with Tisri or September was called their civil year; that which began with Abib or March was called the sacred or ecclesiastical year.

As the exodus of the Israelites formed a particular era, which is referred to in Jewish reckonings down to the building of the temple, I have marked it as such in the chronology in the margin; and shall carry it down to the time in which it ceased to be acknowledged.

Some very eminently learned men dispute this; and especially Houbigant, who contends with great plausibility of argument that no new commencement of the year is noted in this place; for that the year had always begun in this month, and that the words shall be, which are inserted by different versions, have nothing answering to them in the Hebrew, which he renders literally thus. Hic mensis vobis est caput mensium; hic vobis primus est anni mensis. "This month is to you the head or chief of the months; it is to you the first month of the year." And he observes farther that God only marks it thus, as is evident from the context, to show the people that this month, which was the beginning of their year, should be so designated as to point out to their posterity on what month and on what day of the month they were to celebrate the passover and the fast of unleavened bread. His words are these: "Ergo superest, et Hebr. ipso ex contextu efficitur, non hic novi ordinis annum constitui, sed eum anni mensem, qui esset primus, ideo commemorari, ut posteris constaret, quo mense, et quo die mensis paseha et azyma celebranda essent."

In the tenth day of this month - In after times they began their preparation on the thirteenth day or day before the Passover, which was not celebrated till the fourteenth day, see Exo 12:6 : but on the present occasion, as this was their first passover, they probably required more time to get ready in; as a state of very great confusion must have prevailed at this time. Mr. Ainsworth remarks that on this day the Israelites did afterwards go through Jordan into the land of Canaan; Jos 4:19. And Christ, our Paschal Lamb, on this day entered Jerusalem, riding on an ass; the people bearing palm branches, and crying, Hosanna, Joh 12:1, Joh 12:12, Joh 12:13, etc.: and in him this type was truly fulfilled.

A lamb - The original word שה seh signifies the young of sheep and of goats, and may be indifferently translated either lamb or kid. See Exo 12:5.

A lamb for a house - The whole host of Israel was divided into twelve tribes, these tribes into families, the families into houses, and the houses into particular persons; Numbers 1, Jos 7:14 - Ainsworth.

If the household be too little - That is, if there be not persons enough in one family to eat a whole lamb, then two families must join together. The rabbins allow that there should be at least ten persons to one paschal lamb, and not more than twenty.

Take it, according to the number of the souls - The persons who were to eat of it were to be first ascertained, and then the lamb was to be slain and dressed for that number.

Without blemish - Having no natural imperfection, no disease, no deficiency or redundancy of parts. On this point the rabbins have trifled most egregiously, reckoning fifty blemishes that render a lamb or kid, or any animal, improper to be sacrificed: five in the ear, three in the eyelid, eight in the eye, three in the nose, six in the mouth, etc., etc.

A male of the first year - That is, any age in the first year between eight days and twelve months.

From the sheep, or from the goats - The שה seh means either; and either was equally proper if without blemish. The Hebrews however in general preferred the lamb to the kid.

Ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day - The lamb or kid was to be taken from the flock on the tenth day, and kept up and fed by itself till the fourteenth day, when it was to be sacrificed. This was never commanded nor practiced afterwards. The rabbins mark four things that were required in the first passover that were never required afterwards:

1. The eating of the lamb in their houses dispersed through Goshen.

2. The taking the lamb on the tenth day.

3. The striking of its blood on the door posts and lintels of their houses. And,

4. Their eating it in haste. These things were not required of the succeeding generations.

The whole assembly - shall kill it - Any person might kill it, the sacrificial act in this case not being confined to the priests.

In the evening - בין הערבים beyn haarbayim, "between the two evenings." The Jews divided the day into morning and evening: till the sun passed the meridian all was morning or fore-noon; after that, all was afternoon or evening. Their first evening began just after twelve o'clock, and continued till sunset; their second evening began at sunset and continued till night, i.e., during the whole time of twilight; between twelve o'clock, therefore, and the termination of twilight, the passover was to be offered. "The day among the Jews had twelve hours, Joh 11:9. Their first hour was about six o'clock in the morning with us. Their sixth hour was our noon. Their ninth hour answered to our three o'clock in the afternoon. By this we may understand that the time in which Christ was crucified began at the third hour, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, the ordinary time for the daily morning sacrifice, and ended at the ninth hour, that is, three o'clock in the afternoon, the time of the evening sacrifice, Mar 15:25, Mar 15:33, Mar 15:34, Mar 15:37. Wherefore their ninth hour was their hour of prayer, when they used to go into the temple at the daily evening sacrifice, Act 3:1; and this was the ordinary time for the passover. It is worthy of remark that God sets no particular hour for the killing of the passover: any time between the two evenings, i.e., between twelve o'clock in the day and the termination of twilight, was lawful. The daily sacrifice (see Exo 29:38, Exo 29:39) was killed at half past the eighth hour, that is, half an hour Before three in the afternoon; and it was offered up at half past the ninth hour, that is, half an hour After three. In the evening of the passover it was killed at half past the seventh hour, and offered at half past the eighth, that is, half an hour Before three: and if the evening of the passover fell on the evening of the Sabbath, it was killed at half past the Sixth hour, and offered at half past the Seventh, that is, half an hour Before two in the afternoon. The reason of this was, they were first obliged to kill the daily sacrifice, and then to kill and roast the paschal lamb, and also to rest the evening before the passover. Agreeably to this Maimonides says 'the killing of the passover is after mid-day, and if they kill it before it is not lawful; and they do not kill it till after the daily evening sacrifice, and burning of incense: and after they have trimmed the lamps they begin to kill the paschal lambs until the end of the day.' By this time of the day God foreshowed the sufferings of Christ in the evening of times or in the last days, Heb 1:2; 1Pet 1:19, 1Pet 1:20 : and about the same time of the day, when the paschal lamb ordinarily died, He died also, viz., at the ninth hour; Mat 27:46-50." See Ainsworth.

Take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts - This was to be done by dipping a bunch of hyssop into the blood, and thus sprinkling it upon the posts, etc.; see Exo 12:22. That this sprinkling of the blood of the paschal lamb was an emblem of the sacrifice and atonement made by the death of Jesus Christ, is most clearly intimated in the sacred writings, 1Pet 1:2; Heb 9:13, Heb 9:14; Heb 8:10. It is remarkable that no blood was to be sprinkled on the threshold, to teach, as Mr. Ainsworth properly observes, a reverent regard for the blood of Christ, that men should not tread under foot the Son of God, nor count the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing; Heb 10:29.

They shall eat the flesh - roast with fire - As it was the ordinary custom of the Jews to boil their flesh, some think that the command given here was in opposition to the custom of the Egyptians, who ate raw flesh in honor of Osiris. The Ethiopians are to this day remarkable for eating raw flesh, as is the case with most savage nations.

Unleavened bread - מצות matstsoth, from מצה matsah, to squeeze or compress, because the bread prepared without leaven or yeast was generally compressed, sad or heavy, as we term it. The word here properly signifies unleavened cakes; the word for leaven in Hebrew is חמץ chamets, which simply signifies to ferment. It is supposed that leaven was forbidden on this and other occasions, that the bread being less agreeable to the taste, it might be emblematical of their bondage and bitter servitude, as this seems to have been one design of the bitter herbs which were commanded to be used on this occasion; but this certainly was not the sole design of the prohibition: leaven itself is a species of corruption, being produced by fermentation, which in such cases tends to putrefaction. In this very light St. Paul considers the subject in this place; hence, alluding to the passover as a type of Christ, he says: Purge out therefore the old leaven - for Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth; 1Cor 5:6-8.

Bitter herbs - What kind of herbs or salad is intended by the word מררים merorim, which literally signifies bitters, is not well known. The Jews think chicory, wild lettuce, horehound, and the like are intended. Whatever may be implied under the term, whether bitter herbs or bitter ingredients in general, it was designed to put them in mind of their bitter and severe bondage in the land of Egypt, from which God was now about to deliver them.

With the purtenance thereof - All the intestines, for these were abused by the heathens to purposes of divination; and when roasted in the manner here directed they could not be thus used. The command also implies that the lamb was to be roasted whole; neither the head or legs were to be separated, nor the intestines removed. I suppose that these last simply included the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc., and not the intestinal canal.

Ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning - Merely to prevent putrefaction; for it was not meet that a thing offered to God should be subjected to corruption, which in such hot countries it must speedily undergo. Thus the body of our blessed Lord saw no corruption, Psa 16:10; Act 2:27, because, like the paschal lamb, it was a sacrifice offered to God.

It appears that from the Jewish passover the heathens borrowed their sacrifice termed Propter Viam. It was their custom previously to their undertaking a journey, to offer a sacrifice to their gods, and to eat the whole if possible, but if any part was left they burned it with fire; and this was called propter viam, because it was made to procure a prosperous journey. It was in reference to this that Cato is said to have rallied a person called Q. Albidius, who, having eaten up all his goods, set fire to his house, his only remaining property. "He has offered his sacrifice propter viam," says Cato, "because he has burned what he could not eat." This account is given by Macrobius, Saturn., lib. ii., 2, edit. Bipont., vol. 1, p. 333; and is a remarkable instance how closely some of the religious observances of the people of God have been copied by the heathen nations.

And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded - As in the eastern countries they wear long loose garments, whenever they travel they tuck up the fore parts of their garments in the girdle which they wear round their loins.

Your shoes on your feet - This seems particularly mentioned because not customary. "The easterns throw off their shoes when they eat, because it would be troublesome," says Sir J. Chardin, "to keep their shoes upon their feet, they sitting cross-legged on the floor, and having no hinder quarters to their shoes, which are made like slippers; and as they do not use tables and chairs as we do in Europe, but have their floors covered with carpets, they throw off their shoes when they enter their apartments, lest they should soil those beautiful pieces of furniture." On the contrary the Israelites were to have their shoes on, because now about to commence their journey. It was customary among the Romans to lay aside their shoes when they went to a banquet. The servants took them off them when they entered the house, and returned them when they departed to their own habitations.

Your staff in your hand - The same writer observes that the eastern people universally make use of a staff when they travel on foot.

Ye shall eat it in haste - Because they were suddenly to take their departure: the destroying angel was at hand, their enemies were coming against them, and they had not a moment to lose.

It is the Lord's passover - That is, Jehovah is now about to pass over the land, and the houses only where the blood is sprinkled shall be safe from the stroke of death. The Hebrew word פסח pesach, which we very properly translate Passover, and which should always be pronounced as two words, has its name from the angel of God passing by or over the houses of the Israelites, on the posts and lintels of which the blood of the lamb was sprinkled, while he stopped at the houses of the Egyptians to slay their first-born.

Against all the gods of Egypt, etc. - As different animals were sacred among the Egyptians, the slaying of the first-born of all the beasts might be called executing judgment upon the gods of Egypt. As this however does not appear very clear and satisfactory, some have imagined that the word אלהי elohey should be translated princes, which is the rendering in our margin; for as these princes, who were rulers of the kingdom under Pharaoh, were equally hostile to the Hebrews with Pharaoh himself, therefore these judgments fell equally heavy on them also. But we may ask, Did not these judgments fall equally on all the families of Egypt, though multitudes of them had no particular part either in the evil counsel against the Israelites or in their oppression? Why then distinguish those in calamities in which all equally shared? None of these interpretations therefore appear satisfactory. Houbigant, by a very simple and natural emendation, has, he thinks, restored the whole passage to sense and reason. He supposes that אלהי elohey, Gods, is a mistake for אהלי ahley, Tents or habitations, the ה he and the ל lamed being merely interchanged. This certainly gives a very consistent sense, and points out the universality of the desolation to which the whole context continually refers. He therefore contends that the text should be read thus: And on all the Tents (or Habitations) of Egypt I will execute judgment; by which words the Lord signified that not one dwelling in the whole land of Egypt should be exempted from the judgment here threatened. It is but justice to say that however probable this criticism may appear, it is not supported by any of the ancient versions, nor by any of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi. The parallel place also, Num 33:4, is rather against Houbigant's interpretation: For the Egyptians buried all their first-born, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also [ובאלהיהם ubeloheyhem] the Lord executed judgments. But Houbigant amends the word in this place in the same way as he does that in Exodus. There appears also to be an allusion to this former judgment in Isa 19:1 : Behold, the Lord - shall come into Egypt, and the idols [אלילי eliley] of Egypt shall be moved at his presence. And in Jer 43:13 : The houses of the gods [בתי אלהי bottey elohey] of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire. The rabbins say that "when Israel came out of Egypt, the holy blessed God threw down all the images of their abominations, and they were broken to pieces." When a nation was conquered, it was always supposed that their gods had either abandoned them or were overcome. Thus Egypt was ruined, and their gods confounded and destroyed by Jehovah. See Clarke's note on Exo 11:7.

The blood shall be to you for a token - It shall be the sign to the destroying angel, that the house on which he sees this blood sprinkled is under the protection of God, and that no person in it is to be injured. See Clarke on Exo 12:11 (note).

A memorial - To keep up a remembrance of the severity and goodness, or justice and mercy, of God. Ye shall keep it a feast - it shall be annually observed, and shall be celebrated with solemn religious joy, throughout your generations - as long as ye continue to be a distinct people; an ordinance - a Divine appointment, an institution of God himself, neither to be altered nor set aside by any human authority.

For ever - חקת עולם chukkath olam, an everlasting or endless statute, because representative of the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world; whose mediation, in consequence of his sacrifice, shall endure while time itself lasts; and to whose merits and efficacy the salvation of the soul shall be ascribable throughout eternity. This, therefore, is a statute and ordinance that can have no end, either in this world or in the world to come. It is remarkable that though the Jews have ceased from the whole of their sacrificial system, so that sacrifices are no longer offered by them in any part of the world, yet they all, in all their generations and in all countries, keep up the remembrance of the passover, and observe the feast of unleavened bread. But no lamb is sacrificed. Their sacrifices have all totally ceased, ever since the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Even the flesh that is used on this occasion is partly roasted and partly boiled, that it may not even resemble the primitive sacrifice; for they deem it unlawful to sacrifice out of Jerusalem. The truth is, the true Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world has been offered, and they have no power to restore the ancient type. See Clarke on Exo 12:27 (note).

Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread - This has been considered as a distinct ordinance, and not essentially connected with the passover. The passover was to be observed on the fourteenth day of the first month; the feast of unleavened bread began on the fifteenth and lasted seven days, the first and last of which were holy convocations.

That soul shall be cut off - There are thirty-six places in which this excision or cutting off is threatened against the Jews for neglect of some particular duty; and what is implied in the thing itself is not well known. Some think it means a violent death, some a premature death, and some an eternal death. It is very likely that it means no more than a separation from the rights and privileges of an Israelite; so that after this excision the person was considered as a mere stranger, who had neither lot nor part in Israel, nor any right to the blessings of the covenant. This is probably what St. Paul means, Rom 9:3. But we naturally suppose this punishment was not inflicted but on those who had showed a marked and obstinate contempt for the Divine authority. This punishment appears to have been nearly the same with excommunication among the Christians; and from this general notion of the cutting off, the Christian excommunication seems to have been borrowed.

In the first day and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation - This is the first place where we meet with the account of an assembly collected for the mere purpose of religious worship. Such assemblies are called holy convocations, which is a very appropriate appellation for a religious assembly; they were called together by the express command of God, and were to be employed in a work of holiness. מקרא mikra, convocation, is a word of similar import with the Greek εκκλησια, which we commonly translate Church, and which properly signifies an assembly convened by public call.

Self-same day - בעצם beetsem, in the body of this day, or in the strength of this day; probably they began their march about day-break, called here the body or strength of the day, and in Deu 16:1, by night - sometime before the sun rose.

No leaven found in your houses - To meet the letter of this precept in the fullest manner possible, the Jews, on the eve of this festival, institute the most rigorous search through every part of their houses, not only removing all leavened bread, but sweeping every part clean, that no crumb of bread shall be left that had any leaven in it. And so strict were they in the observance of the letter of this law, that if even a mouse was seen to run across the floor with a crumb of bread in its mouth, they considered the whole house as polluted, and began their purification afresh. We have already seen that leaven was an emblem of sin, because it proceeded from corruption; and the putting away of this implied the turning to God with simplicity and uprightness of heart. See on Exo 12:8 (note), and Exo 12:27 (note).

Kill the passover - That is, the lamb, which was called the paschal or passover lamb. The animal that was to be sacrificed on this occasion got the name of the institution itself: thus the word covenant is often put for the sacrifice offered in making the covenant; so the rock was Christ, 1Cor 10:4; bread and wine the body and blood of Christ, Mar 14:22, Mar 14:24. St. Paul copies the expression, 1Cor 5:7 : Christ our passover (that is, our paschal lamb) is sacrificed for us.

A bunch of hyssop - The original word אזוב ezob has been variously translated musk, rosemary, polypody of the wall, mint, origanum, marjoram, and Hyssop: the latter seems to be the most proper. Parkhurst says it is named from its detersive and cleansing qualities, whence it was used in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb, in cleansing the leprosy, Lev 14:4, Lev 14:6, Lev 14:51, Lev 14:52; in composing the water of purification, Num 19:6, and sprinkling it, Num 19:18. It was a type of the purifying virtue of the bitter sufferings of Christ. And it is plain, from Psa 51:7, that the psalmist understood its meaning. Among botanists hyssop is described as "a genus of the gymnospermia (naked-seeded) order, belonging to the didynamia class of plants. It has under-shrubby, low, bushy stalks, growing a foot and a half high, small, spear-shaped, close-sitting, opposite leaves, with several smaller ones rising from the same joint; and all the stalks and branches terminated by erect whorled spikes of flowers of different colors, in the varieties of the plant. The leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm pungent taste. The leaves of this plant are particularly recommended in humoral asthmas, and other disorders of the breast and lungs, and greatly promote expectoration." Its medicinal qualities were probably the reason why this plant was so particularly recommended in the Scriptures.

What mean ye by this service? - The establishment of this service annually was a very wise provision to keep up in remembrance this wonderful deliverance. From the remotest antiquity the institution of feasts, games, etc., has been used to keep up the memory of past grand events. Hence God instituted the Sabbath, to keep up the remembrance of the creation; and the passover to keep up the remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt. All the other feasts were instituted on similar reasons. The Jews never took their sons to the tabernacle or temple till they were twelve years of age, nor suffered them to eat of the flesh of any victim till they had themselves offered a sacrifice at the temple, which they were not permitted to do before the twelfth year of their age. It was at this age that Joseph and Mary took our blessed Lord to the temple, probably for the first time, to offer his sacrifice. See Calmet.

It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover - We have already intimated that the paschal lamb was an illustrious type of Christ; and we shall find that every thing in this account is typical or representative. The bondage and affliction of the people of Israel may be considered as emblems of the hard slavery and wretchedness consequent on a state of sinfulness. Satan reigns over both body and soul, bringing the whole into subjection to the law of sin and death; while various evil tempers, passions, lusts, and irregular appetites, act as subordinate tormentors, making the lives of the vassals of sin bitter, because of the rigour by which they are obliged to serve. Reader, is this thy case? The mercy of God projects the redemption of man from this cruel bondage and oppression; and a sacrifice is appointed for the occasion by God himself, to be offered with particular and significant rites and ceremonies, all of which represent the passion and death of our blessed Lord, and the great end for which he became a sacrifice, viz., the redemption of a lost world from the power, the guilt, and the pollution of sin, etc. And it is worthy of remark,

1. That the anniversary or annual commemoration of the passover was strictly and religiously kept by the Jews on the day, and hour of the day, on which the original transaction took place, throughout all their succeeding generations.

2. That on one of these anniversaries, and, as many suppose, on the very day and hour on which the paschal lamb was originally offered, our blessed Lord expired on the cross for the salvation of the world.

3. That after the destruction of Jerusalem the paschal lamb ceased to be offered by the Jews throughout the world, though they continue to hold the anniversary of the passover, but without any sacrifice, notwithstanding their deep-rooted, inveterate antipathy against the author and grace of the Gospel.

4. That the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was instituted to keep this true paschal sacrifice in commemoration, and that this has been religiously observed by the whole Christian world (one very small class of Christians excepted) from the foundation of Christianity to the present day!

5. That the Jews were commanded to eat the paschal lamb; and our Lord, commemorating the passover, commanded his disciples, saying, Take, eat, This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the communion service of the Church of England, the spirit and design both of the type and antitype are most expressly condensed into one point of view, in the address to the communicant: "Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for Thee; and Feed upon Him, in thy heart, by Faith with Thanksgiving. Thus God continues the memorial of that grand transaction which he has said should be an ordinance for ever; evidently meaning thereby, that the paschal lamb should be the significator till the passion and death of Christ; and that afterwards bread and wine taken sacramentally, in commemoration of his crucifixion, should be the continual representatives of that sacrifice till the end of the world. Thus the passover in itself, and in its reference, is an ordinance for ever; and thus the words of the Lord are literally fulfilled.

Reader, learn from this,

1. That if thou art not rescued from the thraldom of sin, thou must perish for ever.

2. That nothing less than the power and mercy of God can set thee free.

3. That God will save thee in no other way than by bringing thee out of thy sinful state, and from thy wicked practices and companions.

4. That in order to thy redemption it was absolutely necessary that the Son of God should take thy nature upon him, and die in thy stead.

5. That unless the blood of this sacrifice be sprinkled, in its atoning efficacy and merits, on thy heart and conscience, the guilt and power of thy sin cannot be taken away.

6. That as the blood of the paschal lamb must be sprinkled on every house, in order to the preservation of its inhabitants, so there must be a personal application of the blood of the cross to thy conscience, to take away thy sins.

7. As it was not enough that the passover was instituted, but the blood must be sprinkled on the lintels and door posts of every house to make the rite effectual to the salvation of each individual, so it is not enough that Christ should have taken human nature upon him, and died for the sin of the world; for no man who has the opportunity of hearing the Gospel is saved by that death, who does not, by faith, get a personal application of it to his own heart.

8. That those who wish for an application of the atoning blood, must receive this spiritual passover with a perfect readiness to depart from the land of their captivity, and travel to the rest that remains for the people of God; it being impossible, not only to a gross sinner, continuing such, to be finally saved, (however he may presume upon the mercy of God), but also to a worldly-minded man to get to the kingdom of God; for Christ died to save us from the present evil world, according to the will of God.

9. That in order to commemorate aright, in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the great atonement made for the sin of the world, all leaven of malice, bitterness, and insincerity, must be put away; as God will have no man to partake of this mystery who does not fully enter into its spirit and meaning. See 1Cor 5:7, 1Cor 5:8.

Smote all the first born - If we take the term first-born in its literal sense only, we shall be led to conclude that in a vast number of the houses of the Egyptians there could have been no death, as it is not at all likely that every first-born child of every Egyptian family was still alive, and that all the first-born of their cattle still remained. And yet it is said, Exo 12:30, that there was not a house where there was not one dead. The word therefore must not be taken in its literal sense only. From its use in a great variety of places in the Scriptures it is evident that it means the chief, most excellent, best beloved, most distinguished, etc. In this sense our blessed Lord is called the First-Born of every creature, Col 1:15, and the First-Born among many brethren, Rom 8:29; that is, he is more excellent than all creatures, and greater than all the children of men. In the same sense we may understand Rev 1:5, where Christ is called the First-Begotten from the dead, i.e., the chief of all that have ever visited the empire of death, and on whom death has had any power; and the only one who by his own might quickened himself. In the same sense wisdom is represented as being brought forth before all the creatures, and being possessed by the Lord in the beginning of his ways, Pro 8:22-30; that is, the wisdom of God is peculiarly conspicuous in the production, arrangement, and government of every part of the creation. So Ephraim is called the Lord's First-Born, Jer 31:9. And the people of Israel are often called by the same name, see Exo 4:22 : Israel is my son, my First-Born; that is, the people in whom I particularly delight, and whom I will especially support and defend. And because the first-born are in general peculiarly dear to their parents, and because among the Jews they had especial and peculiar privileges, whatever was most dear, most valuable, and most prized, was thus denominated. So Mic 6:7 : Shall I give my First-Born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Shall I give up the most beloved child I have, he that is most dear and most necessary to me, in order to make an atonement for my sins! In like manner the Prophet Zechariah, speaking of the conversion of the Jews to the Gospel of Christ, represents them as looking on him whom they have pierced, and being as one that is in bitterness for his First-Born; that is, they shall feel distress and anguish as those who had lost their most beloved child. So the Church triumphant in the kingdom of God are called, Heb 12:23, the general assembly and Church of the First-Born, i.e., the most noble and excellent of all human if not created beings. So Homer, Il. iv., ver. 102: Αρνων πρωτογονων ρεξειν κλειτην ἑκατομβην· "A hecatomb of lambs all firstlings of the flock." That is, the most excellent of their kind.

In a contrary sense, when the word first-born is joined to another that signifies any kind of misery or disgrace, it then signifies the depth of misery, the utmost disgrace. So the First-Born of the poor, Isa 14:30, signifies the most abject, destitute, and impoverished. The First-Born of death, Job 18:13, means the most horrible kind of death. So in the threatening against Pharaoh, Exo 11:5, where he informs him that he will slay all the first-born, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon the throne; to the first born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill, he takes in the very highest and lowest conditions of life. As there was no state in Egypt superior to the throne, so there was none inferior to that of the female slave that ground at the mill. The Prophet Habakkuk seems to fix this as the sense in which the word is used here; for speaking of the plagues of Egypt in general, and the salvation which God afforded his people, he says, Hab 3:13 : Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people - thou woundedst the Head (ראש rosh, the chief, the most excellent) of the house of the wicked - of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. And the author of the book of The Wisdom of Solomon understood it in the same way: The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common people - for in one moment the Noblest Offspring of them was destroyed, The Wisdom of Solomon 18:11, 12. And in no other sense can we understand the word in Psa 89:27, where, among the promises of God to David, we find the following: Also I will make him my First-Born, higher than the kings of the earth; in which passage the latter clause explains the former; David, as king, should be the First-Born, of God, i.e., he should be higher than the kings of the earth - the Most Eminent potentate in the universe. In this sense, therefore, we should understand the passage in question; the most eminent person in every family in Egypt, as well as those who were literally the first-born, being slain in this plague. Calmet and some other critics particularly contend for this sense.

There was a great cry - No people in the universe were more remarkable for their mournings than the Egyptians, especially in matters of religion; they whipped, beat, tore themselves, and howled in all the excess of grief. When a relative died, the people left the house, ran into the streets, and howled in the most lamentable and frantic manner. See Diod. Sicul., lib. i., and Herod., lib. ii., c. 85, 86. And this latter author happening to be in Egypt on one of their solemnities, saw myriads of people whipping and beating themselves in this manner, lib. ii., c. 60; and see Mr. Bryant on the Plagues of Egypt, where many examples are given, p. 162, etc. How dreadful then must the scene of horror and distress appear when there was not one house or family in Egypt where there was not one dead; and according to their custom, all the family running out into the streets bewailing this calamity!

Called for Moses and Aaron - That is, he sent the message here mentioned to them; for it does not appear that he had any farther interview with Moses and Aaron, after what is mentioned Exo 10:28, Exo 10:29, and Exo 11:8. See Clarke's notes Exo 10:28, Exo 10:29 (note), and Exo 11:8 (note).

The Egyptians were urgent upon the people - They felt much, they feared more; and therefore wished to get immediately rid of a people on whose account they found they were smitten with so many and such dreadful plagues.

The people took their dough before it was leavened, etc. - There was no time now to make any regular preparation for their departure, such was the universal hurry and confusion. The Israelites could carry but little of their household utensils with them; but some, such as they kneaded their bread and kept their meal in, they were obliged to carry with them. The kneading troughs of the Arabs are comparatively small wooden bowls, which, after kneading their bread in, serve them as dishes out of which they eat their victuals. And as to these being bound up in their clothes, no more may be intended than their wrapping them up in their long, loose garments, or in what is still used among the Arabs, and called hykes, which is a long kind of blanket, something resembling a highland plaid, in which they often carry their provision, wrap themselves by day, and sleep at night. Dr. Shaw has been particular in his description of this almost entire wardrobe of an Arab. He says they are of different sizes and of different qualities, but generally about six yards in length, and five or six feet broad. He supposes that what we call Ruth's veil, Rut 3:15, was a hyke, and that the same is to be understood of the clothes of the Israelites mentioned in this verse. See his Travels, p. 224, 4th edition.

They borrowed of the Egyptians - See Clarke's note on Exo 3:22, where the very exceptionable term borrow is largely explained.

From Rameses to Succoth - Rameses appears to have been another name for Goshen, though it is probable that there might have been a chief city or village in that land, where the children of Israel rendezvoused previously to their departure, called Rameses. As the term Succoth signifies booths or tents, it is probable that this place was so named from its being the place of the first encampment of the Israelites.

Six hundred thousand - That is, There was this number of effective men, twenty years old and upwards, who were able to go out to war. But this was not the whole number, and therefore the sacred writer says they were about 600,000; for when the numbers were taken about thirteen months after this they were found to be six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty, without reckoning those under twenty years of age, or any of the tribe of Levi; see Num 1:45, Num 1:46. But besides those on foot, or footmen, there were no doubt many old and comparatively infirm persons, who rode on camels, horses, or asses, besides the immense number of women and children, which must have been at least three to one of the others; and the mixed multitude, Exo 12:38, probably of refugees in Egypt, who came to sojourn there, because of the dearth which had obliged them to emigrate from their own countries; and who now, seeing that the hand of Jehovah was against the Egyptians and with the Israelites, availed themselves of the general consternation, and took their leave of Egypt, choosing Israel's God for their portion, and his people for their companions. Such a company moving at once, and emigrating from their own country, the world never before nor since witnessed; no doubt upwards of two millions of souls, besides their flocks and herds, even very much cattle; and what but the mere providence of God could support such a multitude, and in the wilderness, too, where to this day the necessaries of life are not to be found?

Suppose we take them at a rough calculation thus, two millions will be found too small a number.

Effective men, 20 years old and upward 600,000 Two-thirds of whom we may suppose were married, in which case their wives would amount to 400,000 These, on an average, might have 5 children under 20 years of age, an estimate which falls considerably short of the number of children each family must have averaged in order to produce from 75 persons, in A. M. 2298, upwards of 600,000 effective men in A. M. 2494, a period of only 196 years 2,000,000 The Levites, who probably were not included among the effective men 45,000 Their wives 33,000 Their children 165,000 The mixed multitude probably not less than 20,000 ____________________________________________ __________ Total 3,263,000

Besides a multitude of old and infirm persons who would be obliged to ride on camels and asses, etc., and who must, from the proportion that such bear to the young and healthy, amount to many thousands more! Exclude even the Levites and their families, and upwards of three millions will be left. "In Num 3:39 the male Levites, aged one month and upwards, are reckoned 22,000, perhaps the females did not much exceed this number, say 23,000, and 500 children, under one month, will make 45,500." - Anon.

Had not Moses the fullest proof of his Divine mission, he never could have put himself at the head of such an immense concourse of people, who, without the most especial and effective providence, must all have perished for lack of food. This single circumstance, unconnected with all others, is an ample demonstration of the Divine mission of Moses, and of the authenticity and Divine inspiration of the Pentateuch. To suppose that an impostor, or one pretending only to a Divine call, could have ventured to place himself at the head of such an immense body of people, to lead them through a trackless wilderness, utterly unprovided for such a journey, to a land as yet in the possession of several powerful nations whom they must expel before they could possess the country, would have implied such an extreme of madness and folly as has never been witnessed in an individual, and such a blind credulity in the multitude as is unparalleled in the annals of mankind! The succeeding stupendous events proved that Moses had the authority of God to do what he did; and the people had at least such a general conviction that he had this authority, that they implicitly followed his directions, and received their law from his mouth.

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, etc. - The statement in this verse is allowed on all hands to be extremely difficult, and therefore the passage stands in especial need of illustration. "That the descendants of Israel did not dwell 430 years in Egypt," says Dr. Kennicott, "may be easily proved, and has often been demonstrated. Some therefore imagine that by Egypt here both it and Canaan are to be understood. But this greater latitude of place will not solve the difficulty, since the Israelites, including Israel their father, did not sojourn 430 years in both countries previous to their departure from Egypt. Others, sensible of the still remaining deficiency, would not only have Egypt in the text to signify it and Canaan, but by a figure more comprehensive would have the children of Israel to mean Israel's children, and Israel their father, and Isaac the father of Israel, and part of the life of Abraham, the father of Isaac. "Thus indeed," says Dr. Kennicott, "we arrive at the exact sum, and by this method of reckoning we might arrive at any thing but truth, which we may presume was never thus conveyed by an inspired writer." But can the difficulty be removed without having recourse to such absurd shifts? Certainly it can. The Samaritan Pentateuch, in all its manuscripts and printed copies, reads the place thus: -

Umoshab beney Yishrael veabotham asher yashebu baarets Cenaan, ubaarets mitsraim sheloshim shanah vearba meoth shanah. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt, was 430 years." This same sum is given by St. Paul, Gal 3:17, who reckons from the promise made to Abraham, when God commanded him to go to Canaan, to the giving of the law, which soon followed the departure from Egypt; and this chronology of the apostle is concordant with the Samaritan Pentateuch, which, by preserving the two passages, they and their fathers, and in the land of Canaan, which are lost out of the present copies of the Hebrew text, has rescued this passage from all obscurity and contradiction. It may be necessary to observe that the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint has the same reading as that in the Samaritan. The Samaritan Pentateuch is allowed by many learned men to exhibit the most correct copy of the five books of Moses; and the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint must also be allowed to be one of the most authentic as well as most ancient copies of this version which we possess. As to St. Paul, no man will dispute the authenticity of his statement; and thus in the mouth of these three most respectable witnesses the whole account is indubitably established. That these three witnesses have the truth, the chronology itself proves: for from Abraham's entry into Canaan to the birth of Isaac was 25 years, Gen 12:4; 17:1-21; Isaac was 60 years old at the birth of Jacob, Gen 25:26; and Jacob was 130 at his going down into Egypt, Gen 47:9; which three sums make 215 years. And then Jacob and his children having continued in Egypt 215 years more, the whole sum of 430 years is regularly completed. See Kennicott's Dissertation on the Hebrew Text.

A night to be much observed - A night to be held in everlasting remembrance, because of the peculiar display of the power and goodness of God, the observance of which annually was to be considered a religious precept while the Jewish nation should continue.

This is the ordinance of the passover - From the last verse of this chapter it appears pretty evident that this, to the 50th verse inclusive, constituted a part of the directions given to Moses relative to the proper observance of the first passover, and should be read conjointly with the preceding account beginning at Exo 12:21. It may be supposed that these latter parts contain such particular directions as God gave to Moses after he had given those general ones mentioned in the preceding verses, but they seem all to belong to this first passover.

There shall no stranger eat thereof - בן נכר ben nechar, the son of a stranger or foreigner, i.e., one who was not of the genuine Hebrew stock, or one who had not received circumcision; for any circumcised person might eat the passover, as the total exclusion extends only to the uncircumcised, see Exo 12:48. As there are two sorts of strangers mentioned in the sacred writings; one who was admitted to all the Jewish ordinances, and another who, though he dwelt among the Jews, was not permitted to eat the passover or partake of any of their solemn feasts; it may be necessary to show what was the essential point of distinction through which the one was admitted and the other excluded.

In treatises on the religious customs of the Jews we frequently meet with the term proselyte, from the Greek προσηλυτος, a stranger or foreigner; one who is come from his own people and country to sojourn with another. All who were not descendants of some one of the twelve sons of Jacob, or of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, were reputed strangers or proselytes among the Jews. But of those strangers or proselytes there were two kinds, called among them proselytes of the gate, and proselytes of injustice or of the covenant. The former were such as wished to dwell among the Jews, but would not submit to be circumcised; they, however, acknowledged the true God, avoided all idolatry, and observed the seven precepts of Noah, but were not obliged to observe any of the Mosaic institutions. The latter submitted to be circumcised, obliged themselves to observe all the rites and ceremonies of the law, and were in nothing different from the Jews but merely in their having once been heathens. The former, or proselytes of the gate, might not eat the passover or partake of any of the sacred festivals; but the latter, the proselytes of the covenant, had the same rights, spiritual and secular, as the Jews themselves. See Exo 12:48.

A foreigner - תושב toshab, from ישב yashab, to sit down or dwell; one who is a mere sojourner, for the purpose of traffic, merchandise, etc., but who is neither a proselyte of the gate nor of the covenant.

And a hired servant - Who, though he be bought with money, or has indented himself for a certain term to serve a Jew, yet has not become either a proselyte of the gate or of the covenant. None of these shall eat of it, because not circumcised - not brought under the bond of the covenant; and not being under obligation to observe the Mosaic law, had no right to its privileges and blessings. Even under the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is the author of eternal salvation only to them who Obey him, Heb 5:9; and those who become Christians are chosen to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, 2Thes 2:13; for the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us that, Denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, in this present world; Tit 2:11, Tit 2:12. Such persons only walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called.

In one house shall it be eaten - In one family, if that be large enough; if not, a neighboring family might be invited, Exo 12:4.

Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh - Every family must abide within doors because of the destroying angel, none being permitted to go out of his house till the next day, Exo 12:22.

Neither shall ye break a bone thereof - As it was to be eaten in haste, (Exo 12:11), there was no time either to separate the bones, or to break them in order to extract the marrow; and lest they should be tempted to consume time in this way, therefore this ordinance was given. It is very likely that, when the whole lamb was brought to table, they cut off the flesh without even separating any of the large joints, leaving the skeleton, with whatever flesh they could not eat, to be consumed with fire, Exo 12:10. This precept was also given to point out a most remarkable circumstance which 1500 years after was to take place in the crucifixion of the Savior of mankind, who was the true Paschal Lamb, that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world; who, though he was crucified as a common malefactor, and it was a universal custom to break the legs of such on the cross, yet so did the providence of God order it that a bone of Him was not broken. See the fulfillment of this wondrously expressive type, Joh 19:33, Joh 19:36.

And when a stranger - will keep the passover, etc. - Let all who sojourn among you, and who desire to partake of this sacred ordinance, not only be circumcised themselves, but all the males of their families likewise, that they may all have an equal right to the blessings of the covenant.

One law shall be to him that is home-born, etc. - As this is the first place that the term תורה torah or Law occurs, a term of the greatest importance in Divine revelation, and on the proper understanding of which much depends, I judge it best to give its genuine explanation once for all.

The word תורה torah comes from the root ירה yarah, which signifies to aim at, teach, point out, direct, lead, guide, make straight, or even; and from these significations of the word (and in all these senses it is used in the Bible) we may see at once the nature, properties, and design of the law of God. It is a system of Instruction in righteousness; it teaches the difference between moral good and evil; ascertains what is right and fit to be done, and what should be left undone, because improper to be performed. It continually aims at the glory of God, and the happiness of his creatures; teaches the true knowledge of the true God, and the destructive nature of sin; points out the absolute necessity of an atonement as the only means by which God can be reconciled to transgressors; and in its very significant rites and ceremonies points out the Son of God, till he should come to put away iniquity by the sacrifice of himself. It is a revelation of God's wisdom and goodness, wonderfully well calculated to direct the hearts of men into the truth, to guide their feet into the path of life, and to make straight, even, and plain that way which leads to God, and in which the soul must walk in order to arrive at eternal life. It is the fountain whence every correct notion relative to God - his perfections, providence, grace, justice, holiness, omniscience, and omnipotence, has been derived. And it has been the origin whence all the true principles of law and justice have been deduced. The pious study of it was the grand means of producing the greatest kings, the most enlightened statesmen, the most accomplished poets, and the most holy and useful men, that ever adorned the world. It is exceeded only by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is at once the accomplishment of its rites and predictions, and the fulfillment of its grand plan and outline. As a system of teaching or instruction, it is the most sovereign and most effectual; as by it is the knowledge of sin, and it alone is the schoolmaster, παι δαγωγος, that leads men to Christ, that they may be justified through faith. Gal 3:24. Who can absolutely ascertain the exact quantum of obliquity in a crooked line, without the application of a straight one? And could sin, in all its twistings, windings, and varied involutions, have ever been truly ascertained, had not God given to man this perfect rule to judge by? The nations who acknowledge this revelation of God have, as far as they attained to its dictates, the wisest, purest, most equal, and most beneficial laws. The nations that do not receive it have laws at once extravagantly severe and extravagantly indulgent. The proper distinctions between moral good and evil, in such states, are not known: hence the penal sanctions are not founded on the principles of justice, weighing the exact proportion of moral turpitude; but on the most arbitrary caprices, which in many cases show the utmost indulgence to first-rate crimes, while they punish minor offenses with rigour and cruelty. What is the consequence? Just what might be reasonably expected: the will and caprice of a man being put in the place of the wisdom of God, the government is oppressive, and the people, frequently goaded to distraction, rise up in a mass and overturn it; so that the monarch, however powerful for a time, seldom lives out half his days. This was the case in Greece, in Rome, in the major part of the Asiatic governments, and is the case in all nations of the world to the present day, where the governor is despotic, and the laws not formed according to the revelation of God.

The word lex, law, among the Romans, has been derived from lego, I read; because when a law or statute was made, it was hung up in the most public places, that it might be seen, read, and known by all men, that those who were to obey the laws might not break them through ignorance, and thus incur the penalty. This was called promulgatio legis, q. provulgatio, the promulgation of the law, i.e., the laying it before the common people. Or from ligo, I bind, because the law binds men to the strict observance of its precepts. The Greeks call a law νομος nomos, from νεμω, to divide, distribute, minister to, or serve, because the law divides to all their just rights, appoints or distributes to each his proper duty, and thus serves or ministers to the welfare of the individual and the support of society. Hence where there are either no laws, or unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction, violence, rapine, oppression, anarchy, and ruin.

By their armies - צבאתם tsibotham, from צבא tsaba, to assemble, meet together, in an orderly or regulated manner, and hence to war, to act together as troops in battle; whence צבאות tsebaoth, troops, armies, hosts. It is from this that the Divine Being calls himself יהוה צבאות Yehovah tsebaoth, the Lord Of Hosts or armies, because the Israelites were brought out of Egypt under his direction, marshalled and ordered by himself, guided by his wisdom, supported by his providence, and protected by his might. This is the true and simple reason why God is so frequently styled in Scripture the Lord of hosts; for the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their Armies.

On this chapter the notes have been so full and so explicit, that little can be added to set the subject before the reader in a clearer light. On the ordinance of the Passover, the reader is requested to consult the notes on Exo 12:7, Exo 12:14, and Exo 12:27. See Clarke's note on Exo 12:7. See Clarke's note on Exo 12:14. See Clarke's note on Exo 12:27. For the display of God's power and providence in supporting so great a multitude where, humanly speaking, there was no provision, and the proof that the exodus of the Israelites gives of the truth of the Mosaic history, he is referred to Exo 12:37. And for the meaning of the term Law, to Exo 12:49.

On the ten plagues it may be but just necessary, after what has been said in the notes, to make a few general reflections. When the nature of the Egyptian idolatry is considered, and the plagues which were sent upon them, we may see at once the peculiarity of the judgment, and the great propriety of its being inflicted in the way related by Moses. The plagues were either inflicted on the objects of their idolatry, or by their means.

1. That the river Nile was an object of their worship and one of their greatest gods, we have already seen. As the First plague, its waters were therefore turned into blood; and the fish, many of which were objects also of their adoration, died. Blood was particularly offensive to them, and the touch of any dead animal rendered them unclean. When then their great god, the river, was turned into blood, and its waters became putrid, so that all the fish, minor objects of their devotion, died, we see a judgment at once calculated to punish, correct, and reform them. Could they ever more trust in gods who could neither save themselves nor their deluded worshippers?

2. Mr. Bryant has endeavored to prove that frogs, the Second plague, were sacred animals in Egypt, and dedicated to Osiris: they certainly appear on many ancient Egyptian monuments, and in such circumstances and connections as to show that they were held in religious veneration. These therefore became an awful scourge; first, by their numbers, and their intrusion into every place; and, secondly, by their death, and the infection of the atmosphere which took place in consequence.

3. We have seen also that the Egyptians, especially the priests, affected great cleanliness, and would not wear woolen garments lest any kind of vermin should harbour about them. The Third plague, by means of lice or such like vermin, was wisely calculated both to humble and confound them. In this they immediately saw a power superior to any that could be exerted by their gods or their magicians; and the latter were obliged to confess, This is the finger of God!

4. That flies were held sacred among the Egyptians and among various other nations, admits of the strongest proof. It is very probable that Baal-zebub himself was worshipped under the form of a fly or great cantharid. These, therefore, or some kind of winged noxious insects, became the prime agents in the Fourth plague; and if the cynomyia or dog-fly be intended, we have already seen in the notes with what propriety and effect this judgment was inflicted.

5. The murrain or mortality among the cattle was the Fifth plague, and the most decisive mark of the power and indignation of Jehovah. That dogs, cats, monkeys, rams, heifers, and bulls, were all objects of their most religious veneration, all the world knows. These were smitten in a most singular manner by the hand of God; and the Egyptians saw themselves deprived at once of all their imaginary helpers. Even Apis, their ox-god, in whom they particularly trusted, now suffers, groans, and dies under the hand of Jehovah. Thus does he execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. See Exo 12:12.

6. The Sixth plague, viz., of boils and blains, was as appropriate as any of the preceding; and the sprinkling of the ashes, the means by which it was produced, peculiarly significant. Pharmacy, Mr. Bryant has observed, was in high repute among the Egyptians; and Isis, their most celebrated goddess, was considered as the preventer or healer of all diseases. "For this goddess," says Diodorus, Hist., lib. i., "used to reveal herself to people in their sleep when they labored under any disorder, and afford them relief. Many who placed their confidence in her influence, παραδοξως ὑγιαινεσθαι, were miraculously restored. Many likewise who had been despaired of and given over by the physicians on account of the obstinacy of the distemper, were saved by this goddess. Numbers who had been deprived of their eyes, and of other parts of their bodies, were all restored on their application to Isis." By this disorder, therefore, which no application to their gods could cure, and which was upon the magicians also, who were supposed to possess most power and influence, God confounded their pride, showed the folly of their worship, and the vanity of their dependence. The means by which these boils and blains were inflicted, viz., the sprinkling of ashes from the furnace, was peculiarly appropriate. Plutarch assures us, De Iside et Osiride, that in several cities of Egypt they were accustomed to sacrifice human beings to Typhon, which they burned alive upon a high altar; and at the close of the sacrifice the priests gathered the ashes of these victims, and scattered them in the air: "I presume, says Mr. Bryant, "with this view, that where an atom of their dust was wafted, a blessing might be entailed. The like was done by Moses with the ashes of the furnace, that wherever any, the smallest portion, alighted, it might prove a plague and a curse to this cruel, ungrateful, and infatuated people. Thus there was a designed contrast in these workings of Providence, an apparent opposition to the superstition of the times."

7. The grievous hail, the Seventh plague, attended with rain, thunder, and lightning, in a country where these scarcely ever occur, and according to an express prediction of Moses, must in the most signal manner point out the power and justice of God. Fire and water were some of the principal objects of Egyptian idolatry; and fire, as Porphyry says, they considered μεγαν ειναι θεον, to be a great god. To find, therefore, that these very elements, the objects of their adoration, were, at the command of a servant of Jehovah, brought as a curse and scourge on the whole land, and upon men also and cattle, must have shaken their belief in these imaginary deities, while it proved to the Israelites that there was none like the God of Jeshurun.

8. In the Eighth plague we see by what insignificant creatures God can bring about a general destruction. A caterpillar is beyond all animals the most contemptible, and, taken singly, the least to be dreaded in the whole empire of nature; but in the hand of Divine justice it becomes one of the most formidable foes of the human race. From the examples in the notes we see how little human power, industry, or art, can avail against this most awful scourge. Not even the most contemptible animal should be considered with disrespect, as in the hand of God it may become the most terrible instrument for the punishment of a criminal individual or a guilty land.

9. The Ninth plague, the total and horrible darkness that lasted for three days, afforded both Israelites and Egyptians the most illustrious proof of the power and universal dominion of God; and was particularly to the latter a most awful yet instructive lesson against a species of idolatry which had been long prevalent in that and other countries, viz., the worship of the celestial luminaries. The sun and moon were both adored as supreme deities, as the sole dispensers of light and life; and the sun was invoked as the giver of immortality and eternal blessedness. Porphyry, De Abstin., l. 4, preserves the very form used by the Egyptian priests in addressing the sun on behalf of a deceased person, that he might be admitted into the society of the gods: Ω δεσποτα Ἡλιε, και Θεοι παντες, οἱ την ζωην τοις ανθρωποις δοντες, προσδεξασθε με, και παραδοτε τοις αΐδιοις Θεοις συνοικον, "O sovereign lord the sun, and all ye other deities who bestow life on mankind! Receive me, and grant that I may be admitted as a companion with the immortal gods!" These objects of their superstitious worship Jehovah showed by this plague to be his creatures, dispensing or withholding their light merely at his will and pleasure; and that the people might be convinced that all this came by his appointment alone, he predicted this awful darkness; and that their astronomers might have the fullest proof that this was no natural occurrence, and could not be the effect of any kind of eclipse, which even when total could endure only about four minutes, (and this case could happen only once in a thousand years), he caused this palpable darkness to continue for three days!

10. The Tenth and last plague, the slaying of the first-born or chief person in each family, may be considered in the light of a Divine retribution: for after that their nation had been preserved by one of the Israelitish family, "they had," says Mr. Bryant, "contrary to all right, and in defiance of original stipulation, enslaved the people to whom they had been so much indebted; and not contented with this, they had proceeded to murder their offspring, and to render the people's bondage intolerable by a wanton exertion of power. It had been told them that the family of the Israelites were esteemed as God's first-born, Exo 4:22; therefore God said: Let my son go, that he may serve me; and if thou refuse - behold, I will slay thy son, even thy First-Born, Exo 4:23. But they heeded not this admonition, and hence those judgments came upon them that terminated in the death of the eldest in each family; a just retaliation for their disobedience and cruelty." See several curious and important remarks on this subject in a work entitled, Observations upon the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, by Jacob Bryant, 8vo., 1810.

On the whole we may say, Behold the goodness and severity of God! Severity mixed with goodness even to the same people. He punished and corrected them at the same time; for there was not one of these judgments that had not, from its peculiar nature and circumstances, some emendatory influence. Nor could a more effectual mode be adopted to demonstrate to that people the absurdity of their idolatry, and the inefficacy of their dependence, than that made use of on this occasion by the wise, just, and merciful God. At the same time the Israelites themselves must have received a lesson of the most impressive instruction on the vanity and wickedness of idolatry, to which they were at all times most deplorably prone, and of which they would no doubt have given many more examples, had they not had the Egyptian plagues continually before their eyes. It was probably these signal displays of God's rower and justice, and these alone, that induced them to leave Egypt at his command by Moses and Aaron; otherwise, with the dreadful wilderness before them, totally unprovided for such a journey, in which humanly speaking it was impossible for them and their households to subsist, they would have rather preferred the ills they then suffered, than have run the risk of greater by an attempt to escape from their present bondage. This is proved by their murmurings, Exo 16:2, Exo 16:3, from which it is evident that they preferred Egypt with all its curses to their situation in the wilderness, and never could have been induced to leave it had they not had the fullest evidence that it was the will of God; which will they were obliged, on pain of utter destruction, to obey.

The Lord spake - Had spoken, before the three days darkness. But the mention of it was put off to this place, that the history of the plagues might not be interrupted.

This shall be to you the beginning of months - They had hitherto begun their year from the middle of September, but hence - forward they were to begin it from the middle of March, at least in all their ecclesiastical computations. We may suppose that while Moses was bringing the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, he was directing the Israelites to prepare for their departure at an hour's warning. Probably he had, by degrees, brought them near together from their dispersions, for they are here called the congregation of Israel; and to them, as a congregation, orders are here sent.

Take every man a lamb - In each of their families, or two or three families, if they were small, join for a lamb. The lamb was to be got ready four days before. and that afternoon they went, they were to kill it, (Ex 12:6,) as a sacrifice, not strictly, for it was not offered upon the altar, but as a religious ceremony, acknowledging God's goodness to them, not only in preserving them from, but in delivering them by the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. The lamb so slain they were to eat roasted (we may suppose in its several quarters) with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; they were to eat it in haste, Ex 12:11, and to leave none of it until the morning; for God would have them to depend upon him for their daily bread. Before they eat the flesh of the lamb, they were to sprinkle the blood upon the door - posts; by which their houses were to be distinguished from the houses of the Egyptians, and so their first - born secured from the sword of the destroying angel. Dreadful work was to be made this night in Egypt; all the first - born both of man and beast were to be slain; and judgment executed upon the gods of Egypt, Num 33:4. It is probable the idols which the Egyptians worshipped were defaced, those of metal melted, those of wood consumed, and those of stone broke to pieces. This was to be annually observed as a feast of the Lord in their generations, to which the feast of unleavened bread was annexed, during which, for seven days, they were to eat no bread but what was unleavened, in remembrance of their being confined to such bread for many days after they came out of Egypt, Ex 12:14 - 20. There was much of the gospel in this ordinance: The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is our passover, 1Cor 5:7, and is the Lamb of God, John 1:29. It was to be a male of the first year; in its prime. Christ offered up himself in the midst of his days. It notes the strength and sufficiency of the Lord Jesus, on whom our help was laid. It was to be without blemish, noting the purity of the Lord Jesus, a lamb without spot, 1Pet 1:19. It was to be set apart four days before, noting the designation of the Lord Jesus to be a Saviour, both in the purpose and in the promise. It is observable, that as Christ was crucified at the passover, so he solemnly entered into Jerusalem four days before, the very day that the paschal lamb was set apart. It was to be slain and roasted with fire, noting the exquisite sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the death of the cross. It was to be killed by the whole congregation between the two evenings, that is, between three o'clock and six. Christ suffered in the latter end of the world, Heb 9:26, by the hand of the Jews, the whole multitude of them, Luke 23:18. Not a bone of it must be broken, Ex 12:46, which is expressly said to be fulfilled in Christ, John 19:33,36. The sprinkling of the blood was typical. 1st, It was not enough that the blood of the lamb was shed, but it must be sprinkled, noting the application of the merits of Christ's death to our souls; 2dly, It was to be sprinkled upon the door - posts, noting the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ, and obedience to him. The mark of the beast may be received in the forehead, or in the right hand, but the seal of the lamb is always in the forehead, Rev 7:3. 3dly, The blood thus sprinkled was a means of the preservation of the Israelites from the destroying angel. If the blood of Christ be sprinkled upon our consciences, it will be our protection from the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and the damnation of hell. The solemn eating of the lamb was typical of our gospel duty to Christ. 1st, The paschal lamb was killed not to be looked upon only, but to be fed upon; so we must by faith make Christ ours, as we do that which we eat, and we must receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him, as from our food, and have delight in him, as we have in eating and drinking when we are hungry or thirsty. 2dly, It was to be all eaten: those that, by faith, feed upon Christ, must feed upon a whole Christ. They must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his cross, as well as Christ and his crown. 3dly, It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, in remembrance of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt; we must feed upon Christ with brokenness of heart, in remembrance of sin. 4thly, It was to be eaten in a departing posture Ex 12:11, when we feed upon Christ by faith, we must sit loose to the world, and every thing in it. The feast of unleavened bread was typical of the Christian life, 1Cor 5:7,8. Having received Christ Jesus the Lord, 1st. We must keep a feast, in holy joy, continually delighting ourselves in Christ Jesus; If true believers have not a continual feast, it is their own fault. 2dly, It must be a feast of unleavened bread, kept in charity, without the leaven of malice, and in sincerity, without the leaven of hypocrisy. All the old leaven of sin must be put far from us, with the utmost caution, if we would keep the feast of a holy life to the honour of Christ. 3dly, It was to be an ordinance forever. As long as we live we must continue feeding upon Christ, and rejoicing in him always, with thankful mention of the great things he has done for us.

Raw - Half roasted, but throughly drest.

Ye shall burn with fire - To prevent the profane abuse of it.

The Lord's passover - A sign of his passing over you, when he destroyed the Egyptians.

An holy convocation - A solemn day for the people to assemble together.

A stranger - A proselyte. Heathens were not concerned in the passover.

Out of the door of his house - Of that house, wherein he ate the passover: Until the morning - That is, till towards morning, when they would be called for to march out of Egypt. They went out very early in the morning.

The destroyer - The destroying angel, whether this was a good or an evil angel, we have not light to determine.

The people bowed the head and worshipped - They hereby signified their submission to this institution as a law, and their thankfulness for it as a favour and privilege.

Rise up, and get you forth - Pharaoh had told Moses he should see his face no more, but now he sent for him; those will seek God in their distress, who before had set him at defiance. Such a fright he was now in that he gave orders by night for their discharge, fearing lest if he delay'd, he himself should fall next. And that he sent them out, not as men hated (as the Pagan historians have represented this matter) but as men feared, is plain by his request to them.

Bless me also - Let me have your prayers, that I may not be plagued for what is past when you are gone.

We be all dead men - When death comes unto our houses, it is seasonable for us to think of our own mortality.

Their kneading - troughs - Or rather, their lumps of paste unleavened.

About six hundred thousand men - The word means strong and able men fit for wars, beside women and children, which we cannot suppose to make less than twelve hundred thousand more. What a vast increase was this to arise from seventy souls, in little more than two hundred years.

And a mixed multitude went up with them - Some perhaps willing to leave their country, because it was laid waste by the plagues. But probably the greatest part was but a rude unthinking mob, that followed they knew not why: It is likely, when they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt again. And flocks and herds, even very much cattle - This is taken notice of, because it was long ere Pharaoh would give them leave to remove their effects, which were chiefly cattle.

Thrust out - By importunate entreaties.

It was just four hundred and thirty years from the promise made to Abraham (as the Apostle explains it, Gal 3:17,) at his first coming into Canaan, during all which time the Hebrews, were sojourners in a land that was not theirs, either Canaan or Egypt. So long the promise God made to Abraham lay dormant and unfulfilled, but now, it revived, and things began to work towards the accomplishment of it. The first day of the march of Abraham's seed towards Canaan was four hundred and thirty years (it should seem, to a day) from the promise made to Abraham, Gen 12:2. I will make of thee a great nation.

This first passover night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover night, in which Christ was betrayed, was a night of the Lord, much more to be observed, when a yoke heavier than that of Egypt was broke from off our necks, and a land better than that of Canaan set before us. That was a temporal deliverance, to be celebrated in their generations; this an eternal redemption to be celebrated world without end.

An hired servant - Unless he submit to be circumcised.

All the congregation of Israel must keep it - Though it was observed in families apart, yet it is looked upon as the act of the whole congregation. And so the new testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any that are capable of celebrating it.

No stranger that was uncircumcised might eat of it. Neither may any now approach the Lord's supper who have not first submitted to baptism; nor shall any partake of the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, who are not first circumcised in heart. Any stranger that was circumcised might eat of the passover, even servants. Here is an indication of favour to the poor Gentiles, that the stranger, if circumcised, stands upon the same level with the home - born Israelite; one law for both. This was a mortification to the Jews, and taught them that it was their dedication to God, not their descent from Abraham, that entitled them to their privileges.

1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying:

Had spoken, before the three days darkness, as may appear by comparing ver. 3. and 6. of this chapter with chap. 11. 4. And the mention of it was put off by him till this place, aswell that he might not interrupt the history of all the plagues, as that he might give the whole institution of the Passeover together.

2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year unto you.

The first moneth after the vernal Equinox, called Abib, Exod. 13. 4. and 23. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Deut. 16. 1. and Nisan▪ Neh. 2. 1. Esth. 3. 7. containing part of our March, and part of April.

Heb. the head: which, I conceive, notes not so much the order, which is more plainly mentioned in the following words, as the eminency of it, that it shall be accounted the chief and principal of all moneths, as the Sabbath hath been called by some, the queen of days. And justly must they prefer this moneth before the rest, whether they looked backward to their prodigious deliverance from Egypt therein, or forward to their spiritual redemption by Christ, and to the acceptable year of the Lord, Luk. 4. 19. for in this very moneth our Lord Jesus suffered, Ioh. 18. 28.

Heretofore your first moneth for all affairs hath been Tisri, which in part answers to our September, and is the first moneth after the Autumnal Equinox; and so it shall be to you still as to civil affairs, as it appears from Exod. 23. 16. and 34. 22. and Levit. 25. 8, 9, 10. but as to Sacred and Ecclesiastical matters this shall henceforth be your first moneth.

3 Speak ye unto all the Congregation of Israel, saying, in the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house.

Partly that they might have the lamb ready for the Sacrifice, and might not be distracted about procuring it when they should be going to use it; partly that by the frequent contemplation of the lamb, as a sign appointed by God, they might have their saith strengthned as to their approaching deliverance, and afterwards might have their minds quickned to the more serious consideration of that great deliverance out of Egypt, and of that more glorious deliverance from Hell by Christ the true Passeover, which should be offered for them; partly to teach the Church in all ages, how necessary a thing preparation is to the solemn duties and exercises of Religion; and partly to signifie, that Christ should be first set apart and separated to the Ministry, which was done 3 or 4 Prophetical days, i. e. years, before his death, and afterwards offered: Most of which reasons being perpetual, it may seem this usage was so too, and not for the first passeover onely.

Into their houses, where the Iews tell us he was tied to the beds post.

Or, Kid, ver. 5. for the same word signifies both, though a lamb was commonly used, and a kid onely in case of the want of a lamb: and the Chaldee and LXX do almost constantly translate the Hebrew word lamb. And Christ is seldom or never typified by a kid, but generally by a lamb, as he is called Ioh. 1. 29. partly for his innocency, meekness, patience, &c. but principally with respect to this [illegible: 1 word] lamb▪ in stead whereof he was in due time to be offered, whence he is called our Passeover, 1 Cor. 5. 7.

A [illegible: 1+ letters]amb was to be disposed of to every house or family, according to its quantity or the numbers of persons in it, as the next verse explains it. The several families are called the houses of their fathers, because they consist of those persons which come from one father or grandfather. The people were divided into Tribes, the Tribes were subdivided into Families, and the Families again into Houses, which were like sprigs taken from the greater branches and planted apart, and each of these had their several fathers, from whom they were denominated, as here they are.

Marginal references: Or, kid.

4 And if the houshold be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house, take it according to the number of the souls: every man according to his eating, shall make your count for the lamb.

(i. e) For the eating of the whole lamb at one meal, according to the rule, ver. 8, 10. If the persons be so few that they cannot eat it up without gluttony.

Or rather thus, word for word, And, or Then he (the master of that Family) shall take also his neighbour next unto his house, he shall take him and his family into society with himself, they shall joyn together.

Or, persons, i. e. as the two families shall consist of more or fewer persons. I suppose, the meaning is, that if his next neighbours family were of it self sufficient for the eating of the whole lamb, that he should pass over that to the next small family, which being joyned with his might make up a fit number, which, as the Hebrew Doctours tell us, was ten, besides women and children.

(i. e) According to the proportion which he can or commonly doth eat. The meaning is this, The whole lamb being to be eaten at once, and a sufficient number being necessary to that end, and there being great variety in mens stomachs and meals, they were to give allowance for that, and to take either more or fewer persons, as their stomachs were better or worse.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats.

Without any deformity or distemper of body. Heb. perfect. Of which see Levit. 22. 22, &c. Deut. 15. 21. and 17. 1. And this the very light of nature taught the heathens to observe in their Sacrifices. This property was required, both to typifie Christ, a lamb without spot or blemish, Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19. and to instruct us, that all our services to God must be as perfect as possibly may be.

Partly because that was better and more perfect than the female, whence a male is opposed to a corrupt thing, Mal. 1. 14. and partly to typifie the man Christ Jesus.

(i. e.) A year old, when it is in its vigour and perfection and the fittest type of Christ. Most explain it thus, that it was not to be more than a year old, but it might be much less, seeing it might be offered to God any time after it was 8 days old, Exod. 22. 30. Levit. 22. 27. But though it was then fit to be offered to God, it was not very fit to be eaten by men. And the Hebrew phrase the son of a year seems to require a years age, as S[illegible: 1+ letters]ul is called the son of one year, 1 Sam. 13. 1. when he had reigned one whole year. And it is remarkable, that he doth not say the son of this or that year, which might agree to one brought forth that year, though it was much younger than a year, but the son of a year, without any restrictive article.

Heb. and from the goats: If you want a lamb, you shall take a kid of or from the goats. But the particle and is here well rendred or as it is used, Gen. 13. 8. Exod. 21. 17. compared with Mat. 15. 4. Psal. 8. 4. [illegible: 1+ letters]pared with Heb. 2. 6.

Marginal references: Heb. Son of [illegible: 1+ letters] year.

6 And ye shall keep it up untill the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the Congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Separate it from the rest of the flock, and keep it in a safe place: the reasons of which see ver. 3.

Or rather, every assembly, to wit, every such society as meet together for the eating of the lamb. And the assembly is said to kill it, because one person did it in their name and by their appointment, in which manner and upon which reason the whole congregation is said to stone a man, Levit. 24. 14, 16. Numb. 15. 35. Deut. 22. 21. It is probable it was killed by the master of the family, who was a Priest in his own Family, &c.

Heb. between the evenings or the two evenings, i. e. between the beginning and end of the evening. The evening is one third part of the day, and one of the appointed and usual times of devotion, as appears from Psal. 55. 17. Dan. 6. 10. and it begun at their ninth, or our third, hour, as may be gathered from Act. 3. 1. For then the Sun began more sensibly to decline, whence that time is fitly called by the Iews the first evening, and that was the time of the evening Sacrifice; the second evening was when the Sun was setting or set. Between these it was to be killed. This had a respect both to the time of the Worlds age when Christ came, which was its evening, or declining time, or end, Heb. 1. 2. and 9. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 20. and the time of the day in which Christ our Passeover was killed, Mat. 27. 46.-50. Mark 15. 25, 33, 34.

Marginal references: Lev. 23. 5. Num. 9. 3. and 28. 16. Deut. 16. 1.; Heb. between the two evenings

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.

This was afterwards restrained to the Priests, but at this time it was allowed to the masters of families, as their present circumstances required.

With a bunch of hyssop, ver. 22.

As a badge of distinction between their houses and the Egyptians, not to direct the destroying Angel where they were, who could as well discern the houses as the blood in the night, but to direct their thoughts to Christ, whose blood was hereby evidently typified, by whose merits and mediation they obtained this preservation and deliverance from Egypt, as well as that great deliverance from Hell.

8 And they shall eat the [illegible: 1+ letters]lesh in that night, rost with fire, and unleavened bread, and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

(i. e.) The night following the fourteenth, and beginning the fifteenth, day. The lamb was killed upon the 14th. day, in the evening or close thereof, but it was eaten upon the 15th. day, to wit in the beginning of it: whence the Passeover is said to be offered sometimes upon the 14th. and sometimes upon the 15th. day, which may serve for▪ the reconciliation of some seemingly contrary Scriptures.

Partly for expedition, ver. 11. and principally to be a type of the lamb of God Christ and of the sharp and dreadful pains which he suffered not onely from men, but from God too, and from the fire of his sore displeasure against sinners, whose place and person Christ sustained in his sufferings.

Partly as a Monument of their speedy departure out of Egypt, which gave them not time to leaven their bread, ver. 34. which is the reason alledged for it, Deut. 16. 3. partly to teach us how men should be qualified that come to the Sacrament, they should be purged from error, and pride, and malice, and hypocrisie, which are called and compared to leaven, Mat. 16. 6, 11. Luk. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. and partly to signifie the singular purity of Christ from all kinds of spiritual leaven▪

Both to remind them of their hard service and bitter usage in Egypt, Exod. 1. 14. from which God delivered them, Deut. 16. 3. and to prefigure the further crosses and troubles which they were to expect between their going out of Egypt and coming to Canaan. Or, with bitternesses, i. e. with great bitterness, or with grief of heart, that together with faith in God and in Christ and hope and joy for their approaching deliverance they might exercise bitter and hearty repentance for their Idolatries and other sinful practises whereof they were guilty in Egypt. And this instructs us as well as them of the absolute necessity of true and bitter repentance in all those that would profitably [illegible: 1+ letters]eed upon Christ our passeover.

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

(i. e.) Not throughly roasted, for such we also say is raw, and so the Hebrew word na is understood by the Iewish and other Doctours. It signified, that Christ should suffer, as well as save, to the uttermost, all that was due for our sins.

Heb. the inwards, which were to be taken and washed, and then to be rosted together with the rest. Some do here except the fat and caul and kidneys, which were reserved by God for himself, 2 Chron. 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. 12, 14. But that exception was not made till after this time, and it seems not certain that that exception extended to the Paschal lamb. These and the head and legs are here mentioned not to exclude other parts but because they are not commonly roasted, but God would have the whole lamb roasted and eaten, to signifie, that we must have either nothing of Christ or the whole Christ, and all his benefits, his spirit to sanctifie and rule us as well as his blood to save us.

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain untill the morning: and that which remaineth of it untill the morning, ye shall burn with fire.

Which either was not usually eaten, or was more than all of you could conveniently eat.

To prevent either 1. the superstitious use of the relicks of that lamb by the Israelites, who thereby had received a greater benefit than they did afterwards by the brasen serpent, which upon that account they worshipped: or 2. the profane abuse of that which had been consecrated to Gods service. Compare Exod. 29▪ 34.

Marginal references: chap. 23. 18. and 34. 25.

11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand: and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORDS Passeover.

To wit, for this time, because their circumstances required it, that they being suddenly to take a great journey, might be in a travellers habit. But that these, and some other circumstances now enjoyned and used, were only temporary, and not perpetual, nor obligatory, sufficiently appears from the practise not onely of the Iews in following ages, but also of Christ and of his Apostles. And in like manner there are some institutions in the New-Testament which did onely oblige that age and not all that follow them, as Act. 15. 28, 29.

Like Travellers, and persons undertaking some difficult service; for such used to gird up their garments, which in those parts were long and troublesome. See 2 King. 4. 29. and 9. 1. Luk. 12. 35.

A badge, 1. of their readiness for their journey, Isa. 5. 27. Act. 12. 8. 2. Of their freedome▪ for slaves, such as the Israelites now were in Egypt, used to go barefooted. 3. Of joy, as on the contrary going barefoot was a badge of mourning, 2 Sam. 15. 30.

Like persons upon the point of departing, which was a very comfortable circumstance.

For so the word signifies, Deut. 16. 3. Isa. 52. 12.

This lamb, or your eating of it, is the Lords Passeover, i. e. it is a sign of Gods passing over you and your houses, when he comes to destroy the Egyptians on every side of you, ver. 13. 23. It is a Metonymy usual in Sacramental speeches, as Gen. 17. 10. Mat. 26. 26, 27, 28.

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

Either 1. by exposing them to shame and contempt, as vain and impotent Gods that could not save their worshippers. But that appeared before. Or 2. by destroying those beasts which they worshipped, and it is not unlikely, but those particular beasts, which were their chief Idols, as Ap[illegible: 1+ letters]s, Mnevis, &c. were first-born and therefore perished in this plague. Or 3. by overthrowing their Idols, as he afterwards did Dagon. And so some Hebrew writers tell us, that this very night all their Idols were broken and thrown down. And there are some foot-steps hereof even in heathen Authors: Of whom some tell us, that most of the Temples of Egypt at one time fell down by an earth-quake▪ and others affirm that the Egyptian Gods for fear of one Typho (by whom it is apparent they meant Moses) did hide themselves for a season, &c.

Marginal references: Num. 33. 4.; Or, Princes.

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

Both to you, as he now said, a sign and a pledge to confirm your faith in the expectation of the promised deliverance; and to the Angel, that he may know and pass over your houses, as the following words intimate. See on ver. 7.

This is spoken of God after the manner of men; the sence is, If I find, that you keep the condition which I require, you may expect the priviledge which I have promised you; otherwise not.

Marginal references: Heb. for a destruction.

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

Or, Monument, both of this deliverance from Egypt, and moreover of your redemption by Christ, of which that is a Type, as even the antient Iews understood it, who also noted that Israel was to be redeemed in the days of the Messias upon the same day on which they were delivered from Egypt, to wit, upon the fifteenth day of the moneth of Nisan. Upon which day our blessed Lord was crucified for the redemption of his people.

You shall observe it for a solemn feast or festival time.

(i. e.) So long as your state and Church continues, or till the coming of the Messias. This word doth not always signifie eternity, but any long time, as Prov. 29. 14. Dan. 3. 9. and oft elsewhere.

15 Seven dayes 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 untill the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Besides and after the day of eating the Passeover, which was a distinct feast and no part of the feast of unleavened bread.

To remind them of their departure out of Egypt, which was so sudden, that they had not leisure to leaven their dough. See more on ver. 8.

Either by excommunication, or by death to be inflicted by the Magistrate, and, in case of his neglect, by God himself. Nor let any one think that this was too severe a punishment for what may seem no great offence. For this was indeed a very great crime, being a manifest contempt of God and a rebellion against Gods authority and express command, which surely deserves as severe a punishment as is inflicted upon Rebels against their Prince, especially considering that the Israelites were the people and subjects of God in a peculiar manner. It was also a tacit renunciation of their Religion, and of the covenant of God with them, and of their interest both in that past deliverance out of Egypt, and in the future deliverance by the Messias. See more on Gen. 17. 14.

Marginal references: chap. 13. [illegible: 1+ letters]. and 23. 15. and 34. 18.; Gen. 17▪ 14▪

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 which every man must eat , that onely may be done of you.

A solemn day for the people to assemble together and to attend upon the publick Worship and service of God in hearing his Word, Prayers, Praises, and Sacrifices.

Because then Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the Sea; as on the first day the first-born were killed. So their deliverance was begun on the first and compleated on the seventh day, and therefore those days deserved a special character of honour. And indeed that there were seven days between those two miracles the Jews unanimously affirm and it seems probable from the account of their journies.

(i. e.) Of servile work, Lev. 23. 7.

Herein, as many think, these days were inferiour to the Sabbath, in which that was forbidden. But of this see my notes on Exod. 16. 23. and 35. 3.

Marginal references: Heb. soul.

17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread: for in this self-same 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.

So called not from their Military force or courage, but from their numbers and the order and manner in which they came forth. See chap. 13. 18.

18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at even ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

Inclusively. For otherwise they were obliged to eat unleavened bread eight dayes, viz. on the day of the Passe-over, ver. 8. and seven dayes after, which is strictly and properly called the Feast of unleavened Bread, because in them they were tyed to that ceremony onely, except the two days of an Holy Convocation.

Marginal references: Levit. 23. 5. Numb. 28. 16.

19 Seven dayes 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 .

To wit, a Profelite: for strangers unconverted to the Jewish Religion were not obliged nor admitted to the celebration of the Passe-over or Feast of unleavened Bread. Though I see no inconvenience, if all Strangers though Heathens, were forbidden to have or use any unleavened Bread at that time, lest the Jews who conversed with them might be tempted to desire or partake of it with them.

To wit of Canaan which I have promised to you and to which I am now leading you, which was so well known to all of them that it was needless to express it in this place.

22 And ye shall take a bunch of 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 .

So the Hebrew word is rightly rendred, as appears▪ from Heb. 9. 19.

(i. e.) Of the house wherein he did eat the Passe-over, which oft-times was his Neighbours house: See ver. 4.

Till the beginning of the morning after midnight and after the slaughter of the Egyptians first-born: which may reconcile those Scriptures, that seem to contradict one another, while some affirm they went out of Egypt by night, and others by day, for they went out in the morning very early when it was yet dark, as it is expressed in a like case, Iohn 20. 1.

Marginal references: Heb. 11. 28.

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.

Heb. not give him license or commission.

(i. e.) The destroying Angel, which whether it were a good or bad Angel is not agreed, nor is it necessary to determine.

Marginal references: Ezek. 9. 6. Rev. 7. 3. and 9. 4.

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

viz. The substance of the thing, the Passeover and Feast of unleavened Bread, though not all the Rites and Ceremonies, whereof divers were peculiar to the first time.

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 my service.

Viz, of Canaan, as ver. 19. For in the Wilderness they kept this Feast but once, and that by Gods particular direction, Numb. 9. 2.

26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, what mean you by this service ?

Or, part of Divine Worship. God expects this even from the Jewish Children, and much more from Christian men, that they should enquire and understand what is said or done in the publick Worship or service of God, and therefore not to rest in dumb signs whereof they neither enquire nor know the meaning, or in the service of God in a language which they understand not.

Marginal references: Jos. 4. 6.

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORDS Passe-over , who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians. And the people bowed the head , and worshipped.

The Passeover was both a Sacrifice, as it was offered to God, as it appears from Exod. 23. 18. and 34. 25. Numb. 9. 7, 13. Deut. 16. 2, 5. and because there was in it the shedding and sprinkling of blood, wherein the essence of a Sacrifice consists, 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35. 11, 13. and also a Sacrament, as it was received and eaten by men.

In token of their thankful acknowledgement of Gods favours, and of their chearful submission to Gods command and ordinance. See 2 Chron. 29. 30.

Marginal references: chap. 4. 31.

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they .

They killed and did eat the Paschal Lamb in such manner as God prescribed.

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sate on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of cattle.

A great aggravation of the Plague: For then darkness it self strikes men with horrour and makes any calamity more terrible, then they were asleep and secure and least expected such a stroke.

Both of man and beast, whether Male or Female. Some extend it to all that were first-born, and so many persons might be killed in one house, as both Father and Mother, and several Sons, which might be the first-born by several Mothers, and Sons sons or Daughters, &c. Others confine it to the first-born Child in the Family. I conceive the heads of the Family are not included, for these though they might be the first-born Children of their Parents Families, yet were not nor ever are called or accounted the first-born of their own Families, but the heads and roots of them: But for all the rest I conceive they are all included, because all such were really first-born and did first open their mothers Womb, and all such were to be set apart unto the Lord, instead of these first-born of the Egyptians now slain, chap. 13. 12, 15. and therefore are in both places to be understood in the same latitude.

Marginal references: chap. 11. 4.; Numb. 8. 17. and 33. 4. Psal. 78. 51. and 105. 36. and 135. 8. & 136. 10.; Wisd. 18. 11. chap. 4. 23.; Heb. house of the pit.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt: for there was not an house where there was not one dead.

To wit, of those houses which had any first-born in them, for in divers families there might be no first-born. And such restrictions of the universal particles are frequently understood.

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

(i. e.) He sent this message to them, for they came no more to him, chap. 10. 29.

Marginal references: chap. 10. 5.

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

Pray to God for me, that I may not perish by this or any other plague.

Marginal references: chap. 10. 26.

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.

Not by force, which they durst not now use, but by earnest and importunate intreaties, Exod. 11. 8. This was the ground of that fable of the heathens mentioned in Tacitus, that the Iews were driven out of Egypt for their Scabs: so they falsly and maliciously ascribed their own ulcers and scabs sent upon them by God to the Israelites.

34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

Or, as others rightly render it, their dough-lumps, or food, or lumps of paste unleavened.

Marginal references: Or, dough.

35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses: and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment.

Either before this time as they had opportunity, when their hearts were mollified by the foregoing plagues: or even at this time, when the Israelites might well take confidence to borrow, and the Egyptians would be willing to lend them, partly that they might gain their affections and prayers, and partly that they might more readily depart from them.

Wherewith they used to adorn themselves in the worship of their Idols, and therefore supposed the Israelites might use them in the worship of their God. Or, vessels; of which see on chap. 11. 2.

Marginal references: chap. 3. 22.

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 .

(i. e.) Inclined their hearts to do it willingly, and not onely out of fear.

Heb. and they lent them, to wit, the jewels or vessels mentioned ver. 35.

To wit, of their ornaments, Quest. Was not this unjustly done of the Israelites to borrow these jewels which they never paid again? Ans. No, 1. because they did nothing in this matter but by Gods appointment, chap. 11. 1, 2. so that if there be any injustice▪ it must be in God, in whom there neither can be in any thing, nor is in this thing, the least blot or shadow of iniustice, as well because he hath an unquestionable right in and power to dispose of all persons and things, as being the maker and giver and lord of all; as because there was great and evident reason both why the Israelites should be recompenced for all their hard labours and sufferings, and why the Egyptians should be spoiled, for their Idolatry, luxury, and cruelty to the Israelites, and the great benefits which they had received from Ioseph and from the service of the Israelites. 2. because the supreme Lord of all forbad them to restore what they borrowed, and gave them the entire right and sole propriety therein. 3. because though there was a form and appearance of borrowing and lending, yet indeed the Israelites did not so much borrow as desire, as the Hebrew word rendred borrow, ver. 35. signifies, and the Egyptians did not reckon these things as lent, and to be restored, but as given and never to be expected again; even as Pharaoh and his people rightly judged, that if the Israelites were once permitted to go out of the land with their whole families and estates, they would never return again, chap. 14. 5. And in truth the Egyptians did and might esteem it a good bargain to give these things to redeem their lives, and to ingage the Israelites to a speedy departure, knowing that otherwise both their persons and all their estates were in extreme hazard. 4. because, if these jewels were properly borrowed, yet the Egyptians by their causeless and hostile pursuit after the Israelites with intent to destroy them did fully discharge them from all obligations to restitution, and give them a right not onely to keep these goods, but to take any other which they could from the Egyptians, according to the known and approved laws of War.

Marginal references: Gen. 15. 14. chap. 3. 22. Psal. 105. 37.

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

A place so called either because there the Israelites first lodged in booths or rents▪ whereas before they dwelt in houses: or because there God first spread his cloud of sire over them, for a covering, Psal. 105. 39.

To wit, grown and strong men and fit for War, among whom there was none seeble or sick, Psal. 105. 37. Thus the Heathen writer Ch[illegible: 1+ letters]remon, mentioned by Iosephus, speaking of this matter, reckons up first 250 thousand, and then 380 thousand more.

The Hebrew word properly signifies strong and able men, fit to go on foot in battel aray: so decrepit or weak old men are not comprehended in this number.

And women, whose presence and assistance is necessary to them. See Exod. 10. 24. Some say the Hebrew word taph signifies their housholds or families, which consist principally of women and children.

Marginal references: Num. 33. 3.; Gen. 49. 11.; chap. 38. 26. Numb. 1. 46. and 11. 21.

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

Consisting of Egyptians or other people, who went with them either because they were their servants, or that by this means they might free themselves from the servitude which they endured under hard masters in Egypt; or because the glorious works which they had seen had raised their esteem of God and of his people, and made them expect a share in the great felicities which they presumed would be conferred upon a people so highly honoured and beloved of such an almighty and alsufficient God. And because their hearts were not sincere nor their ends right they soon repented of their choice, Numb. 11. 4. Compare Zech. 8. 23.

Marginal references: Heb. a great mixture. Num. 11. 4.

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 victuals.

Both because leaven was forbidden to them at that time, and because the great haste required gave them not time for leavening it.

Not by force, but by importunate requests, as was observed on ver. 33. Thus men are said to be driven to worship the sun, moon, &c. when they are perswaded to it, Deut. 4. 19.

Marginal references: chap. 6. 1. and 11. 1.

40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years

It is plain that those years are to be computed from the first promise made to Abraham, Gen. 12. 1, 2. to the giving of the law, from Gal. 3. 17. where this is affirmed. And although it doth not plainly appear when that promise was made, because the Scripture mentions not Abrahams age, neither when it was made, nor when Abram came to Haran with his father: Gen. 11. 31. but onely when he went out of Haran being 75 years old, Gen. 12. 4. yet a good while after it was made, and, as it may seem more than probable, 30 years afterward, it is manifest there were onely 400 years of this time to come, Gen. 15. 13. And many more years passed ere there was such a man as Israel or Iacob, and more ere there were any children of Israel, or of Iacob, and yet more ere they came into Egypt. How then can this be true which is here said? Ans. 1. Some affirm that they were in Egypt 430 years, which is sooner said than proved. 2. Some antient Hebrew copies are said to have had more words than ours now have; for the LXX, and Samaritan Interpreters ▪after the words in Egypt, read, and, in the land of Canaan. And some other copies after the word, who, adde, together with their fathers, or, and their fathers. And so the difficulty vanisheth. And if it should be granted, that there were some few such errours in our present copies in matters purely historical or chronological, which God might permit to be there for many wise and holy reasons, yet this is no preiudice to our faith, or to Gods providence, which hath been pleased to have so special a care of those Texts which concern the essentials of Faith and a good life, that all copies are agreed in them. 3. These 430. years are not by the Text confined to Egypt, but may be extended to any place, where they were sojourners, and the Hebrew word, asher, is not to be rendred, which, as relating to the time of their sojourning, but who, as belonging to the persons sojourning, as our translation well renders it, and the sence is, that they were sojourners, or, which is all one, strangers or dwellers in a land that was not theirs, as it is said Gen. 15. 13. for 430 years. And the emphasis lies in the Hebrew word moshab, which is here fitly rendred sojourning, as toshab, coming from the same root, is commonly used for a sojourner, or one that lives in a place or land which is not his, as Levit. 22. 10. and 25. 35, 40. Numb. 35. 15. Psal. 30. 12. There is now but one difficulty remains, how the children of Israel can be said to be sojourners so long, seeing much of this time passed before they were born? Ans. As Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham, Heb. 7. 9. because he was in the [illegible: 1+ letters]ns of Abraham when Abraham paid tithes, with much more reason might the children of Israel be said to solourn so long, because they sojourned a great part of it in their own persons, and the rest in the loyns of their parents. And as oft times when the parents onely are mentioned, the children are included or intended, as Gen. 12. 3. in [illegible: 1 word], i. e. in thy seed: and Gen. 13. 17. I will give it (the land) unto t[illegible: 1+ letters], i. e. to thy seed: and Iacob is said to be [illegible: 1+ letters]rought to again out of Egypt, Gen. 46. [illegible: 1 word]. to wit [illegible: 1+ letters] hi[illegible: 1+ letters] posterity▪ and David is oft put for his posterity, as 1 King. 12. 16. Ezek. 34. 23. and 37. 24, 25. why may not parents also be understood sometimes, when the children onely are mentioned? But we need not make suppositions, seeing we have examples, the persecution in Egy[illegible: 1+ letters]t and deliverance out of it, which happened to the parents onely, being attributed to their posterity, who neither felt the one, nor saw the other, Deut. 26. 5. &c. Compare Psal. 66. 6. Iudg. 10. 11, 12. And the souls of the house of Iacob (i. e. of the children of Israel, for by house it is evident he means onely children) which came with Iacob into Egypt are said to be threescore and ten souls, Gen. 46. 26, 27. In which number and title Iacob himself is confessedly included. And therefore upon the very same ground, under this title of the children of Israel we must understand Israel himself, who being the chief author and subiect of this sojourning in Egypt, it were unreasonable to exclude him from the number of these sojourners. And this phrase being once extended to their immediate parent, may by a parity of reason be extended to their great grandfather Abraham as being the first Author of that famous peregrination or sojourning which being begun in Canaan ended in Egypt. Add to this, that the word Israel, as it is put for the people or children of Israel, is elsewhere used for the whole Church of God, as Rom. 9. 6. and therefore may well include Abraham as the father, and▪ under God, the founder of it. And the title of the children of Israel might well be given to all that people and to the family from which they descended, because they were now known by that name. And that this indeed was Moses his meaning, which is here produced▪ may be further gathered from hence, that otherwise Moses had contradicted himself: for by the years of the lives of Iacob and Levi and Kohath and Abram and Moses himself, which he precisely sets down, it appears that the sojourning of the children of Israel strictly so called in Egypt was not above 215 years. And it is absurd to think that so wise and learned a man as all acknowledge Moses to have been should commit so gross an errour, especially seeing that generation could easily have confuted him.

Marginal references: Gen. 15. 13. Act. 7. 6. Gal. 3. 17.

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

If this be the right translation, the 430 years mentioned Gal. 3. 17. are to be taken in a latitude, for about or near so many years, as is very frequent in Scripture and other Authours, else there wants one year of it, because the law was not given till about a year after their coming out of Egypt. Nor was it of any concernment to the Apostles argument there whether it wanted a year of that number or no, as here it is. But the words may be rendred here, as Gen. 7. 12. in the body or strength of the day, i. e. when the day-light was full and clear and strong, when it was broad day-light, the Egyptians seeing, and not being able to hinder them. If it be said, they went out by night, Deut. 16. 1. that is true, in regard of their resolution and preparation and the beginning of their journey, but their actual marching forth was by day-light or in the morning, nor could it be done sooner from the nature of the thing and the time necessarily required for so great a work.

This circumstance is noted to set forth the accurateness and infallibility of Gods foreknowledge and the efficacy of his providence in accomplishing all his own counsels in his own appointed time.

43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the Ordinance of the Passeover : there shall no stranger cat thereof.

This which here followeth is the law or appointment of God concerning the celebration of the Passeover.

Or, forreigner, who is so both by Nation and Religion: for, if he were circumcised, he might eat of it▪ ver. 44, 48.

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

For the master had a power to circumcise such persons, Gen. 17. 12. And though it is probable, that by their interest in them and a diligent instruction of them, they made them willing to receive circumcision, yet it seems they had a power to compel them to it, but then Circumcision was not to them a seal of Gods covenant, nor of their Religion, for that must be matter of choice, but onely a civil badge, or a note of that family or people into which they were politically incorporated.

45 A forreiner▪ and an hired servant shall not eat thereof .

Except he submit to circumcision, as ver. 43. See Numb. 9. 14.

46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house , neither shall ye break a bone thereof .

Partly because they were all obliged not to go out of the house till the morning, ver. 22. and to leave none of it till that time, ver. 10. partly, lest it should be either superstitiously or profanely abused; and partly to signifie, that Christ and Salvation are not to be had out of Gods house or Church.

To take out and eat the marrow of it. This was required partly to mind them of their hasty departure out of Egypt, wherein they had no leasure to break and empty the bones, and principally, that it might be an evident type of the Lord Jesus, in whom this was literally fulfilled, Iob. 19. 36. The bones were burnt with the other remainders of the Lamb.

Marginal references: Numb. 9. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

CONSECRATION OF ISRAEL AS THE COVENANT NATION. DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT. CHAP. XII.— XIII. 16.

Institution of the Passover.

- The deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt was at hand; also their adoption as the nation of Jehovah (Exo 6:6-7). But for this a divine consecration was necessary, that their outward severance from the land of Egypt might be accompanied by an inward severance from everything of an Egyptian or heathen nature. This consecration was to be imparted by the Passover-a festival which was to lay the foundation for Israel’s birth (Hos 2:5) into the new life of grace and fellowship with God, and to renew it perpetually in time to come. This festival was therefore instituted and commemorated before the Exodus from Egypt. Vv. 1-28 contain the directions for the Passover: viz., Exo 12:1-14 for the keeping of the feast of the Passover before the departure from Egypt, and Exo 12:15-20 for the seven days’ feast of unleavened bread. In Exo 12:21-27 Moses communicates to the elders of the nation the leading instructions as to the former feast, and the carrying out of those instructions is mentioned in Exo 12:28.

Exo 12:1-2

By the words, “in the land of Egypt,” the law of the Passover which follows is brought into connection with the giving of the law at Sinai and in the fields of Moab, and is distinguished in relation to the former as the first or foundation law for the congregation of Jehovah. The creation of Israel as the people of Jehovah (Isa 43:15) commenced with the institution of the Passover. As a proof of this, it was preceded by the appointment of a new era, fixing the commencement of the congregation of Jehovah. “This month” (i.e., the present in which ye stand) “be to you the head (i.e., the beginning) of the months, the first let it be to you for the months of the year;” i.e., let the numbering of the months, and therefore the year also, begin with it. Consequently the Israelites had hitherto had a different beginning to their year, probably only a civil year, commencing with the sowing, and ending with the termination of the harvest (cf. Exo 23:16); whereas the Egyptians most likely commenced their year with the overflowing of the Nile at the summer solstice (cf. Lepsius, Chron. 1, pp. 148ff.). The month which was henceforth to be the first of the year, and is frequently so designated (Exo 40:2, Exo 40:17; Lev 23:5, etc.), is called Abib (the ear-month) in Exo 13:4; Exo 23:15; Exo 34:18; Deu 16:1, because the corn was then in ear; after the captivity it was called Nisan (Neh 2:1; Est 3:7). It corresponds very nearly to our April.

Exo 12:3-14

Arrangements for the Passover. - “All the congregation of Israel” was the nation represented by its elders (cf. Exo 12:21, and my bibl. Arch. ii. p. 221). “On the tenth of this (i.e., the first) month, let every one take to himself שׂה (a lamb, lit., a young one, either sheep or goats; Exo 12:5, and Deu 14:4), according to fathers’ houses” (vid., Exo 6:14), i.e., according to the natural distribution of the people into families, so that only the members of one family or family circle should unite, and not an indiscriminate company. In Exo 12:21 mishpachoth is used instead. “A lamb for the house,” בּית, i.e., the family forming a household.

Exo 12:15-20

Judging from the words “I brought out” in Exo 12:17, Moses did not receive instructions respecting the seven days’ feast of Mazzoth till after the Exodus from Egypt; but on account of its internal and substantial connection with the Passover, it is placed here in immediate association with the institution of the paschal meal. “Seven days shall he eat unleavened bread, only (אך) on the first day (i.e., not later than the first day) he shall cause to cease (i.e., put away) leaven out of your houses.” The first day was the 15th of the month (cf. Lev 23:6; Num 28:17). On the other hand, when בּראשׁון is thus defined in Exo 12:18, “on the 14th day of the month at even,” this may be accounted for from the close connection between the feast of Mazzoth and the feast of Passover, inasmuch as unleavened bread was to be eaten with the paschal lamb, so that the leaven had to be cleared away before this meal. The significance of this feast was in the eating of the mazzoth, i.e., of pure unleavened bread (see Exo 12:8). As bread, which is the principal means of preserving life, might easily be regarded as the symbol of life itself, so far as the latter is set forth in the means employed for its own maintenance and invigoration, so the mazzoth, or unleavened loaves, were symbolical of the new life, as cleansed from the leaven of a sinful nature. But if the eating of mazzoth was to shadow forth the new life into which Israel was transferred, any one who ate leavened bread at the feast would renounce this new life, and was therefore to be cut off from Israel, i.e., “from the congregation of Israel” (Exo 12:19).

Exo 12:21-28

Of the directions given by Moses to the elders of the nation, the leading points only are mentioned here, viz., the slaying of the lamb and the application of the blood (Exo 12:21, Exo 12:22). The reason for this is then explained in Exo 12:23, and the rule laid down in Exo 12:24-27 for its observance in the future. Exo 12:21-22

“Withdraw and take:” משׁך is intransitive here, to draw away, withdraw, as in Jdg 4:6; Jdg 5:14; Jdg 20:37. אזוב אגדּת: a bunch or bundle of hyssop: according to Maimonides, “quantum quis comprehendit manu sua.” אזוב (ὕσσωπος) was probably not the plant which we call hyssop, the hyssopus officinalis, for it is uncertain whether this is to be found in Syria and Arabia, but a species of origanum resembling hyssop, the Arabian zâter, either wild marjoram or a kind of thyme, Thymus serpyllum, mentioned in Forsk. flora Aeg. p. 107, which is very common in Syria and Arabia, and is called zâter, or zatureya, the pepper or bean plant. “That is in the bason;” viz the bason in which the blood had been caught when the animal was killed. והגּעתּם, “and let it reach to, i.e., strike, the lintel:” in ordinary purifications the blood was sprinkled with the bunch of hyssop (Lev 14:51; Num 19:18). The reason for the command not to go out of the door of the house was, that in this night of judgment there would be no safety anywhere except behind the blood-stained door.

Exo 12:30-32

The very same night Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and gave them permission to depart with their people, their children, and their cattle. The statement that Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron is not at variance with Exo 10:28-29; and there is no necessity to resort to Calvin's explanation, “Pharaoh himself is said to have sent for those whom he urged to depart through the medium of messengers from the palace.” The command never to appear in his sight again did not preclude his sending for them under totally different circumstances. The permission to depart was given unconditionally, i.e., without involving an obligation to return. This is evident from the words, “Get you forth from among my people,” compared with Exo 10:8, Exo 10:24, “Go ye, serve Jehovah,” and Exo 8:25, “Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.” If in addition to this we bear in mind, that although at first, and even after the fourth plague (Exo 8:27), Moses only asked for a three days’ journey to hold a festival, yet Pharaoh suspected that they would depart altogether, and even gave utterance to this suspicion, without being contradicted by Moses (Exo 8:28, and Exo 10:10); the words “Get you forth from among my people” cannot mean anything else than “depart altogether.” Moreover, in Exo 11:1 it was foretold to Moses that the result of the last blow would be, that Pharaoh would let them go, or rather drive them away; so that the effect of this blow, as here described, cannot be understood in any other way. And this is really implied in Pharaoh’s last words, “Go, and bless me also;” whereas on former occasions he had only asked them to intercede for the removal of the plagues (Exo 8:8, Exo 8:28; Exo 9:28; Exo 10:17). בּרך, to bless, indicates a final leave-taking, and was equivalent to a request that on their departure they would secure or leave behind the blessing of their God, in order that henceforth no such plague might ever befall him and his people. This view of the words of the king is not at variance either with the expression “as ye have said” in Exo 12:31, which refers to the words “serve the Lord,” or with the same words in Exo 12:32, for there they refer to the flock and herds, or lastly, with the circumstance that Pharaoh pursued the Israelites after they had gone, with the evident intention of bringing them back by force (Exo 14:5.), because this resolution is expressly described as a change of mind consequent upon renewed hardening (Exo 14:4-5).

Exo 12:33

“And Egypt urged the people strongly (על חזק to press hard, κατεβιάζοντο, lxx) to make haste, to send them out of the land;” i.e., the Egyptians urged the Israelites to accelerate their departure, “for they said (sc., to themselves), “We are all dead,” i.e., exposed to death. So great was their alarm at the death of the first-born.

Exo 12:34-36

This urgency of the Egyptians compelled the Israelites to take the dough, which they were probably about to bake for their journey, before it was leavened, and also their kneading-troughs bound up in their clothes (cloths) upon their shoulders. שׂמלה, ἱμάτιον, was a large square piece of stuff or cloth, worn above the under-clothes, and could be easily used for tying up different things together. The Israelites had intended to leaven the dough, therefore, as the command to eat unleavened bread for seven days had not been given to them yet. But under the pressure of necessity they were obliged to content themselves with unleavened bread, or, as it is called in Deu 16:3, “the bread of affliction,” during the first days of their journey. But as the troubles connected with their departure from Egypt were merely the introduction to the new life of liberty and grace, so according to the counsel of God the bread of affliction was to become a holy food to Israel; the days of their Exodus being exalted by the Lord into a seven days’ feast, in which the people of Jehovah were to commemorate to all ages their deliverance from the oppression of Egypt. The long-continued eating of unleavened bread, on account of the pressure of circumstances, formed the historical preparation for the seven days’ feast of Mazzoth, which was instituted afterwards. Hence this circumstance is mentioned both here and in Exo 12:39. On Exo 12:35, Exo 12:36, see Exo 3:21-22.Departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt. - The starting-point was Raëmses, from which they proceeded to Succoth (Exo 12:37), thence to Etham at the end of the desert (Exo 13:20), and from that by a curve to Hachiroth, opposite to the Red Sea, from which point they passed through the sea (Exo 14:2, Exo 14:21.). Now, if we take these words simply as they stand, Israel touched the border of the desert of Arabia by the second day, and on the third day reached the plain of Suez and the Red Sea. But they could not possibly have gone so far, if Raëmses stood upon the site of the modern Belbeis. For though the distance from Belbeis to Suez by the direct road past “Rejûm el Khail is only a little more than 15 geographical miles, and a caravan with camels could make the journey in two days, this would be quite impossible for a whole nation travelling with wives, children, cattle, and baggage. Such a procession could never have reached Etham, on the border of the desert, on their second day’s march, and then on the third day, by a circuitous course “of about a day’s march in extent,” have arrived at the plain of Suez between Ajiruud and the sea. This is admitted by Kurtz, who therefore follows v. Raumer in making a distinction between a stage and a day’s journey, on the ground that מסּע signifies the station or place of encampment, and not a day’s journey. But the word neither means station nor place of encampment. It is derived from נסע to tear out (sc., the pegs of the tent), hence to take down the tent; and denotes removal from the place of encampment, and the subsequent march (cf. Num 33:1). Such a march might indeed embrace more than a day’s journey; but whenever the Israelites travelled more than a day before pitching their tents, it is expressly mentioned (cf. Num 10:33, and Num 33:8, with Exo 15:22). These passages show very clearly that the stages from Raëmses to Succoth, thence to Etham, and then again to Hachiroth, were a day’s march each. The only question is, whether they only rested for one night at each of these places. The circumstances under which the Israelites took their departure favour the supposition, that they would get out of the Egyptian territory as quickly as possible, and rest no longer than was absolutely necessary; but the gathering of the whole nation, which was not collected together in one spot, as in a camp, at the time of their departure, and still more the confusion, and interruptions of various kinds, that would inevitably attend the migration of a whole nation, render it probable that they rested longer than one night at each of the places named. This would explain most simply, how Pharaoh was able to overtake them with his army at Hachiroth. But whatever our views on this point may be, so much is certain, that Israel could not have reached the plain of Suez in a three days’ march from Belbeis with the circuitous route by Etham, and therefore that their starting-point cannot have been Belbeis, but must have been in the neighbourhood of Heröopolis; and there are other things that favour this conclusion. There is, first, the circumstance that Pharaoh sent for Moses the very same night after the slaying of the first-born, and told him to depart. Now the Pentateuch does not mention Pharaoh’s place of abode, but according to Psa 78:12 it was Zoan, i.e., Tanis, on the eastern bank of the Tanitic arm of the Nile. Abu Keishib (or Heroopolis) is only half as far from Tanis as Belbeis, and the possibility of Moses appearing before the king and returning to his own people between midnight and the morning is perfectly conceivable, on the supposition that Moses was not in Heroopolis itself, but was staying in a more northerly place, with the expectation that Pharaoh would send a message to him, or send for him, after the final blow. Again, Abu Keishib was on the way to Gaza; so that the Israelites might take the road towards the country of the Philistines, and then, as this was not the road they were to take, turn round at God’s command by the road to the desert (Exo 13:17-18). Lastly, Etham could be reached in two days from the starting-point named.The different views as to the march of the Israelites from Raemses to their passage through the sea, are to be found in the Studien und Kritiken, 1850, pp. 328ff., and in Kurtz, ii. pp. 361ff.

On the situation of Succoth and Etham, see Exo 13:20.

The Israelites departed, “about 600,000 on foot that were men.” רגלי (as in Num 11:21, the infantry of an army) is added, because they went out as an army (Exo 12:41), and none are numbered but those who could bear arms, from 20 years old and upwards; and הגּברים because of מטּף לבד, “beside the little ones,” which follows. טף is used here in its broader sense, as in Gen 47:12; Num 32:16, Num 32:24, and applies to the entire family, including the wife and children, who did not travel on foot, but on beasts of burden and in carriages (Gen 31:17). The number given is an approximative one. The numbering at Sinai gave 603,550 males of 20 years old and upwards (Num 1:46), and 22,000 male Levites of a month old and upwards (Num 3:39). Now if we add the wives and children, the total number of the people may have been about two million souls. The multiplication of the seventy souls, who went down with Jacob to Egypt, into this vast multitude, is not so disproportionate to the 430 years of their sojourn there, as to render it at all necessary to assume that the numbers given included not only the descendants of the seventy souls who went down with Jacob, but also those of “several thousand man-servants and maid-servants” who accompanied them. For, apart from the fact, that we are not warranted in concluding, that because Abraham had 318 fighting servants, the twelve sons of Jacob had several thousand, and took them with them into Egypt; even if the servants had been received into the religious fellowship of Israel by circumcision, they cannot have reckoned among the 600,000 who went out, for the simple reason that they are not included in the seventy souls who went down to Egypt; and in Exo 1:5 the number of those who came out is placed in unmistakeable connection with the number of those who went in. If we deduct from the 70 souls the patriarch Jacob, his 12 sons, Dinah, Asher’s daughter Zerah, the three sons of Levi, the four grandsons of Judah and Benjamin, and those grandsons of Jacob who probably died without leaving any male posterity, since their descendants are not mentioned among the families of Israel, there remain 41 grandsons of Jacob who founded families, in addition to the Levites. Now, if we follow 1Ch 7:20., where ten or eleven generations are mentioned between Ephraim and Joshua, and reckon 40 years as a generation, the tenth generation of the 41 grandsons of Jacob would be born about the year 400 of the sojourn in Egypt, and therefore be over 20 years of age at the time of the Exodus. Let us assume, that on an average there were three sons and three daughters to every married couple in the first six of these generations, two sons and two daughters in the last four, and we shall find, that in the tenth generation there would be 478,224 sons about the 400th year of the sojourn in Egypt, who would therefore be above 20 years of age at the time of the Exodus, whilst 125,326 men of the ninth generation would be still living, so that there would be 478,224 + 125,326, or 603,550 men coming out of Egypt, who were more than 20 years old. But though our calculation is based upon no more than the ordinary number of births, a special blessing from God is to be discerned not only in this fruitfulness, which we suppose to have been uninterrupted, but still more in the fact, that the presumed number of children continued alive, and begot the same number of children themselves; and the divine grace was peculiarly manifest in the fact, that neither pestilence nor other evils, nor even the measures adopted by the Pharaohs for the suppression of Israel, could diminish their numbers or restrain their increase. If the question be asked, how the land of Goshen could sustain so large a number, especially as the Israelites were not the only inhabitants, but lived along with Egyptians there, it is a sufficient reply, that according to both ancient and modern testimony (cf. Robinson, Pal. i. p. 78), this is the most fertile province in all Egypt, and that we are not so well acquainted with the extent of the territory inhabited by the Israelites, as to be able to estimate the amount of its produce.

Exo 12:38-39

In typical fulfilment of the promise in Gen 12:3, and no doubt induced by the signs and wonders of the Lord in Egypt to seek their good among the Israelites, a great crowd of mixed people (רב ערב) attached themselves to them, whom Israel could not shake off, although they afterwards became a snare to them (Num 11:4). ערב: lit., a mixture, ἐπίμικτος sc., λαός (lxx), a swarm of foreigners; called אספסף in Num 11:4, a medley, or crowd of people of different nations. According to Deu 29:10, they seem to have occupied a very low position among the Israelites, and to have furnished the nation of God with hewers of wood and drawers of water. - On Exo 12:29, see Exo 12:34.

Exo 12:40-41

The sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt had lasted 430 years. This number is not critically doubtful, nor are the 430 years to be reduced to 215 by an arbitrary interpolation, such as we find in the lxx, ἡ δὲ κατοίκησις τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ ἥν κατῷκησαν (Cod. Alex. αὐτοὶ καὶ οί πατέρες αὐτῶν) ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἐν γῇ Χαναάν, κ.τ.λ. This chronological statement, the genuineness of which is placed beyond all doubt by Onkelos, the Syriac, Vulgate, and other versions, is not only in harmony with the prediction in Gen 15:13, where the round number 400 is employed in prophetic style, but may be reconciled with the different genealogical lists, if we only bear in mind that the genealogies do not always contain a complete enumeration of all the separate links, but very frequently intermediate links of little historical importance are omitted, as we have already seen in the genealogy of Moses and Aaron (Exo 6:18-20). For example, the fact that there were more than the four generations mentioned in Exo 6:16. between Levi and Moses, is placed beyond all doubt, not only by what has been adduced at Exo 6:18-20, but by a comparison with other genealogies also. Thus, in Num 26:29., Exo 27:1; Jos 17:3, we find six generations from Joseph to Zelophehad; in Rth 4:18., 1Ch 2:5-6, there are also six from Judah to Nahshon, the tribe prince in the time of Moses; in 1Ch 2:18 there are seven from Judah to Bezaleel, the builder of the tabernacle; and in 1Ch 7:20., nine or ten are given from Joseph to Joshua. This last genealogy shows most clearly the impossibility of the view founded upon the Alexandrian version, that the sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt lasted only 215 years; for ten generations, reckoned at 40 years each, harmonize very well with 430 years, but certainly not with 215.The Alexandrian translators have arbitrarily altered the text to suit the genealogy of Moses in Exo 6:16., just as in the genealogies of the patriarchs in Gen 5 and 11. The view held by the Seventy became traditional in the synagogue, and the Apostle Paul followed it in Gal 3:17, where he reckoned the interval between the promise to Abraham and the giving of the law as 430 years, the question of chronological exactness having no bearing upon his subject at the time.

The statement in Exo 12:41, “the self-same day,” is not to be understood as relating to the first day after the lapse of the 430 years, as though the writer supposed that it was on the 14th Abib that Jacob entered Egypt 430 years before, but points back to the day of the Exodus, mentioned in Exo 12:14, as compared with Exo 12:11., i.e., the 15th Abib (cf. Exo 12:51 and Exo 13:4). On “the hosts of Jehovah,” see Exo 7:4.

Exo 12:42

This day therefore was שׁמּרים ליל, “a preservation-night of the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.” The apax legomenon שׁמּרים does not mean “celebration, from שׁמר to observe, to honour” (Knobel), but “preservation,” from שׁמר to keep, to preserve; and ליהוה is the same as in Exo 12:27. “This same night is (consecrated) to the Lord as a preservation for all children of Israel in their families.” Because Jehovah had preserved the children of Israel that night from the destroyer, it was to be holy to them, i.e., to be kept by them in all future ages to the glory of the Lord, as a preservation.

Exo 12:43-48

Regulations Concerning the Participants in the Passover. - These regulations, which were supplementary to the law of the Passover in Exo 12:3-11, were not communicated before the Exodus; because it was only by the fact that a crowd of foreigners attached themselves to the Israelites, that Israel was brought into a connection with foreigners, which needed to be clearly defined, especially so far as the Passover was concerned, the festival of Israel’s birth as the people of God. If the Passover was still to retain this signification, of course no foreigner could participate in it. This is the first regulation. But as it was by virtue of a divine call, and not through natural descent, that Israel had become the people of Jehovah, and as it was destined in that capacity to be a blessing to all nations, the attitude assumed towards foreigners was not to be an altogether repelling one. Hence the further directions in Exo 12:44 : purchased servants, who had been politically incorporated as Israel’s property, were to be entirely incorporated by circumcision, so as even to take part in the Passover. But settlers, and servants working for wages, were not to eat of it, for they stood in a purely external relation, which might be any day dissolved. בּ אכל, lit., to eat at anything, to take part in the eating (Lev 22:11). The deeper ground fore this was, that in this meal Israel was to preserve and celebrate its unity and fellowship with Jehovah. This was the meaning of the regulations, which were repeated in Exo 12:46 and Exo 12:47 from Exo 12:4, Exo 12:9, and Exo 12:10, where they had been already explained. If, therefore, a foreigner living among the Israelites wished to keep the Passover, he was first of all to be spiritually incorporated into the nation of Jehovah by circumcision (Exo 12:48). פס ועשׂה: “And he has made (i.e., made ready) a passover to Jehovah, let every male be circumcised to him (i.e., he himself, and the male members of his house), and then he may draw near (sc., to Jehovah) to keep it.” The first עשׂה denotes the wish or intention to do it, the second, the actual execution of the wish. The words בּן־נכר, גּר, תּושׁב and שׂכיר, are all indicative of non-Israelites. בּן־נכר was applied quite generally to any foreigner springing from another nation; גּר was a foreigner living for a shorter or longer time in the midst of the Israelites; תּושׁב, lit., a dweller, settler, was one who settled permanently among the Israelites, without being received into their religious fellowship; שׂכיר was the non-Israelite, who worked for an Israelite for wages.

Exo 12:49

There was one law with reference to the Passover which was applicable both to the native and the foreigner: no uncircumcised man was to be allowed to eat of it.

Exo 12:50-51

Exo 12:50 closes the instructions concerning the Passover with the statement that the Israelites carried them out, viz., in after times (e.g., Num 9:5); and in Exo 12:51 the account of the Exodus from Egypt is also brought to a close. All that Jehovah promised to Moses in Exo 6:6 and Exo 6:26 had now been fulfilled. But although v. 51 is a concluding formula, and so belongs to the account just closed, Abenezra was so far right in wishing to connect this verse with the commencement of the following chapter, that such concluding formulae generally serve to link together the different incidents, and therefore not only wind up what goes before, but introduce what has yet to come.

The Appointment of the Passover; the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (b. c. 1491.)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 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; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord 's passover. 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 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, 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. 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 which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 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.

Moses and Aaron here receive of the Lord what they were afterwards to deliver to the people concerning the ordinance of the passover, to which is prefixed an order for a new style to be observed in their months (v. 1, 2): This shall be to you the beginning of months. They had hitherto begun their year from the middle of September, but henceforward they were to begin it from the middle of March, at least in all their ecclesiastical computations. Note, It is good to begin the day, and begin the year, and especially to begin our lives, with God. This new calculation began the year with the spring, which reneweth the face of the earth, and was used as a figure of the coming of Christ, Cant. ii. 11, 12. We may suppose that, while Moses was bringing the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, he was directing the Israelites to prepare for their departure at an hour's warning. Probably he had by degrees brought them near together from their dispersions, for they are here called the congregation of Israel (v. 3), and to them as a congregation orders are here sent. Their amazement and hurry, it is easy to suppose, were great; yet now they must apply themselves to the observance of a sacred rite, to the honour of God. Note, When our heads are fullest of care, and our hands of business, yet we must not forget our religion, nor suffer ourselves to be indisposed for acts of devotion.

I. God appointed that on the night wherein they were to go out of Egypt they should, in each of their families, kill a lamb, or that two or three families, if they were small, should join for a lamb. The lamb was to be got ready four days before and that afternoon they were to kill it (v. 6) as a sacrifice; not strictly, for it was not offered upon the altar, but as a religious ceremony, acknowledging God's goodness to them, not only in preserving them from, but in delivering them by, the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. See the antiquity of family-religion; and see the convenience of the joining of small families together for religious worship, that it may be made the more solemn.

II. The lamb so slain they were to eat, roasted (we may suppose, in its several quarters), with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, because they were to eat it in haste (v. 11), and to leave none of it until the morning; for God would have them to depend upon him for their daily bread, and not to take thought for the morrow. He that led them would feed them.

III. Before they ate the flesh of the lamb, they were to sprinkle the blood upon the doorposts, v. 7. By this their houses were to be distinguished from the houses of the Egyptians, and so their first-born secured from the sword of the destroying angel, v. 12, 13. Dreadful work was to be made this night in Egypt; all the first-born both of man and beast were to be slain, and judgment executed upon the gods of Egypt. Moses does not mention the fulfillment, in this chapter, yet he speaks of it Num. xxxiii. 4. It is very probable that the idols which the Egyptians worshipped were destroyed, those of metal melted, those of wood consumed, and those of stone broken to pieces, whence Jethro infers (ch. xviii. 11), The Lord is greater than all gods. The same angel that destroyed their first-born demolished their idols, which were no less dear to them. For the protection of Israel from this plague they were ordered to sprinkle the blood of the lamb upon the door-posts, their doing which would be accepted as an instance of their faith in the divine warnings and their obedience to the divine precepts. Note, 1. If in times of common calamity God will secure his own people, and set a mark upon them; they shall be hidden either in heaven or under heaven, preserved either from the stroke of judgments or at least from the sting of them. 2. The blood of sprinkling is the saint's security in times of common calamity; it is this that marks them for God, pacifies conscience, and gives them boldness of access to the throne of grace, and so becomes a wall of protection round them and a wall of partition between them and the children of this world.

IV. This was to be annually observed as a feast of the Lord in their generations, to which the feast of unleavened bread was annexed, during which, for seven days, they were to eat no bread but what was unleavened, in remembrance of their being confined to such bread, of necessity, for many days after they came out of Egypt, v. 14-20. The appointment is inculcated for their better direction, and that they might not mistake concerning it, and to awaken those who perhaps in Egypt had grown generally very stupid and careless in the matters of religion to a diligent observance of the institution. Now, without doubt, there was much of the gospel in this ordinance; it is often referred to in the New Testament, and, in it, to us is the gospel preached, and not to them only, who could not stedfastly look to the end of these things, Heb. iv. 2; 2 Cor. iii. 13.

1. The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is our Passover, 1 Cor. v. 7. (1.) It was to be a lamb; and Christ is the Lamb of God (John i. 29), often in the Revelation called the Lamb, meek and innocent as a lamb, dumb before the shearers, before the butchers. (2.) It was to be a male of the first year (v. 5), in its prime; Christ offered up himself in the midst of his days, not in infancy with the babes of Bethlehem. It denotes the strength and sufficiency of the Lord Jesus, on whom our help was laid. (3.) It was to be without blemish (v. 5), denoting the purity of the Lord Jesus, a Lamb without spot, 1 Pet. i. 19. The judge that condemned him (as if his trial were only like the scrutiny that was made concerning the sacrifices, whether they were without blemish or no) pronounced him innocent. (4.) It was to be set apart four days before (v. 3, 6), denoting the designation of the Lord Jesus to be a Saviour, both in the purpose and in the promise. It is very observable that as Christ was crucified at the passover, so he solemnly entered into Jerusalem four days before, the very day that the paschal lamb was set apart. (5.) It was to be slain, and roasted with fire (v. 6-9), denoting the exquisite sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the death of the cross. The wrath of God is as fire, and Christ was made a curse for us. (6.) It was to be killed by the whole congregation between the two evenings, that is, between three o'clock and six. Christ suffered in the end of the world (Heb. ix. 26), by the hand of the Jews, the whole multitude of them (Luke xxiii. 18), and for the good of all his spiritual Israel. (7.) Not a bone of it must be broken (v. 46), which is expressly said to be fulfilled in Christ (John xix. 33, 36), denoting the unbroken strength of the Lord Jesus.

2. The sprinkling of the blood was typical. (1.) It was not enough that the blood of the lamb was shed, but it must be sprinkled, denoting the application of the merits of Christ's death to our souls; we must receive the atonement, Rom. v. 11. (2.) It was to be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop (v. 22) dipped in the basin. The everlasting covenant, like the basin, in the conservatory of this blood, the benefits and privileges purchased by it are laid up for us there; faith is the bunch of hyssop by which we apply the promises to ourselves and the benefits of the blood of Christ laid up in them. (3.) It was to be sprinkled upon the door-posts, denoting the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ, and obedience to him, as those that are not ashamed to own our dependence upon him. The mark of the beast may be received on the forehead or in the right hand, but the seal of the Lamb is always in the forehead, Rev. vii. 3. There is a back-way to hell, but no back-way to heaven; no, the only way to this is a high-way, Isa. xxxv. 8. (4.) It was to be sprinkled upon the lintel and the sideposts, but not upon the threshold (v. 7), which cautions us to take heed of trampling under foot the blood of the covenant, Heb. x. 29. It is precious blood, and must be precious to us. (5.) The blood, thus sprinkled, was a means of the preservation of the Israelites from the destroying angel, who had nothing to do where the blood was. If the blood of Christ be sprinkled upon our consciences, it will be our protection from the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and the damnation of hell, Rom. viii. 1.

3. The solemnly eating of the lamb was typical of our gospel-duty to Christ. (1.) The paschal lamb was killed, not to be looked upon only, but to be fed upon; so we must by faith make Christ ours, as we do that which we eat, and we must receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him, as from our food, and have delight and satisfaction in him, as we have in eating and drinking when we are hungry or thirsty: see John vi. 53-55. (2.) It was to be all eaten; those that by faith feed upon Christ must feed upon a whole Christ; they must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his cross, as well as Christ and his crown. Is Christ divided? Those hat gather much of Christ will have nothing over. (3.) It was to be eaten immediately, not deferred till morning, v. 10. To-day Christ is offered, and is to be accepted while it is called to-day, before we sleep the sleep of death. (4.) It was to be eaten with bitter herbs (v. 8), in remembrance of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt. We must feed upon Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in remembrance of sin; this will give an admirable relish to the paschal lamb. Christ will be sweet to us if sin be bitter. (5.) It was to be eaten in a departing posture (v. 11); when we feed upon Christ by faith we must absolutely forsake the rule and dominion of sin, shake off Pharaoh's yoke; and we must sit loose to the world, and every thing in it, forsake all for Christ, and reckon it no bad bargain, Heb. xiii. 13, 14.

4. The feast of unleavened bread was typical of the Christian life, 1 Cor. v. 7, 8. Having received Christ Jesus the Lord, (1.) We must keep a feast in holy joy, continually delighting ourselves in Christ Jesus; no manner of work must be done (v. 16), no care admitted or indulged, inconsistent with, or prejudicial to, this holy joy: if true believers have not a continual feast, it is their own fault. (2.) It must be a feast of unleavened bread, kept in charity, without the leaven of malice, and insincerity, without the leaven of hypocrisy. The law was very strict as to the passover, and the Jews were so in their usages, that no leaven should be found in their houses, v. 19. All the old leaven of sin must be put far from us, with the utmost caution and abhorrence, if we would keep the feast of a holy life to the honour of Christ. (3.) It was by an ordinance for ever (v. 17); as long as we live, we must continue feeding upon Christ and rejoicing in him, always making thankful mention of the great things he has done for us.

The Passover. (b. c. 1491.)

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of 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, 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. 28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

I. Moses is here, as a faithful steward in God's house, teaching the children of Israel to observe all things which God had commanded him; and no doubt he gave the instructions as largely as he received them, though they are not so largely recorded. It is here added,

1. That this night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no Israelite must stir out of doors till morning, that is, till towards morning, when they would be called to march out of Egypt, v. 22. Not but that the destroying angel could have known an Israelite from an Egyptian in the street; but God would intimate to them that their safety was owing to the blood of sprinkling; if they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was at their peril. Those whom God has marked for himself must not mingle with evil doers: see Isa. xxvi. 20, 21. They must not go out of the doors, lest they should straggle and be out of the way when they should be summoned to depart: they must stay within, to wait for the salvation of the Lord, and it is good to do so.

2. That hereafter they should carefully teach their children the meaning of this service, v. 26, 27. Observe,

(1.) The question which the children would ask concerning this solemnity (which they would soon take notice of in the family): "What mean you by this service? What is he meaning of all this care and exactness about eating this lamb, and this unleavened bread, more than about common food? Why such a difference between this meal and other meals?" Note, [1.] It is a good thing to see children inquisitive about the things of God; it is to be hoped that those who are careful to ask for the way will find it. Christ himself, when a child, heard and asked questions, Luke ii. 46. [2.] It concerns us all rightly to understand the meaning of those holy ordinances wherein we worship God, what is the nature and what the end of them, what is signified and what intended, what is the duty expected from us in them and what are the advantages to be expected by us. Every ordinance has a meaning; some ordinances, as sacraments, have not their meaning so plain and obvious as others have; therefore we are concerned to search, that we may not offer the blind for sacrifice, but may do a reasonable service. If either we are ignorant of, or mistake about, the meaning of holy ordinances, we can neither please God nor profit ourselves.

(2.) The answer which the parents were to return to this question (v. 27): You shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, that is, "By the killing and sacrificing of this lamb, we keep in remembrance the work of wonder and grace which God did for our fathers, when," [1.] "To make way for our deliverance out of bondage, he slew the firstborn of the Egyptians, so compelling them to sign our discharge;" and, [2.] "Though there were with us, even with us, sins against the Lord our God, for which the destroying angel, when he was abroad doing execution, might justly have destroyed our first-born too, yet God graciously appointed and accepted the family-sacrifice of a lamb, instead of the first-born, as, of old, the ram instead of Isaac, and in every house where the lamb was slain the first-born were saved." The repetition of this solemnity in the return of every year was designed, First, To look backward as a memorial, that in it they might remember what great things God had done for them and their fathers. The word pesach signifies a leap, or transition; it is a passing over; for the destroying angel passed over the houses of the Israelites, and did not destroy their first-born. When God brings utter ruin upon his people he says, I will not pass by them any more (Amos vii. 8; viii. 2), intimating how often he had passed by them, as now when the destroying angel passed over their houses. Note, 1. Distinguishing mercies lay under peculiar obligations. When a thousand fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand, and yet we are preserved, and have our lives given us for a prey, this should greatly affect us, Ps. xci. 7. In war or pestilence, if the arrow of death have passed by us, passed over us, hit the next to us and just missed us, we must not say it was by chance that we were preserved but by the special providence of our God. 2. Old mercies to ourselves, or to our fathers, must not be forgotten, but be had in everlasting remembrance, that God may be praised, our faith in him encouraged, and our hearts enlarged in his service. Secondly, It was designed to look forward as an earnest of the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the fulness of time, instead of us and our first-born. We were obnoxious to the sword of the destroying angel, but Christ our passover was sacrificed for us, his death was our life, and thus he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, from the foundation of the Jewish church: Moses kept the passover by faith in Christ, for Christ was the end of the law for righteousness.

II. The people received these instructions with reverence and ready obedience. 1. They bowed the head and worshipped (v. 27): they hereby signified their submission to this institution as a law, and their thankfulness for it as a favour and privilege. Note, When God gives law to us, we must give honour to him; when he speaks, we must bow our heads and worship. 2. They went away and did as they were commanded, v. 23. Here was none of that discontent and murmuring among them which we read of, ch. v. 20, 21. The plagues of Egypt had done them good, and raised their expectations of a glorious deliverance, which before they despaired of; and now they went forth to meet it in the way appointed. Note, The perfecting of God's mercies to us must be waited for in a humble observance of his institutions.

The Death of the Firstborn. (b. c. 1491.)

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and 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. 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. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 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. 34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. 35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, 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.

Here we have, I. The Egyptians' sons, even their first-born, slain, v. 29, 30. If Pharaoh would have taken the warning which was given him of this plague, and would thereupon have released Israel, what a great many dear and valuable lives might have been preserved! But see what obstinate infidelity brings upon men. Observe, 1. The time when this blow was given: It was at midnight, which added to the terror of it. The three preceding nights were made dreadful by the additional plague of darkness, which might be felt, and doubtless disturbed their repose; and now, when they hoped for one quiet night's rest, at midnight was the alarm given. When the destroying angel drew his sword against Jerusalem, it was in the day-time (2 Sam. xxiv. 15), which made it the less frightful; but the destruction of Egypt was by a pestilence walking in darkness, Ps. xci. 6. Shortly there will be an alarming cry at midnight, Behold, the bridegroom cometh. 2. On whom the plague fastened—on their first-born, the joy and hope of their respective families. They had slain the Hebrews' children, and now God slew theirs. Thus he visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children; and he is not unrighteous who taketh vengeance. 3. How far it reached—from the throne to the dungeon. Prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments, for there is no respect of persons with him; see Job xxxiv. 19, 20. Now the slain of the Lord were many; multitudes, multitudes, fall in this valley of decision, when the controversy between God and Pharaoh was to be determined. 4. What an outcry was made upon it: There was a great cry in Egypt, universal lamentation for their only son (with many), and with all for their first-born. If any be suddenly taken ill in the night, we are wont to call up neighbours; but the Egyptians could have no help, no comfort, from their neighbours, all being involved in the same calamity. Let us learn hence, (1.) To tremble before God, and to be afraid of his judgments, Ps. cxix. 120. Who is able to stand before him, or dares resist him? (2.) To be thankful to God for the daily preservation of ourselves and our families: lying so much exposed, we have reason to say, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed."

II. God's sons, even his first-born, released; this judgment conquered Pharaoh, and obliged him to surrender at discretion, without capitulating. Men had better come up to God's terms at first, for he will never come down to theirs, let them object as long as they will. Now Pharaoh's pride is abased, and he yields to all that Moses had insisted on: Serve the Lord as you have said (v. 31), and take your flocks as you have said, v. 32. Note, God's word will stand, and we shall get nothing by disputing it, or delaying to submit to it. Hitherto the Israelites were not permitted to depart, but now things had come to the last extremity, in consequence of which, 1. They are commanded to depart: Rise up, and get you forth, v. 31. Pharaoh had told Moses he should see his face no more; but now he sent for him. Those will seek God early in their distress who before had set him at defiance. Such a fright he was now in that he gave orders by night for their discharge, fearing lest, if he delayed any longer, he himself should fall next; and that he sent them out, not as men hated (as the pagan historians have represented this matter), but as men feared, is plainly discovered by his humble request to them (v. 32): "Bless me also; let me have your prayers, that I may not be plagued for what is past, when you are gone." Note, Those that are enemies to God's church are enemies to themselves, and, sooner or later, they will be made to see it. 2. They are hired to depart by the Egyptians; they cried out (v. 33), We be all dead men. Note, When death comes into our houses, it is seasonable for us to think of our own mortality. Are our relations dead? It is easy to infer thence that we are dying, and, in effect, already dead men. Upon this consideration they were urgent with the Israelites to be gone, which gave great advantage to the Israelites in borrowing their jewels, v. 35, 36. When the Egyptians urged them to be gone, it was easy for them to say that the Egyptians had kept them poor, that they could not undertake such a journey with empty purses, but, that, if they would give them wherewithal to bear their charges, they would be gone. And this the divine Providence designed in suffering things to come to this extremity, that they, becoming formidable to the Egyptians, might have what they would, for asking; the Lord also, by the influence he has on the minds of people, inclined the hearts of the Egyptians to furnish them with what they desired, they probably intending thereby to make atonement, that the plagues might be stayed, as the Philistines, when they returned the ark, sent a present with it for a trespass-offering, having an eye to this precedent, 1 Sam. vi. 3, 6. The Israelites might receive and keep what they thus borrowed, or rather required, of the Egyptians, (1.) As justly as servants receive wages from their masters for work done, and sue for it if it be detained. (2.) As justly as conquerors take the spoils of their enemies whom they have subdued; Pharaoh was in rebellion against the God of the Hebrews, by which all that he had was forfeited. (3.) As justly as subjects receive the estates granted to them by their prince. God is the sovereign proprietor of the earth, and the fulness thereof; and, if he take from one and give to another, who may say unto him, What doest thou? It was by God's special order and appointment that the Israelites did what they did, which was sufficient to justify them, and bear them out; but what they did will by no means authorize others (who cannot pretend to any such warrant) to do the same. Let us remember, [1.] That the King of kings can do no wrong. [2.] That he will do right to those whom men injure, Ps. cxlvi. 7. Hence it is that the wealth of the sinner often proves to be laid up for the just, Prov. xiii. 22; Job xxvii. 16, 17.

Departure of the Israelites. (b. c. 1491.)

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 Egypt, was four hundred and thirty 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.

Here is the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt; having obtained their dismission, they set forward without delay, and did not defer to a more convenient season. Pharaoh was now in a good mind; but they had reason to think he would not long continue so, and therefore it was no time to linger. We have here an account, 1. Of their number, about 600,000 men (v. 37), besides women and children, which I think, we cannot suppose to make less than 1,200 000 more. What a vast increase was this, to arise from seventy souls in little more than 200 years' time! See the power and efficacy of that blessing, when God commands it, Be fruitful and multiply. This was typical of the multitudes that were brought into the gospel church when it was first founded; so mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed. 2. Of their retinue (v. 38): A mixed multitude went up with them, hangers on to that great family, some perhaps willing to leave their country, because it was laid waste by the plagues, and to seek their fortune, as we say, with the Israelites; others went out of curiosity, to see the solemnities of Israel's sacrifice to their God, which had been so much talked of, and expecting to see some glorious appearances of their God to them in the wilderness, having seen such glorious appearances of their God for them in the field of Zoan, Ps. lxxviii. 12. Probably the greatest part of this mixed multitude were but a rude unthinking mob, that followed the crowd they knew not why; we afterwards find that they proved a snare to them (Num. xi. 4), and it is probable that when, soon afterwards, they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt. Note, There were always those among the Israelites that were not Israelites, and there are still hypocrites in the church, who make a deal of mischief, but will be shaken off at last. 3. Of their effects. They had with them flocks and herds, even very much cattle. This is taken notice of because it was long before Pharaoh would give them leave to remove their effects, which were chiefly cattle, Gen. xlvi. 32. 4. Of the provision made for the camp, which was very poor and slender. They brought some dough with them out of Egypt in their knapsacks, v. 34. They had prepared to bake, the next day, in order to their removal, understanding it was very near; but, being hastened away sooner than they thought of, by some hours, they took the dough as it was, unleavened; when they came to Succoth, their first stage, they baked unleavened cakes, and, though these were of course insipid, yet the liberty they were brought into made this the most joyful meal they had ever eaten in their lives. Note, The servants of God must not be slaves to their appetites, nor solicitous to wind up all the delights of sense to their highest pitch. We should be willing to take up with dry bread, nay, with unleavened bread, rather than neglect or delay any service we have to do for God, as those whose meat and drink it is to do his will. 5. Of the date of this great event: it was just 430 years from the promise made to Abraham (as the apostle explains it, Gal. iii. 17) at his first coming into Canaan, during all which time the children of Israel, that is, the Hebrews, the distinguished chosen seed, were sojourners in a land that was not theirs, either Canaan or Egypt. So long the promise God made to Abraham of a settlement lay dormant and unfulfilled, but now, at length, it revived, and things began to work towards the accomplishment of it. The first day of the march of Abraham's seed towards Canaan was just 430 years (it should seem to a day) from the promise made to Abraham, Gen. xii. 2, I will make of thee a great nation. See how punctual God is to his time; though his promises be not performed quickly, they will be accomplished in their season. 6. Of the memorableness of it: It is a night to be much observed, v. 42. (1.) The providences of that first night were very observable; memorable was the destruction of the Egyptians, and the deliverance of the Israelites by it; God herein made himself taken notice of. (2.) The ordinances of that night, in the annual return of it, were to be carefully observed: This is that night of the Lord, that remarkable night, to be celebrated in all generations. Note, The great things God does for his people are not to be a nine days' wonder, as we say, but the remembrance of them is to be perpetuated throughout all ages, especially the work of our redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of the Lord much to be observed; but the last passover-night, in which Christ was betrayed (and in which the passover, with the rest of the ceremonial institutions, was superseded and abolished), was a night of the Lord much more to be observed, when a yoke heavier than that of Egypt was broken from off our necks, and a land better than that of Canaan set before us. That was a temporal deliverance to be celebrated in their generation; this is an eternal redemption to be celebrated in the praises of glorious saints, world without end.

Directions Concerning the Passover. (b. c. 1491.)

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; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn 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.

Some further precepts are here given concerning the passover, as it should be observed in times to come.

I. All the congregation of Israel must keep it, v. 47. All that share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for them. Though it was observed in families apart, yet it is looked upon as the act of the whole congregation; for the smaller communities constituted the greater. The New-Testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any who are capable of celebrating it. He is unworthy the name of an Israelite that can contentedly neglect the commemoration of so great a deliverance. 1. No stranger that was uncircumcised might be admitted to eat of it, v. 43, 45, 48. None might sit at the table but those that came in by the door; nor may any now approach to the improving ordinance of the Lord's supper who have not first submitted to the initiating ordinance of baptism. We must be born again by the word ere we can be nourished by it. Nor shall any partake of the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, or feast upon it, who are not first circumcised in heart, Col. ii. 11. 2. Any stranger that was circumcised might be welcome to eat of the passover, even servants, v. 44. If, by circumcision, they would make themselves debtors to the law in its burdens, they were welcome to share in the joy of its solemn feasts, and not otherwise. Only it is intimated (v. 48) that those who were masters of families must not only be circumcised themselves, but have all their males circumcised, too. If in sincerity, and with that zeal which the thing required and deserves, we give up ourselves to God, we shall, with ourselves, give up all we have to him, and do our utmost that all ours may be his too. Here is an early indication of favour to the poor Gentiles, that the stranger, if circumcised, stands upon the same level with the home-born Israelite. One law for both, v. 49. This was a mortification to the Jews, and taught them that it was their dedication to God, not their descent from Abraham, that entitled them to their privileges. A sincere proselyte was as welcome to the passover as a native Israelite, Isa. lvi. 6, 7.

II. In one house shall it be eaten (v. 46), for good-fellowship sake, that they might rejoice together, and edify one another in the eating of it. None of it must be carried to another place, nor left to another time; for God would not have them so taken up with care about their departure as to be indisposed to take the comfort of it, but to leave Egypt, and enter upon a wilderness, with cheerfulness, and, in token of that, to eat a good hearty meal. The papists' carrying their consecrated host from house to house is not only superstitious in itself, but contrary to this typical law of the passover, which directed that no part of the lamb should be carried abroad.

The chapter concludes with a repetition of the whole matter, that the children of Israel did as they were bidden, and God did for them as he promised (v. 50, 51); for he will certainly be the author of salvation to those that obey him.

CHAP. XII.

AND Iehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying: This moneth shall be unto you the head of moneths: it shall be unto you the first of the moneths of the yeere. Speake yee unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, in the tenth of this moneth, That they take to them, every man a lambe according to the house of their fathers, a lambe for an house. And if the house be too little to be for a lambe, then shall he, and his neighbour the next unto his house, take according to the number of the soules; euery man according to his eating, yee shall make your count for the lambe. A lambe perfect, a male of the first yeere, shall it be to you; yee shall take it of the sheepe or of the goates. And it shall be by you kept up, untill the fourteenth day of this moneth; & the whole Church of the congregation of Israel shall kill it, between the two evenings. And they shall take of the blood, and give it upon the two side-posts, and upon the upper doore-post, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, rost with fire, and with unlevened cakes; and with bitter herbs they shall eate it. Yee shall not eat of it raw, or sodden at all in water, but rost with fire; the head thereof, with the legs thereof, and with the purtenance thereof. And yee shall not let ought remaine of it untill the morning: and that which remaineth of it untill the morning, ye shall burne with fire. And thus shall yee eat it. with your loynes girded, your shooes on your feet, and your staffe in your hand: and ye shall eat it in hast; it is Iehovahs Passeover. And I will passe through the land of Egypt in this night, and will smite every first-borne in the land of Egypt, from man even unto beast: and against all the gods of Egypt will I doe judgements; I Iehovah. And the blood shall bee to you for a signe upon the houses where you are; and I will see the blood, and will passe over you, and the plague shall not bee upon you to destruction, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall bee unto you for a memoriall, and ye shall festivally keepe it a feast to Iehovah; throughout your generations shall ye festivally keepe it, by an everlasting statute. Seven daies shall ye eat unlevened cakes, even in the first day ye shall cause the old leven to cease out of your houses: for whosoever eateth levened bread, even that soule shal be cut off from Israel, from the first day untill the seventh day. And in the first day there shall be unto you a convocation of holinesse, and in the seventh day a convocation of holinesse: not any worke shall bee done in them; but that which shall be eaten of every soule, that onely shall bee done of you. And ye shall observe the (feast of) unlevened cakes, for in this selfe-same day have I brought forth your armies out of the land of Egypt: and yee shall observe this day throughout your generations, by an everlasting statute. In the first (moneth) in the fourteenth day of the moneth, at the evening, ye shall eat unlevened cakes, untill the one and twentieth day of the moneth at the evening. Seven daies, old leven shall not be found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is levened, even that soule shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, be he of the stranger, or of the home-borne of the land. Any levened thing ye shall not eat: in all your habitations yee shall eat unlevened cakes. And Moses called for all the Elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out, and take to you lambes, according to your families, and kill the Passeover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssope, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike on the upper doore-post, and on the two side-posts, with the blood that is in the bason: and you, yee shall not goe forth any man out of the doore of his house, untill the morning. For Iehovah will passe through to smite the Egyptians, and will see the blood on the upper doore-post, and on the two side-posts: and Iehovah will passe over the doore, and will not give the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite. And yee shall observe this thing for a statute to thee, and to thy sonnes for ever. And it shall be, when ye are come in unto the land which Iehovah will give you, even as hee hath spoken, then yee shall keepe this service. And it shall be, when your sonnes shall say unto you, What is this service to you? Then ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Passeover, to Iehovah, who passed over the houses of the sonnes of Israel in Egypt, when hee smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses: And the people bended downe the head, and bowed themselves. And the sonnes of Israel went and did, even as Iehovah had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it was, that at midnight Iehovah smote every first-borne in the land of Egypt, from the first-borne of Pharaoh that sate on his throne, unto the first-borne of the captive that was in the prison house, and every first-borne of beasts. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; & there was a great crie in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And hee called for Moses and for Aaron in the night, and said, Rise up, goe out from amongst my people, both you and the sonnes of Israel; and goe, serve Iehovoh, as ye have spoken. Also take your stockes and your herds, as ye have spoken, and goe: and blesse me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, making hast to send them away out of the land: for they said, We be all dead men. And the people tooke up their dough before it was levened, their lumps of dough, bound up in their cloathes, upon their shoulders. And the sonnes of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and asked of the Egyptians jewles of silver, and jewels of gold, and garments. And Iehovah gave the people grace in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they gave them their asking: and they spoiled the Egyptians. And the sonnes of Israel journied from Rameses to Succoth, about sixe hundred thousand on foote, that were men, beside little ones. And also much mixed people went up with them, and flockes and herds, a very great possession of cattell. And they baked the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, cakes unlevened, for it was not levened; for they were thrust out from Egypt, and could not tarry; neither had they made ready for themselves any victuall. And the dwelling of the sonnes of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was foure hundred yeeres, and thirty yeeres. And it was, at the end of the foure hundred yeeres, and thirty yeeres, even in the selfe-same day it was, all the armies of Iehovah went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night of observations to Iehovah, for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of Iehovah, of observations for all the sons of Israel through-out their generations. And Iehovah said unto Moses and Aaron; This is the statute of the Passeover: no strangers sonne shall eat thereof. But every servant of any man, bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then he shall eat thereof. A forreiner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house, and yee shall not breake a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall doe it. And when a stranger shall sojourne with thee, and will doe the Passeover to Iehovah, let every male of his be circumcised, and then he shall come neere to doe it; and he shall be as the home-borne of the land: but any uncircumcised shall not eat thereof. One law shall be to the home-borne, and to the stranger that sojourneth among you. And all the sonnes of Israel did; even as Iehovah commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it was, in this selfe-same day, Iehovah brought forth the sonnes of Israel out of the land of Egypt, by their armies.

Annotations. ANd] or, Also Iebovah had said: to wit, before Moses had gone out from Pharaohs presence; and threatned the death of the first borne, Exod. 11. 4. for this pasch all Lambe was got ready, the fourth day before it was killed; as after is manifest in verse 3. and 6. This moneth [illegible: 1 letter]named in Hebrew, Abib, Exod. 13. 4. and Nisan, Nehem. 2. 1. (by which name the Chaldee calleth it in this chapter, verse 18.) it is with us called March, or Aprill; for it fell out sometime to be part of both. the head] that is, as the Greeke translateth, the beginning. So the head (that is, the beginning) of the yeere, Ezek. 40. 1. unto you;] By reason of this their going out of Egypt, the yeere (which before began in September, Exod. 23. 16,) hath his beginning to the Iewes Ecclesiastically in Abib, or March: but for the Iubilees, and civill affaires, it began as it had done before, Levit. 25. 8. 9. 10. This also Iosephus testifieth, in Antiq. b. 1. c 4. See the notes on Gen. 7. 11. Because this release of Israel, was a figure of the Churches redemption by Christ, who reneweth the world, 1 Cor. 5. 7. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 17. and who was to suffer death also in this moneth, Iohn. 18. 28. &c. therefore God made it the head and first of the yeere: that by it the Church might bee taught to expect the acceptable yeere of the Lord, which Christ preached, Luk. 4. 19. Vers. 3. the tenth] that is, the 10. day: as, the first, Matth. 26. 17. is expounded, the first day, Mar. 14. 12. On this day the Israelites after did goe through Iordan, into the land of Canaan, Ios. 4. 19. And Christ (our paschall Lambe) on this day entred Ierusalem, riding upon an asse colt, and was received of the people with palme branches, and crying Hosanna, &c. Ioh. 12. 1. 12. 13. &c. In him this type was truly fulfilled. that they] or, and let them take: the Greeke translateth, let them take: leaving ont the word and; which the Hebrew sometime doth, as is noted on Gen. 8. 6. lambe] or kid: a young sheepe or goat, as is explained in vers. 5. It was a figure of Christ, the true Lambe of GOD, 1 Cor. 5. 7. Ioh. 1. 29. house,] that is, as the Greeke translateth, houses. The whole armie of Israel, was divided into twelve tribes, those tribes into families, the families againe into houses, and then to particular persons; as appeareth by Num. 1. and Ios. 7. 14. &c. Vers. 4. to befor] or, to be above a lambe; so that they cannot overcome the same by eating it up. The words following, shew this to be meant, for eating: and the Greeke translateth thus, if there bee few in the house so that they are not enough for the lamb. As the word little, or lesse, sometime signifieth unworthinesse, Gen. 32. 10. so here and elsewhere it signifieth inability: which the Scripture maketh plaine; as, too little to receive, 1 King. 8. 64. is expounded, not able to receive, 2 Chro. 7. 7. soules,] that is, persons. [illegible: 1 span] make your count,] or, shell number; to wit, how many are meet and sufficient, for the cating of the lambe. Our Saviour and his twelve disciples did eat the same together, Matth. 26. 18. 20. Of this counting the Iewes doe write, (gathering it from this law) that it must be made, whiles the Lambe is yet alive: and the passeover might not be killed, but for such as were made count of; and those they called sonnes of the society, (that is, communicants.) And that if the Lambe were killed for such as were not counted therefore, or for any that could not eat thereof, (as infants, sicke persons, &c.) or for the uncircumcised, or for the uncleane; it was not allowable. Maimony in Korban pesach, chap. 2. Vers. 5. perfect,] that is, intire, whole, sound, in all outward parts, and so without blemish; as the Law elsewhere explaineth it; saying, it shall be perfect to be accepted, there shall be no blemish therein, Levit. 22. 21. And the Greeke in this place, translateth it both waies, perfect, and unblemished. This also respected Christ our Passeover, called the Lambe unblemished, 1 Pet. 1. 19. And all sacrifices, the types of him, were to be such, Levit. 1. 3. 10. &c. And by perfect, and without blemish, is meant (not to be without spots or sundry colours in the skin or wooll; but) to have neither want, nor superfluity of members; to bee neither blinde, nor broken, nor maymed, nor having a wenne, nor skurvie, nor scabbed, nor bruised, nor crushed, nor sicke, &c. Levit. 22. 22.—24. Mal. 1. 8. And the Iewes write of fiftie blemishes that doe disable beasts for sacrifices; five in the eare, three in the eye-lid, eight in the eye, three in the nose, sixe in the mouth, twelve in the members of generation, sixe in the feet, foure in any place of the body; as scabs, wens, &c. and three beside over all the body, as trembling with old age, sicknesse, and foulenesse with excrements. Maimony in Misneh, treat. of entring into the Sanctuary, chap. 7. Likewise they mention other things, that make a beast unlawfull to be sacrificed unto God; as, if it were untimely, before it was eight daies old, Levit. 22. 27. if it were a beast of sundry shapes, as part like a sheepe and part like a goat, or a shaepe brought forth of a goat, or a goat of a sheepe: if it were both male and female, or neither male nor female: if it had lien with, or had beene lien with of another kinde, contrary to Levit. 19. 19. and 20. 15. 16. if it had killed a man, Exod. 21. 28. if it were the hire of a whore, or price of a dog, Deut. 23. 18. if it had beene dedicated to idolatry, for so corruption is in them, contrary to Levit. 22. 25. and the like, shewed by Maimony, in Asurei Mizbeach, chap. 3. of the first yeere:] Hebr. sonne of a yeere, of which phrase see the notes on Gen. 5. 32. So from the Law in Lev. 22. 27. and from this place it hath beene expounded by the Iewes, that the Lambe after it was eight daies old, and forward, was allowable to be offered for the Passeover: and if it were but an houre older then a yeere, it was unlawfull. Maimony in Misneb. treat. of the offring of the sacrifices, chap. 1. S. 12. 13. Vers. 6. by you kept up:] or, for you kept; Heb. for a keeping up (or a custody) to you: that is, kept apart from the rest of the flocke, from the tenth to the fourteenth day. Of this rite there is no mention after in the Law, Levit. 23. 5.—8. Num. 9. 2. 11. and 28. 16. 17. Deut. 16. where the Passeover is commanded. And the Iew Doctors thinke it was but for-this time onely: for they write of these partitulars, 1 the eating of it in their houses dispersed in Egypt; 2. the taking up of the paschall Lambe, from the tenth day; 3. the charge to strike the blood on the doore posts; 4, and that they should eate it in hafle[illegible: 1 letter]: these things were not required of the generations after, neither were done, but at the Passeover in Egypt onely. Maimony, in Korban Pesach, chap. 10. S. 15. So in the B[illegible: 2 letters]. Thalmud, treat. Pesachim, chap. 9. whole Church] that is, as the Greeke translateth it, the whole multitude; all of the Church or assembly. the two evenings] that is, as the Greeke saith, towards evening: in the afternoone and before sun setting. For as God at the first made the day of evening and morning, Gen. 1. 5. so after among the Iewes, (as is also amongst us) all the forenoone was counted morning, and all the afternoone, evening. The latter evening began at Sunne setting, Ios. 10. 26 27. The day (from Sunne rising to the setting) had twelve houres, as Christ saith, Are there not twelve houres in the day? Ioh. 11. 9. Their first houre, was about six of the clocke in the morning with us their sixt houre, was our noone: their ninth houre, was three of the clocke in the afternoone. By this wee may understand the time of Christ crutified; which began at the third houre (that is, at nine of the clocke in the morning, the ordinary time for the dayly morning sacrifice) and ended at the ninth houre, (that is, at three in the afternoone, the time of the evening sacrifice;) Marke 15. 25. 33. 34. 37. Wherefore the ninth houre, was their houre of prayer, when they used to goe into the Temple, at the daily evening sacrifice, Acts 3. 1. And this was the ordinary time for the Passeover; as R. Menachem (upon this place) saith, betweene the two evenings, at the time of prayer, at the oblation; as Isack our father of blessed memory hath directed, (Gen. 24. 63.) Howbeit, God setteth no houre for the killing of the Passeover, because it might vary occasionally: but if it were killed in the afternoone, and before Sunne set, it was allowable. Further to shew this, the Hebrew Doctors in the Babyllonian Thalmud, treat. of the Passeovers, chap. 5. doe write thus. The daily evening sacrifice (whereof see Exod. 29. 38. 39.) was killed at the eight houre and a halfe, (that is, halfe an houre before three of the clocke in the afternoone;) and it was offred up at the ninth houre and an halfe, (that is, halfe an houre after three.) In the evening of the Passeover, it was killed at the seventh houre and an halfe; and offred at eight and an halfe; (that is, halfe an houre before three.) And if the evening of the Passeover did fall to be on the evening of the Sabbath, it was killed at sixe and [illegible: 1 word] halfe, and offred at seven and an halfe: (that is, halfe an houre before two of the clocke.) The reason her of was, because they were first to kill the daily sacrifice, and then to kill and roste the Passeover, and also to rest the evening before the Sabbath. Agreeable unto this, Maimony (in Korban Pesach, chap[illegible: 1 letter] 1. S. 4.) saith, The killing of the Passeover is after mid-day, and if they kill it before, it is not allowable and they kill it not but after the daily evening sacrifice, and burning of incense: and after they have trimmed the lamps, they begin to kill the paschall lambs, untill the end of the day. This hee speaketh of their manner in the Temple. And by this time of the day God foreshewed the suffrings of Christ in the evening of times, or in the last dayes, Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 20. and about the same time of the day, when the paschall Lambe ordinarily dyed, he dyed also, at the ninth houre, Matt. 27. 46. 50. Verse 7. give it] that is, strike it, with the hys sope sprinkle, as is explained in verse 22. signifying the applying of Christs blood, sprinkled upon all beleevers hearts, 1 [illegible: 1 word] 1. 2. Heb. 9. 13, 14. So the Law was after to be written on their doore posts, Deut. 6. 9. intending it chiefly upon their hearts, Heb. 8. 10. Compare with this, the Law in E[illegible: 2 letters]k. 45. 19. where the blood of the sacrifice was also put upon the posts of the house of the Lord, for to clense the same. This ordinance was but for that time onely in Egypt: for after they might not kill the Passeover within any of their owne gates, but in the publique place of Gods worship, Deut. 16 5, 6, 7. which at last was Ierusalem, where by the Priests the Passeover was killed, and flayed in the court of the temple, and the blood sprinkled on the altar, 2 Chron. 35. 1. 2 6. 10. 11. Levit. 17. 3.—6. Then the owner of the Lamb took it of the Priests, and brought it to his house in Ierusalem, and roasted it, and ate it in the evening; as Maimony sheweth in Korban Pesach, chap. 1. S 6. After this manner Christ with his disciples kept the Passeover, eating it in a chamber within Ierusalem, Luk. 22. 7. 8. 10. 11. &c upper doore post] but on the threshold under their feet, it was not commanded to be sprinkled. Hereby a reverent regard of the blood of Christ, seemeth to be taught: that men should not tread under foot the son of God; nor count the blood of the covenāt. wherwith they were sāctified, an unholy thing, Heb. 10. 29 Ver. 8. unlevened cakes] or, loaves: but the word cakes is expressed in the 39 verse. The signification hereof Paul declareth, saying, Let us keepe the feast, not with old leven, neither with the leven of malice and wickednesse; but with the unlovened cakes of sincerity and truth, 1 Cor. 5. 8. The manner of speaking wch Moses here useth, and unlevened cakes with bitter herbs, is changed in Num. 9. 11. thus, with unlevened cakes, and bitter herbs: so the one explaines the other. Hereupon the Hebrews say, The eating of the flesh of the peschall lamb on the 15 night, is commanded to be done: & it may be eaten alone, if unlevened bread and bitter herbs cannot be gotten: but bitter herbs, without the paschall lamb, are not commanded; for it, is written, with unlevened bread & bitter berbs, shall they eat it, Maimony in Korban Pesach, c. 8 S. 1. 2. bitter herbs] Hebr, bitternesses; but herbs are meant, as cichory, wild lettice, and the liks: which they did eate with the lamb, in remembrance of their afflictions in Egypt, where their lives had been bitter, Ex. 1. 14 And hereunto Ieremy seemes to have reference in his sorrows, saying; He hath fed me to the full with bitter herbs (or bitternesses;) he hath made me drank with wormwood, Lam. 3. 15. They were also to type out the bitter sorrowes of Christ, & our mortificatiō & afflictions with him, 1 Cor. 5. 7. [illegible: 1 word] 11. 26. Phil. 3. 10 [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 24. Zach. 12. [illegible: 1 letter]0. Revel. 10. [illegible: 1 letter]0. Hereof the Hebrew cannons say; The eating of bitter herbs, is not commanded by the Law, because of themselves; but depende[illegible: 1 span] the eating of the paschall Lambe. For it is one [illegible: 1 word], to [illegible: 1 word] the flesh of the Basseover, with [illegible: 1 word] bread [illegible: 2 letters]d bitter herbs. The bitter herbs spoken of in the L[illegible: 2 letters]; are Chazereth, and [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] and [illegible: 1 word] and Charchabinah, and Menor: [that it▪ a[illegible: 1 letter] is thought, Wild lettice, Cichorie, H[illegible: 1 span]; and the like: for they are not well knowne; everyone of these five fort of herbs, is called [illegible: 2 words]; and they may eat of anyone or of all of them, Maimony [illegible: 1 word] of L[illegible: 1 letter]v[illegible: 1 letter]n, chap. 7. [illegible: 1 word]. 12. 13. Moreover they used a certaine [illegible: 1 letter]ause, thicke like mustard; they called it Charoseth, and say it was a [illegible: 1 word] of the clay, wherein they wrought in Egypt: it was made, of the palme tree branches, or of ray sin[illegible: 1 letter], or other like berries; which they stamped, and put vineger thereto, and seasoned it and made it like clay, and brought it [illegible: 1 word] the tabl[illegible: 1 span] the night of the Passeovar. Maimony ibidem, S. 1[illegible: 1 letter]. This is thought of some, to be that wherein Christ dipped the sop, which hee gave unto Iudas, Ioh▪ 13. 26: for by the Hebrewes records, they used to dip the unlevened bread in that sauce (Charoseth) and to eat; then they dipped the bitter herbs in the Charoseth, and did eat them; Maimony treat of Leven, c. 8. S. 7. Together with the paschall Lambe▪ they used to drinke wine; for it was a feast of the Lord, and a sacrifice; therefore to bee celebrated with joy and with wine, by proportion from the Law in Deut. 16. 11. 12. Num. 15. 5. They say, every one both of men and women, is bound to drink that night▪ foure cups of wine without faile: and though [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 span], and live on almes, hee must not drinke lesse than those foure cups; and every cup contained a quarter (of a Log, that is so much as an egge and a halfe; whereof see the notes on Exod. 30. 24.) He blesseth (God) for every of these cups severally; and for the fourth cap, [illegible: 1 letter]e accomplisheth the praise, and blesseth for it, the blessing of the Song, Maimony treat of Leven, c. 7. S. 10. Vnto these phrases, the new Testament seemeth to have reference, when it speaketh of the C[illegible: 1 letter]p of blessing, 1 Cor. 10. 16. and of singing an hymne, Mark▪ [illegible: 1 letter]4. 26. I will hereshew the order which the Iewes [illegible: 1 word] the ages following, kept at the Passeover; as themselves have recorded it. First a cup (of wine) is filled for every one, and hee blesseth for it, him that created the fruit of the vine, &c. and drinketh it. After that, hee blesseth for the washing of hands; and washeth his hands: Then is brought in a table furnished, and upon it, bitter herbs, and unlevened bread, and the [illegible: 1 word] (Cha [illegible: 2 letters]s[illegible: 1 letter]th▪) and the body of the pa[illegible: 2 letters]hall Lambe, and the flesh of the Chagigah [or Feast-offring, whereof [illegible: 1 word] the notes on Deut eronomie 16.] which is for the fourteenth day of the moneth. Then hee [illegible: 1 span] to blesse (God) which created the [illegible: 1 word] of the earth; and taketh an herbe, and dip [illegible: 1 span] ▪ and eateth it, hee and all that [illegible: 1 word] at the table with him every one, none eateth [illegible: 1 span] quantity of an [illegible: 1 word]. Afterward, [illegible: 2 words] is taken a[illegible: 1 letter]ay [illegible: 1 letter]rom▪ before him onely [illegible: 1 span] the [illegible: 1 span] their deliverance out [illegible: 1 span] ▪ as is commanded in [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 letter]3. 8. and 12. 17.] Then they fill the second cup, and the sonne asketh [what is meant by this service; according to Exodus 12. 26.] and hee that makes the declaration, [illegible: 1 letter]aith; How different is this night from all other nights? For all other nights, wee wash but once, but this night twise. All other nights, wee [illegible: 1 word] levened bread, or unlevened: but this night unlevened bread onely. All other nights, wee eat flesh, roasted, baked or boyled: but this night roasted onely. All other nights, wee eat of any other herbs: but this night bitter herbs. All other nights wee eat either sitting or lying: but this night, lying onely. Then the table is brought againe before him, and hee faith; This Passeover which wee eat, is in respect that the Lord passed over the houses of our fathers in Egypt. Then holdeth hee up the bitter herbs in his hand, and saith; These bitter herbs which wee eat, are in respect that the Egyptians made the lives of our fathers bitter in Egypt. Then hee holdeth up the unlevened bread in his hand, and saith; This unlevened bread which wee eat, is in respect that the dough of our fathers had not time to bee levened, when the Lord appeared unto them, and redeemed them out of the hand of the enemie; and they baked unlevened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt, Exodus 12. 39. Then hee saith; Therefore are wee bound to confesse, to praise, to laud, to celebrate, to glorifie, to honour, to extoll, to magnifie and to ascribe victory, unto him that did unto our fathers and unto us, all these signes; and brought us forth from servitude to freedome, from sorrow to joy, from darknesse to great light; and wee say before him Halelujah. Halelujah, Praise O yee servants of the LORD, &c. unto, the f[illegible: 3 letters]trocke, to a fountaine of waters: that is, the hundred and thirteenth, and to the end of the hundred and fourteenth Psalme. Then they blesse the Lord which redeemed them and their fathers out of Egypt; and hath brought them unto that night, to eat unlevened bread therein, and bitter herbs. And hee blesseth GOD who createth the fruit of the vine; and drinketh the second cup. After this, hee blesseth for the washing of hands, and washeth his hands the second time; and taketh two cakes; parteth one of them, &c. and blesseth (GOD) that bringeth bread out of the earth. Because it is said, the bread of affliction (or of povertie) Deuteronomie 16. 3. as it is the manner of the poore, to have broken meat, so heere is a broken part. Afterwards, hee wrappeth up of the unlevened bread and of the bitter herbs together, and dippeth them in the [illegible: 1 letter]auce, and blesseth GOD, which commanded to eat unlevened bread and bitter herbs; and they eat. Then hee blesseth GOD, which commanded the eating of the sacrifice, and hee eateth the flesh of the feast offring; and againe blesseth GOD which commanded the eating of the Passeover, and then hee [illegible: 1 word] of the body of the Passeover. After this, they [illegible: 1 letter]it long at Supper, and eat every one so much as he will, and drinke as much as they will drinke. Afterward he eateth of the flesh of the Passeover, though it bee but so much as an olive, and tasteth nothing at all after it: that it may be the end of his supper, and that the taste of the flesh of the Passeover, may remaine in his mouth. After this, he lifteth up his hands, and blesseth for the third cup of wine, and drinketh it. Then filleth hee the fourth cup, and accomplisheth for it the Praise (or Hymne;) and sayeth for it, the blessing of the Song, which is, All thy workes praise thee O Lord, &c. (Psalme 145. 10.) and blesseth God that created the fruit of the vine, and tasteth nothing at all after it, all the night, except water. And hee may fill the fift cup, saying for it the great Hymne, (the hundred thirty sixe Psalm) Confesse ye to the Lord, for hee is good; for his mercie endureth for ever; unto the end of that Psalme. But he is not bound (they say) to that cup, as to the foure former cups. These things are shewed by Maimony in his treatise of Leven and unlevened bread, chapter 8. where also hee noteth some differences at this time, when having no Temple, they can have no sacrifice, neither kill the paschall Lambe; but onely use the unlevened bread, bitter herbs, and wine, in their private houses. After, in his Copie of the Haggadah (or Narration) of the Passeover, hee sheweth what words they used at the breaking and delivering of the unlevened bread; This is the bread of affliction, which our fathers did eat in the land of Egypt: whosoever is hungry, let him come and eat: whosoever hath neede, let him come and keepe the Passeover, &c. These observations of the Iewes whiles their commonwealth stood, and to this day, may give light to some particulars in the Passeover that Christ kept; as why they lay downe, one leaning on anothers bosome, Ioh. 13. 23. (a signe of rest and security) and stood not, as at the first Passeover, neither [illegible: 1 letter]ate on high, as wee use. Why Christ rose from supper, and washed, and sate downe againe, Iohn 13. 4. 5. 12. Why hee blessed, or gave thankes, for the bread apart, and for the cup (or wine) apart, Marke 14. 22. 23. and why it is said, hee tooke the cup after supper, Luke 22. 20. also concerning the Hymne which they sung at the end, Matthew 26. 30. and why Paul calleth it the shewing forth of the Lords death, 1 Corinthians 11. 26. as the Iewes usually called their Passeover, Haggadah, that is, a Shewing or Declaration. But specially we may observe, how the bread which was of old a remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, was sanctified by the Sonne of God, to bee a remembrance of his death, and of our redemption thereby from Sathan, 1 Corinthians 11. 24. 25. 26. for which we have much more cause to praise, honour and magnifie the Lord, than the Hebrewes had for their temporary salvation. Verse 9. raw] That raw, whereof the Law warneth us, is flesh whereon the fire hath begunne to worke, and it is roasted a little, but not fit for man to eat as yet; saith Maimony in Korban Pesach, chapter 8. S. 6. It might figure a full and due preparation, by the preaching of the Gospell, and shewing forth of Christs death; with an examination of our selues, that wee eat not unworthily, and so eat judgement to our selves: 1 Corinthians 11. 26. 28. 29. sodden at all] or any way sod, Hebr. sodden sod in water. The Iewes explaine it, so generally: neither to be sodden in water, nor in any other liquor or juyce of fruits. Neither roasted, and afterward sodden; nor perboyled, and afterward roasted, &c. Yet they say it was lawfull to baste it with wine, or oyle, or any liquor except water: also, lawfull to dip the flesh when it was roasted, in liquors, or juyce of fruits. Maimony, in Korban Pesach, chapter 8. S. 7. 8. At the Passeover which Christ did eat, the Euangelists mention his dipping of a sop, and giving it to Iudas, Iohn 13. 26. In seething, the water is mixed with the flesh: the forbidding whereof, seemeth to teach the simplicitie that should be in Christ; that wee know nothing but Christ and him crucified, 2 Corinthians 11. 3. 1 Corinthians 2. 2. with fire:] a figure both of Gods Spirit, compared to fire, Matthew 3. 11. through which Christ offred himselfe to God, Heb. 9. 14. and of the fire of Gods wrath which Christ was to suffer, whiles he was made a curse for us, by his death, Galath. 3. 13. Ierem. 4 4. Lament. 1. 13. and 2. 4. This charge to rost it with fire, the Iew Doctors observed precisely, holding it unlawfull to bake it any manner of way; also to heat a furnace, and taking away all the fire, to hang the Lambe therein, and so [illegible: 1 letter]ost it, or the like, they say was unlawfull. Maimony, Korban Pesach, chapter 8. S. 9. 10. the purt[illegible: 1 letter]nance,] or, the inward: meaning that the Lambe must bee roasted all and whole; not cut into peeces. To signifie our full Communion with Christ, whole and undivided, 1 Cor. 1. 13. 30. Gal. 2. 20. Vers. 10. till the morning;] they were to eat up all (if they could) at that meale. To teach care for the present injoying of Christ by faith, and of his whole covenant, without delay. For by the morning, the change of our estate is often signified, Psalme 30. 6. Esay. 17. 14. 2 Kings 19. 35. for our sleepe is an image of death. And the Iewes have recorded that though it was lawfull to eat all the night long, till the day dawning; yet might none of the company eat againe after hee had slept, though it were in the beginning of the night. Maimony, Korban Pesach, chapter 8. S. 14. So Manna, might not be left till the morning, Exodus 16. 19. nor some other sacrifices, Lev. 22. 30. burne] that so it might be consumed: and such was the law for other sacrifices, which by being reserved over-long, were made abhominable to bee eaten, and must therefore be burned, Lev. 7. 15. 18. & 19. 6. 7. So, flesh of the sacrifices that touched any uncleane thing, might not be eaten, but burnt, Levit. 7. 19. Hereby also God might teach Israel, that when the morning, the time of grace in Christ is come, there should be no longer reservation of those legall shadowes, which should haue their accomplishment and end at our Lords death; and bee condemned as unlawfull, as if they were burned by the fire of GODS Word and Spirit, Colossians 2. 16. 17. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. Hebr. 13. 9. 10. And so the Prophets fore-told, that the daies should come when it, should no more be said, The Lord liveth, which brought up the sonnes of Israel out of the land of Egypt, Ier. 16. 14. neither should they say any more, The A[illegible: 1 letter]ke of the covenant of the Lord, for it shall come no more to winde▪ neither shal they remēber it, &c. Ier. 3. 16. Vers. 11. girded;] this signifieth, a readinesse to take a journey, or any other work in hand, 2 King. 4. 29. and 9 1. Ier. 1. 17. Luk. 12. 35. 36. and figured▪ the girding of the loynes of the minde, with strength, justice veritie, &c. Prov. 31. 17. Esay. 11. 5. Eph. 6. 14. Wherefore the Apostle saith, Gird up the loynes of your minde, be sober, and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto you, at the revelation of Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 13. shooes on,] another signe first of readinesse to goe forth, Esay. 5. 27. Acts 12. 8. secondly, of deliverance out of bondage, (as the contrary to goe [illegible: 1 letter]arefoot, was a signe of captivity, Esay. 20. 4.) and thirdly of joyfulnesse for their deliverance from affliction; (as contrariwise in sorrow men went barefoot, 2 Sam. 15. 30.) It was also a figure of the Gospell of peace, wherewith our feet should be ready and firme, Ephesians 6. 15. Of which the Holy Ghost saith, How beautifull are thy feet with shooes, O Princes daughter: Song 7. 1. staffe;] to sustaine their infirmities: and this in their hand, was also for expedition to the journey, Zach. 8. 4. Mark. 6. 8. Compare herewith, Iakobs speech; with my staffe I passed over this Iordan, Genesis 32. 10. in haste,] because they were now in danger, and for it to goe out of Egypt in haste, Deut. 16. 3. and so in haste, and as with violence, to apprehend and apply Christ unto them by faith, Matth. 11. 12. The originall word signifieth, an hastening away through feare or amazement; as in Deut. 20. 3. and so may signifie the sudden feares wrought in the conscience by the Gospell of Christ, at the first preaching thereof, (as in Act. 2. 37.) though after it giveth comfort and peace. This manner of eating, was peculiar unto the first pasche in Egypt: neither were the generations following bound to these rites, when they were come to their rest in Canaan; as is before noted on verse 6. Neither did Christ and his Disciples thus eat it; for they stood not girded with staves in their hands: but sate, or rather lay downe, leaning one on anothers breast, as was then the Iewes manner, in signe of their rest and security otherwise than they had in Egypt: as their Doctors teach in the Thalmud, treat. of the Passeover. See Marke 14. 18. Iohn 13. 12. 25. Also Esaias prophesied, yee shall not goe out in haste, nor depart by fleeing away, &c. Esay. 52. 12. Passeover] called in Hebrew, Pesach; and after in the Ierusalemitane language, Pascha: which name the Evangelists keepe also in the Greeke, Matth. 26. 2. &c. and in other tongues, it is now called Pasche: wee in old English called it F[illegible: 1 letter]reld, at this day we name it the Passeover, according to the interpretation of the Hebrew word, which signifieth to fare, passe, o[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word] over, as God did over the houses of the Isra[illegible: 1 span] verse 13. 27. And as the festivall time, so the Lambe then killed, is called the Passeover, Luke 2. 41. and 22. 7. and the Lambe of GOD Christ is so named also, 1 Corinthians 5. 7. because for his sake God passeth over us, and destroyeth us not with the world, Iohn 3. 16. 18. Seven famous Passeovers are recorded in Scripture to have beene kept. The first, this which Israel kept in Egypt. The second that, which they kept in the wildernesse, Numbers 9. The third, which Iesus kept with Israel, when hee had newly brought them into Canaan, Iosh. 5. 10. The fourth, in the reformation of Israel by King Ezekias, 2 Chron. 30. The fifth under King Iosias, 2 Chronicles 35. The sixt, by Israel returned out of the captivity of Babylon, Ezr. 6. 19. The seventh, that which Iesus our Saviour desired so earnestly, and did eat with his disciples before he suffered, Luke 22. [illegible: 1 letter]5. &c. At which time, that legall Passeover had an end, and our Lords Supper came in the place, The memoriall of Christ our Passeover, sacrificed for us▪ Vers. 12. the gods;] the Chaldee translateth, the idols: the same is againe mentioned in Num. 33. 4. And after, a like thing is prophesied, the Lord shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall bee moved at his presence, Esay. 19. 1. and againe, he shall breake the images of the house of the sunne, &c. and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians, shall be burnt with fire, Ieremie 43. 13. So Laban lost his idols, when Israel fled from Syria, Genes. 31. 19. 30. the idols and images of Babylon perished, when it was destroyed, Ierem. 50. 2. and all such shall perish in the time of their visitation, Ier. 10. 15. and 51. 18. Of this the Hebrew Doctors also say, when Israel came out of Egypt, what did the holy blessed God? he threw downe all the images of their abominations, and they were broken in peeces. Pirkei R Eliezer, chapter 48. judgments,] the Greeke translateth it, vengeance. This was done, that God might be knowne to be greater than all the gods, Exod. 18. 11. and to avenge the corruption that Israel had gotten by the idols of Egypt, Ezek. 20. 8. Vers. 13. passe.] or leape: the Hebrew is pasach, and this sheweth the reason of the name Pasch or Passeover, and so Christ is called, because his blood clenseth us from all sinne, and delivereth us from wrath, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 1 Thes. 1. 10. The Greeke translateth, I will protect you: the Chaldee, I will spare you: and so in verse 27. to destruction,] Hebr. to corruption; that is, to be corrupted, or destroyed, by the destroyer, as vers. 23. V. 14. festivally keepe,] it implieth mirth & joy, for their deliverance hereby remembred, see Ex. 5. 1. and at their feasts, they were commanded to rejoyce, and forbidden to mourne or weepe, Deut. 16. 11. 15. Nehem. 8. 9.—12. everlasting statute] Heb. statute of eternity; meaning an eternall ordinance, to be kept once a yeere, al daies of their life, till Christ became our Passeover: since which time it is also kept eternally, in remembrance of his death untill he come, Deut. 16. 1. 3. 1 Corinth. 5. 7. 8. and 11. 25. 26. Vers. 15. Seven daies] after the paschall day, for it was a distinct feast and commandement. The Passeover was to be kept on the fourteenth day of the first moneth, at even: the feast of Vnlevened bread, beganne the fifteenth day of the same moneth, and lasted seven daies, of which the first day, and the last, the seventh day, were holy convocations, wherein they might doe no servile worke, as Moses plainely sheweth in Levit. 23. 5▪ 6. 7. 8. The Passeover (in the ages following) might not be killed and eaten in any place, but where the Lord did chuse to place his name there, Deut. 16. 5. 6. 7. which afterward was in Ierusalem: but the feast of Vnlevened bread, the Hebrewes thought themselves bound to keep in every place, where they dwelled, if they could not be at Ierusalem. And the eating of it (they say) depended not on the eating of the Passeover, but was a commandement by it self: Maimony treat, of Leven and Unlevened bread, chap. 6. 8. 1. Howbeit, with the Passeover they might eat no leven, as before is shewed in verse. 8. It is unlawfull to eat Leven, in the fourteenth day, from mid day and upward, which is from the beginning of the seventh houre of the day: and who so eateth it at that time, is to be beaten by the law; for it is said (in Deut. 16. 3.) Thou shalt eat no leven with it, meaning with the sacrifice of the Passeover. This they have expounded thus, Thou shalt not eat leven from the houre that the Passeover may be killed, which is between the two evenings, and that (beginneth) at mid-day. Maimony ibidem, c. 1. [illegible: 1 word]. 8. These seven daies wherein they might eat no Leven, figured the whole time of our life, which must be holy, with the unlevened cakes of sincerity and truth, 1 Corinth. 5. 8. and with thankfull remembrance of our deliverance out of miseries; as this unlevened bread is called the bread of affliction, Deut. 16. 3. For seven is a full and perfect number of daies, and the whole world was created therein: see the notes on Gen. 2. 2. and Lev. 4. 7. cause to cease] that is, put away, or abolish, as the Greeke explaineth it. The Hebrewes expound it thus, that a man should abolish it in his [illegible: 1 letter]eart, and count it as dust; and determine in his heart, that he will have no leven at all within his power, but whatsoever Leven is in his power, it be as dust, and as a thing whereof he will have no use at all. And by the exposition of the Scribes, he is to search after Leven in secret places, and in corners, and to finde it out, and to bring it forth out of all the bounds of his habitation. And so they search out and abolish Leven that night, at the beginning of the night of the fourteenth (day) by the light of a candle, out of all holes and corners, &c. And the putting away thereof was thus, either they burnt is, or broke it small, and threw it into the winde, or threw it into the sea. Maimony treat. of Leven, chap. 2. S. 2. 3. and 3. 11. This ordinance the lewes carefully observed; for in the day before they did eat the Passeover (called the Preparation, Ioh. 19. 14.) the father of the familie, with other men, having lighted waxe candles, searched all corners; to purge out all the remnants and crums of Levened bread very diligently: first blessing the Lord, who sanctified them by his commandements, and had bidden them put away Leven; as is recorded in [illegible: 2 words]. treat. of the Passeovers. chap. 2. [illegible: 1 word] figured the putting away of wickednesse and malice out of our hearts, and of wicked persons out of the Church. 1 Corinth. 5. 7. 8. 13. old L[illegible: 1 span]] Two words are used for Leven, by Moses, in this verse; the one Se[illegible: 1 letter]r, which hath the name of being left, or remaining: this we may cal old Leven, as Paul speaketh in 1 Cor. 5. 7. The other Chamets, so called of the sourexesse of the taste: of it, the Greekes (by transplacing the letters) call Leven, Zumee. These signified two sorts also of spirituall Leven, the one hidden and secret, which our Saviour saith is Hypocrisie, Luke 12. 1. the other more open and apparent, as false and corrupt Doctrine, Matthew 16. 6. 12. evill manners, as Malice and Wickednesse, 1 Corinthians 5. 8. and wicked persons, unto whom the Saints are opposed, as being Unlevened-cakes, 1 Corinthians 5. 6. 7. 13. So David calleth the malicious man, and him that corrupteth the word of God, and infecteth with errour, a Levened person, or Levener, Psalme 71. 4. and the heart infected with errour, and vexed with griefe, is said to bee Levened, Psalme 73. 21. Wherefore Leven was forbidden at the paschall Feast, to leade men unto soundnesse in the faith of Christ, and sincerity in all their conversation. The footsteps of this Law remained among the heathens; for, the Flamen Dialis (or Romane Priest) might not, by their cannons, touch any levened meale; Aul. Gellius, book 8. chap. 15. and Plutarch (in Quaest. Rom.) scanneth the reason of it; because Leven it selfe proceedeth from corruption, and corrupteth also the meale with which it is mixed. Now what Leven properly was, the Hebrew Doctors shew thus: Nothing is forbidden by the name of Levened bread in the Passeover, but of five sorts of corne onely; which are two sorts of wheat, namely the common Wheat, and the Rye: and three sorts of Barley; which are the common Barley, and the Foxe eare (Barley) and Oates. But the kindes of pulse, as Rice, and Millet, and Beanes, and Lontiles, and the like; there is not of them any levened bread. For though the meale of Rice and the like, [illegible: 2 letters]kne[illegible: 1 letter]ded, and covered with cloathes, like dough which is levened: yet is it lawfull to be eaten, for it is not levened but putrified. The five sorts of corne aforesaid, if they be kneaded with the liquour of fruits onely, without any water, they are never counted levened, but are lawfull to be eaten; for the juyce of fruits doe not leven, but putrifie. And the liquors of fruits, are as wine and milke, and honey, and oyle olive, and the juyce of apples, and pomgranats, and all such like. But if any water be mixed with them, they doe leaven. They may not boyle wheat in water, neither the beaten graine, nor the meale, for then it is perfectly levened; and if that it be burst in the boylying. They may not fr[illegible: 1 letter]e the paste in oile in a pan. But they may boyle the graine and the meale of parched corne. It is lawfull to boile the corne or the meale, in the liquor of fruits. Likewise paste, that is kneaded in the liquor of fruits, if they boyle it in the liquor of fruits, or frie it in a pan in oyle, it is lawfull: for the liquor of fruits leven not, &c. In any [illegible: 1 letter]roth or pottage that they boile; if any Barley or Wheat be found therein, and the graine be burst, all that broth is unlawfull; for leven is mixed with it. If the graines be not broken, they take them out and burn them, and the rest of the pottage they may eat: for corne so mixed or boiled, and not burst, is not by the Law perfectly levened, &c. Maimony in treat▪ of Leven and Unlevened bread, c. 5. S. 1. &c. that soule] the Chaldee expounds it, that man. So in verse 19. cut off,] the Greeke saith, destroyed: see Gen. 17. 14. The Hebrew cannons say, who so eateth so much as an olive of leven in the Passeover, from the beginning of the might of the 15 night, unto the end of the one and twentieth day of Nisan, if he doe it presumptuously, is guilty of being cut off: if ignorantly, he is bound to bring the sameoffring appointed for the same. If hee eat any whit of leven at all, it is forbidden by the law; and though he bee not to be cut off, or bring an offring but for the foresaid quantitie of an olive, yet he that eateth lesse than that presumptuously, is to be chastised with stripes, Maimony treat, of Leven. chap. 1. S. 1. 7. from the first, &c.] that is, who so eateth leven any of these daies. Vers. 16. convocation,] an holy assembly, of all the people: and so a Sabbath, as Levit. 23. 39. The like order was at other feasts, Levit. 23. 2. 3. 7. 21. 24. 27. 35. So these feasts were for the honour of God, and increase of faith and holinesse in his people, assembling for religious exercises. done,] dressed and made ready to eat: which yet on the Sabbath day, was unlawfull to be done: Exodus 16. 5. 23. 29. and 35. 2. 3. Vers. 17. selfe same:] Hebr. the strength (or, body) of this day: so verse 41. and 51. see Gen. 17. 23. I brought forth] God did this by his Angell, as it is written, he sent an Angell and brought us forth out of Egypt, Num. 20. 16. The Hebrew Doctors say, The redemption from Egypt, was by the hand of the Angell the Redeemer, with the power of the great God, as is said, (in Exod. 32. 11,) which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a strong hand. R. Menachem, on Exod. 12. Vers. 18. first,] The Chaldee nameth it, In Nisan, in the tenth day: see verse 1. The Greeke saith, Beginning in the fourteenth day of the first moneth. Verse 19. not be found:] from hence the Hebrew Doctors gather; Whosoever leaveth leven within his power at the Passeover, although he eat not of it, yet hee transgresseth two prohibitions; no old leven shall be seene with thee; Ezod. 13. 7. and; old leven shall not be found in your houses, Exod. 12. 19. Moreover, Leven when the Passeover is gone over it, is for ever unlawfull to bee put to any use. Maimony, treat[illegible: 1 letter] of Leven, chap. 1 S. 2[illegible: 1 span] stranger] that is, strangers, as the Greek translateth it: opposed to the naturall Israelites to be borne afterward in the land of Canaan. Vers. 21. elders] by whom hee would signifie this law, to all the people, as vers. 3. So before, in Exodus 3. 16. draw out] separate from the resto[illegible: 2 letters]he flocke, and dest[illegible: 1 span]ate unto this end; as before in verse 5. 6. The Greeke translateth, Goe and take[illegible: 1 span] lambs] or, stocke beasts; of the sheepe or goats, as verse 5. So the Greeke and Chaldee translate it plurally: neither is the Hebrew word tson used for one particular lambe, but for many. Passeover] that is, the Paschall Lambe, called by figure of speech, and [illegible: 1 span]ally, the Passeover, as circumcision is called the covenant, G[illegible: 1 span]. [illegible: 1 letter]7. 13. the Rocke, Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. bread and wine, the body and bloud of Christ, Mark. 14. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 span]d many the [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] P[illegible: 1 span] followeth [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 span] Cor. 5. 7. Christ [illegible: 2 words] (that is, [illegible: 1 word]) is killed [illegible: 1 word]. Verse 22. hyssope] called in Hebrew, a[illegible: 1 span], in Greeke (by the Apostle) hyssopos, Heb. 9. 19. wherupon we English it eizop, or hyssope: but whether it were that herbe, which wee commonly call by that name, is uncertaine. It grew out of wals, 1 King. 4. 33. The Iewes write, that there were foure sorts of hyssope, and that this spoken of in the Law, was such as men used to eat of, and season po[illegible: 1 letter]tuge with. And the bunch spoken of, was three stalkes of hyssope bound together. Maimony in Misn. treat. Of the red Cow, chap. 3. S. 2. and chap. 11. S. 1. This herbe was used to sprinkle with, in other services, and purifications: See Exod. 24. 6. 8. Leviticus 14. 4. Num. 19. 6. 18. and signified the instrument wherby the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon, and applied unto our hearts, which is, the preaching of faith; for faith purifieth the heart of sinners, Acts 15. 9. and it commeth by the preaching of the Word, Rom. 10. 14.—17. which ministreth unto us the spirit. Galat. 3. 2. and wee are elect through sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 2. which purgeth our consciences from dead workes, to serve the living God, Hebr. 9. 14. See Psal. 51. 9. strike] or sprinkler. Hebrew, make touch: which the Greeke translateth set (or put) the Chaldee, sprinkle. not goe] This also was but at the Passeover in Egypt; for the present danger of death by the destroying Angells after, it was not required: and Christ with his Disciples, went out that night they are the Pasche, Matth. 26. 30. The houses of the Israelites thus sanctified by the paschall Lambe, and blood thereof; out of which they might not goe that night, (when great cries were in Egypt, verse 30.) signified the safety of Gods people by faith, keeping themselves in the holy assemblies, where Christ and his blood preserveth them from death, Acts 2. 47. 1 Ioh. 2. 19. So the Prophet warneth us, to enter into our chambers, and shut our doores about us, hiding our selves for a little moment, till the indignation be overpast; Esa. 26. 20. 21. So Noe was saved, being shut up in his Arke, Gen. 7. Rahab in her house, Ios. 2. 18. 19. Vers. 23. smite] or plague; as Exod. 8. 2. so after, and in verse 27. not give the destroyer] that is, not suffer him, as the Greeke translateth it. But the Hebrew speech is more forcible, to expresse Gods providence and hand in all things. As God by an Angell delivered his people, Num. 20. 16. so by an Angell he destroyed their enemies; as in the pestilence that was in Israel, he is called the Angell that destroyed the people, [illegible: 1 word] Sam. 24. 16. And Paul faith (speaking of this Passeover) lest hee that destroyed the first borne, should touch them; Heb. 11. 28. Compare also Psal. 78. 49. Vers. 24. this thing] Hebr. this word, the commandement of the Passeover every yeere: excepting the speciall rites forespoken of, that were onely observed in Egypt, vers. 7. 11. 12. Vers. 25. the land] of Canaan, Ios. 5. 10. 11. howbeit they kept it once in the wildernesse, before they came into the land, Num. 9. Vers. 26. what is?] that is, what signifieth? So both the outward [illegible: 2 letters]te, and the meaning of it, was to be taught to their children. Touching whom the Iewes hold from the Law, in Exod. 23. 14. 17. Deut. 16. 14. 16. that every child that could hold his father by the hand, and goe up from Ierusalem (gates) to the mountaine of the Temple, his father was bound to cause him to goe up, and to appeare (before God) with him, to the end he might catechize him in the commandements. And who so was bound to appeare, was bound to keepe the feast, Maimony in Hagigah, ch. 2. S. 3. 4. Also they say, A childe that is able to eate a morsell of bread; they catechize him in the commandements, and give him to eate so much as an olive of the vnlevened bread. Maimony treat. of Leven, and vnlevened bread, c. 6. S. 10. Ver. 27. bended,] and so humbly thanked God for this mercie: see Exod. 4. 31. in the annotations. Vers. 28. and did,] in faith Moses and they obeyed Gods word, for which it is witnessed of them; by faith he did (keepe) the Passeover, and the sprinkling of blood: that hee who destroyed the first-borne, might not touch them, Hebr. 11. 28. Vnto the keeping of this Passeover, the Hebrew Doctors do apply that speech in Song. 2. 9. My beloved is like a Roe, or a yong Hart; behold hee standeth behinde our wast, &c. thus: The congregation of Israel said; At what time the glory of the Lord was revealed in Egypt, in the might of the Passeover, and killed all the first-borne: he ascended upon swistlightning, and ran us a Roe, or as a yong Hart, and protected the houses wherin we were, and stood behinde our walls, and looked through the windowes, and shewed himselfe through the lattesses: and he saw the blood of the sacrifice of the Passover, (and the blood of Circumcision) which was sprinked on our gates: and from the high heavens he did behold; and saw his people, which did eate the sacrifice of the solemne feast, roasted with fire, with the purtenance, and with wild lettice, and unlevened cukes, and he spared us, and gave not the destroying Angell power for to destroy us. Thargum on Song. 2. 9. Vers. 29. at midnight:] at the time of mens most secure rest, when they say peace and safety; then commeth sudden destruction, 1 Thes. 5. 2. 3. 10, at midnight was acrymade, when all slumbred and slept, Matth. 25. 5. 6. and In a moment shall they dye, and at mid-night; Iob. 34. 20. where the Chaldee paraphrase apply [illegible: 1 word] it to the Egyptians here. The night, signifieth also the time of judgement. smote] that is, as the Chaldee expounded it, killed. And the Thargum called Ionathans, addeth, The world of the Lord, killed. every first-borne,] or, all the first-borne: to avenge the wrong they had done to Gods first-borne Israel, Exod. 4. 22. 23. These first-borne, were the beginning (or chiefest) of all their strength, Psal. 105. 36. the dignitie of such, is noted on Gen. 25. 31. And as the first-borne of Israel, whom God saved alive, figured his elect, called the Church of the first-borne, which are written in heaven, Heb. 12. 23. 10 the first-borne of Egypt whom God destroyed figured the Reprobate, on which Satan and the second death [illegible: 1 word] have power. This tenth plague[illegible: 2 letters] after celebrated, in Psal. 78. 51. and 105. 36. and 135. 8. and 136. 10. that sa[illegible: 1 letter]e] the Chaldee faith, that should sit. [illegible: 2 letters]e Exo. 11. [illegible: 1 span] prison house] or, [illegible: 1 word]. Hebrew, the house of the pit; which the Chaldee translateth, house of prisoners: where they ground at the mill, &c. Exod. 11. 5. Vers. 31. goe out:] to wit, hastily; for an extraordinary pricke in the Hebrew word, implyeth so much: see also Gen. 19. 14. Compare Matt. 25 6. where at midnight there was a cry made there was a crie made, Behold the bridegroome commeth, goe ye out to meet him. Vers. 32. blesse me,] that is, as the Chaldee translateth, pray for me. In that Pharaoh desired the prayers and blessing of Gods people, both before, (Exod. 8. 8. 28. and 9. 28. and 10. 16. 17.) and now at their departing: it sheweth, that in his heart he was convicted of sin, in oppressing Gods servants, and that with reluctation of conscience, he had refused to let Israel goe. Vers. 33. were urgent] or, were strong: and as the Greeke translateth, forcibly urged. This was with humble intreatie, Exod. 1[illegible: 1 letter]. 8. and they rejoyced when they went out, for the dread of them was fallen upon the, Psal. 105. 38. they said] the Ierusalemy Thargum expounds it, the Egyptians said, if Israel tarie one houre, toe all the Egyptians are dead men. Vers. 34 lumps of dough] [illegible: 1 letter]o the Greeke here translateth it. The word may also bee interp[illegible: 1 letter]eted, kneading troughes: see Exod. & 3. Vers. 35. jewels] or vessells, instruments: see Exod. 3. 22. and 11. 2 Psal. 10. 37. Vers. 36. grace] Hebrew, the grace of the people: see Exod. 3. 21. gave them their asking,] the Greeke translateth, lent unto them. Thus the promise to Abraham was fulfilled; They shall come out with great substance, Gen. 15. 14. Vers. 37. Rameses] a citie in Egypt, Gen. 47. 11. This journey began the 15 day, the day after the Passeover was killed; and they went out with an high hand, in the sight of all the Egyptians, Num. 33. 3. Succoth] by interpretation, Boothes, or Tabernacles: so called of the Israelites making them boothes of the boughes of treee, in this place: for perpetuall memorie whereof, God appointed a feast of boothes to be kept in Israel every yeere, Lev. 23. 42. 43. about 600000] & not afeeble person among them Psal. 105. 37. Thus the blessing of God in multiplying Israel was fulfilled, Gen. 15. 5. and 46. 3. The word about (or as it were) is not of doubt, or uncertaintie, but often affirmeth a thing fully and certainly: as is said of the Prophets, about 400. men, 1 King. 22. 6. which another expoundeth, Prop[illegible: 1 span]s 400 men, 2 Chron. 18. 5. Vers. 38. mixed people] Egyptians and other nations; (the Chaldee saith, many strangers) who were moved by Gods works shewed in Egypt, to goe out with Israel. These afterward fell a lusting, and turned away, Numb. 11. 4. great] Hebrew weightie possession: see the notes on Gen. 13. 2. Ver. 39. thrust out] as was foretold of God, Exodus 6. 1. A yeerely remembrance of this their manner of leaving Egypt, was by the feast of unlevened cakes, Deut. 16. 3. Vers. 40. dwelling] or, peregrination, that is [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 span]ng as strangers; for so the Greek translateth, and the Apostle confirmeth, [illegible: 1 word] Act. 13. 17. So in Exod. [illegible: 1 word] 15. Also Abraham was said to dwell in Canaan, Gen. 13. 12. who yet did but sojourne there, as in a strange country. Heb. 11. 9. And his dwelling is implyed also here. sonnes of Israel] these were sojourners with Abram in Canaan, in such sense as Lovely and tithes there, being yet in the loynes of his father, Heb. 7. 9. 10. For thinges done by the fathers, doe concerne the children: see Psalm. 66. 6. Hos. 12. 4. Amos 5. 25. 26. 27. dwelt] as strangers, that is, sojourned in Egypt: to which the Gr. addeth, and in the land of Cannaan, they and their fathers; which addition is, according to the true sense. 430. yeeres] These could not be all in Egypt, but must be understood of dwelling also in Canaan and Mesopotamia: for Kohath sonne of Levi, was one that came first into Egypt, Gen. 46. 8. 11. helived but 133. yeeres, Exod. 6. 18. Amram his sonne (the father of Moses) lived [illegible: 1 word] 37. yeeres, Exod. 6. 20. & Moses was but 80. yeeres old when he spake unto Pharaoh, for the release of Israel, Exod. 7. 7. and after 40. yeeres travell, in the wildernesse, he died 120. yeers old, Deut. 34. 7. so that their dwelling in Egypt was far short of 430. yeers, and must needs imply their fathers dwelling also in Canaan, even from the promise given to Abraham, Gen. 12. 1. 3. 4. 5. And this the Greeke version manifesteth, and the Apostle confirmeth, when he saith, that the Law was 430 yeeres after the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, with Abraham, Gen. 3. 16. 17. Vers. 41. selfe same] Hebrew, the body (or strength) of that day; as Gen. 17. 23. The Iew Doctors gathered from this, that God brought Israel forth at mid day, (as hee slew the first-borne of Egypt at mid-night). Pirkei R. Eliezer, chap. 48. And Moses saith, it was with an high hand, in the sight of all the Egyptians, Numb. 33. 3. But, for the beginning of their rising up to goe their journey, they are said to be brought forth by night, Deut. 16. 1. with Num. 3[illegible: 1 letter]. 30 armies] or hosts; meaning the tribes of Israel no. see Exod. 6. 26. Vers. 42. of observations,] that is, to bee much and carefully observed of the people. Vers. 43. the statute,] or ordinance; in Greeke, the law. strangers sonne] that is, paynim, or gentile: See Gen. 17. 12. This is meant whiles he continued in his unbeleefe, as appeareth by vers. 48. and so by proportion, forbiddeth all such as should forsake the faith: and the Chaldee paraphrast translateth it. no sonne of Israel that is apostate (or fal[illegible: 1 letter]e the faith) shall eate of it, So David calleth the persecuting Iewes strangers, Psal. 54. 5. and heathens. Psal. 59. 6. Also by the Iewes ancient canons, it [illegible: 1 word] let the Passeover bee eaten of any Apostata (that changed his true religion) or any idols [illegible: 1 word] or for[illegible: 1 letter]euer, or hired servant: Maimony in Korban Pesach. ch. 9. S. 7. And for uncleane persons; it be law forbiddeth such, Numb. 5. 2. 3. and 9. 6. and [illegible: 1 letter]9. [illegible: 1 letter]3. Verse. 44 height for] Hebrew, the purchase of silver that is, of money, or for any price. Compare [illegible: 1 span]sse lae of circumcision Gen. 17. 12. 13. [illegible: 1 span] shall] eate [illegible: 1 word] his voluntary entring [illegible: 1 span] with Israel and doe time for his cleansing; which by proportion with the law, Numb. 19. 11. was to bee seven daies. And so the Iewes observed, for any stranger that became a proselyte on the 14. day of the first moneth, and was then circumcised and baptised, yet they killed not the pascha for him, because he might not eate of it at evening, for he was as one comming out of the grave, [having been as Paul saith, dead in trespasses and sinnes, Ephes. 2. 1.] and hee must abide seven dayes, and afterward be cleane. Maimony in Korban Pesach, chap. 6. S. 7. Compare also herewith, Num. 31. 19. 24. Ios. 6. 23. Vers. 45. forreiner,] or sojourner, (as Gen. 23. 4.) one that dwelleth in the land, but not his owne; that hireth his house, or is an in-mate; (so differing from a stranger, who dwelt in another countrey) no such, nor hired person, might eate. Such forreiners, (leaving the worship of idols, and other heathenish practises) though not circumcised nor joyned to the Church, might dwell in the land of Israel, even in Priests houses, but were restrained from the holy things; see Lev. 22. 10. and 25. 6. 45. 47. Such a stranger the Iewes called Ger to shab, a so journer among them; or, a stranger within their gates (as Moses speaketh) Deut. 14. 21. and he was to submit unto the seven commandements given unto the sonnes of Noe; whereof see the notes on Gen. 9. 4. not eat:] and so by proportion, not have communion with the other rites, as sprinkling of the blood and the like, unlesse he were circumcised, ver. 48. So the Iewes explained this law, If they kill (the Passeover) for persons circumcised, and sprinkle the blood in the name of the circumcised and uncircumcised, it is unallowable) or abominable) for the sprinkling is a weighty matter, for it is the roote (the principall) of the sacrifice. Maimony in Korban Pesach. ch. 2. S. 6. Vers. 46. one house,] in the same house, or roome: which the Chaldee translateth, in one societie. The Iew Doctors explaine it thus: Who so eateth of the pasche may not eat, but in one societie, (or, in the same company) neither may they carie ought thereof out of the societie wherein they eat. And the flesh of the Passeover that is caried out of the society, whether presumptuously or ignorantly, is unlawfull to be eaten, &c. but must be burnt. Also, two societies that eat in one house, must each make them a signe (of distinction) &c. and the one company must turne their faces togetherward, and the other company must turne their faces together ward and eat, so that they appeare not mixed. Maimony in Korban Pesach, ch. 9. S. 1. 2. 3. abroad] or out: which the Iewes (as before is noted) doe understand, not onely of the streets, but not out of the roome nor society where it is to bee eaten. a bone:] to foreshew that not a bone of Christ our Passeover should be broken; as was fulfilled Ioh. 19. 33. 36. which signified his victory and deliverance out of affliction and death; (from which he rose the third day;) as Psal. 34. 20. 21. the Lord keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken. And in hope of resurrection, Ioseph gave charge of his bones, and they were caried into Canaan, Heb. 11. 22. Exo. 13. 19. The bones of the Passe over were burnt (with the flesh that remained, v. 10.) as is testified by the Hebrew Doctors, who also say, that though it were a little kid whose bones were tender, yet might they not eate them, for that were the breaking of the bones. Maimony in Korban Pesach, ch. 10. S. 2. 9. Vers. 47. doe it] that is, prepare, offer, and eate the pasche, as is ordained. For neglect, and not doing it, men were to be cut off, Numb. 9. 13. Vers. 48. a strangers,] The Greeke translateth; when any proselyte come unto you: and so the Chaldee saith; when a stranger shall become a proselyte (or joyne himselfe) with you. So this differeth from that which was before in v. 22. and also in ver. 45. and is meant of a third sort of strangers that were converts, in Greeke called proselytes, such as were joyned to the Iewes Church, Act. 13. 43. and 2. 10. Matth. 23. 15. Such they were wont to call strangers within the covenant; and just strangers; to distinguish them from strangers within the gates (that did but dwell among them) mentioned in Deut. 14. 21. and here in v. 45. doe the Passe-over] that is, keepe or celebrate it. This phrase is used in Matt. 26. 18. Heb. 11. 28. and then,] so not onely himselfe, but his male children must be circumcised, ere hee might bee admitted to the Passeover; for he was yet in his sinne, whiles his children were (through his default) uncircumcised; see Gen. 17. 12. 13. 14. Exod. 4. 24. 26. And thus the Iewes have interpreted this place, that as the circumcision of himselfe, (if it be omitted) debarreth him from doing the Passeover, so doth the circumcision of his sons, and of his servants, &c. and if hee kill it before hee doe circumcise them, it is unlawfull. Maimony in Korban Pesach, chap. 5. S. 5. uncircumcised:] the Chaldee turneth it, profane person. So God saith, No stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my Sanctuary, Ezek. 44. 9. And the Hebrew Doctors say, Whiles the power of uncleannesse, and the superfluous foreskin is upon him, hee is unfit to be united with the divine Maiesty, &c. R. Menachem on Exod. 12. Vers. 49. that sojourneth,] the Greeke here (as in ver. 48.) translateth, the proselyte that is come among you. So the obedient heathens, might by faith in Christ have part in all the holy things with Israel alwaies: for in Christ all are one, Galat. 3. 28. Act. 15. 9. And unto strangers, is promised inheritance with the tribes of Israel in the holy land, Ezek, 47. 22. 23. The Iew Doctors of old have thus written concerning this; Moses our master gave the inheritance of the Law and commandements to Israel onely, as it is written (Deut. 33. 4.) the inheritance of the congregation of Iakob: and unto any of the other nations that willingly joyned himselfe a proselyte, as it is written, (Numb. 15. 15.) as yeeare, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. But whosoever is not willing, they force him not to receive the law and the commandements. But they force all that come into the world, to receive the commandements given to the sonnes of Noe, [whereof see on Gen. 9. 4.] and who so receiveth not them, is killed; and be that receiveth them, is called the stranger that sojourneth, &c. Maimony in Misneh treat. of Kings, ch. 8. S. 10. Likewise in their commentary upon Exodus, called Elle shemoth rabbah, upon Exod. 12. they say, This is that which is written (in Esay. 56. 3.) And let not the sonne of the stranger that hath joyned himselfe to the Lord, speake saying. The Lord hath utterly separated mee: for Iob saith The stranger shal not lodge in the street, (Iob 31. 32.) And why? Because the holy blessed (God) exeludeth no creature, but receiveth all. For his gates are open every houre, and whosoever would be received in, he entreth and is received. For this it was said by Iob, the stranger shall not lodge in the street. And againe he saith in the person of God, I will open my doores to the traveller, (Iob. 31. 32.) Rabbi Barachias said, In whose person speaketh Iob this? Doubtlesse because it shall be that the strangers shall be Priests, ministring to the holyblessed (God:) as it is written, and the stranger shall be joyned them, (Esay 14. 1.) and this joyning is not meant but of the Priests, as it is written, joyne mee unto one of the Priests offices, (1 Sam. 2. 36.) For it shall come to passe, that proselytes shall eate of the Shew-bread, &c.