04/13/2025
Readings for Pesach
Day 1
Exodus 12:21-51
Exodus 12:21-51
Tree of Life Version
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, select lambs for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. [a] 22 You are to take a bundle of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply it to the crossbeam and two doorposts with the blood from the basin. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning. 23 Adonai will pass through to strike down the Egyptians, but when He sees the blood on the crossbeam and the two doorposts, Adonai will pass over that door, and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you down. 24 Also you are to observe this event as an eternal ordinance, for you and your children.
25 “When you come into the land which Adonai will give you as He has promised, you are to keep this ceremony. 26 Now when it happens that your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 You are to say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Adonai’s Passover, because He passed over the houses of Bnei-Yisrael in Egypt, when He struck down the Egyptians, but spared our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshipped.
28 Then Bnei-Yisrael went and did it. They did just as Adonai had commanded Moses and Aaron. 29 So it came about at midnight that Adonai struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn cattle.[b]
30 Then Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was loud wailing in Egypt. For there was not a house where someone was not dead. 31 So he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, go out from my people, both you and Bnei-Yisrael, go, serve Adonai as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you said, and be gone! But bless me, too.”
33 Now the Egyptians urged the people, sending them out of the land quickly, for they thought, “We will all be dead!” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 So Bnei-Yisrael acted according to the word of Moses. They asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. 36 Adonai gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and let them have what they asked for. So they plundered the Egyptians.
37 Then Bnei-Yisrael journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 men on foot, as well as children. 38 Also a mixed multitude went up with them, along with the flocks, herds and heavy livestock. 39 They had baked matzot cakes from the dough that they brought out of Egypt. It had no hametz, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not delay, so they had not made provisions for themselves.
40 Now the time that Bnei-Yisrael lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 So it happened at the end of 430 years, to the very day, that all the armies of Adonai went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching for Adonai to bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is a night of vigil for Adonai, for all Bnei-Yisrael throughout their generations.
43 Then Adonai said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may eat it, 44 but every man’s servant that is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it. 45 Nor should a visitor or hired servant eat it. 46 It is to be eaten inside a single house. You are not to carry the meat out of the house, nor are you to break any of its bones. [c] 47 All the congregation of Israel must keep it. 48 But if an outsider dwells with you, who would keep the Passover for Adonai, all his males must be circumcised. Then let him draw near and keep it. He will be like one who is native to the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat from it. 49 The same Torah applies to the native as well as the outsider who dwells among you.”
50 So all Bnei-Yisrael did so. They did just as Adonai commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 It was on that very day that Adonai brought Bnei-Yisrael out of the land of Egypt as armies.
Footnotes
a. Exodus 12:22 cf. Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7; 1 Cor. 5:7.
b. Exodus 12:29 cf. Heb. 11:28.
c. Exodus 12:47 cf. John 19:33, 36.
