translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EXO

label: NET study note

text: Chapter details the culmination of the ten plagues on Egypt and the beginning of the actual deliverance from bondage. Moreover, the celebration of this festival of Passover was to become a central part of the holy calendar of Israel. The contents of this chapter have significance for NT studies as well, since the Passover was a type of the death of Jesus. The structure of this section before the crossing of the sea is as follows: the institution of the Passover ( 12:1-28 ), the night of farewell and departure ( 12:29-42 ), slaves and strangers ( 12:43-51 ), and the laws of the firstborn ( 13:1-16 ). In this immediate section there is the institution of the Passover itself ( 12:1-13 ), then the Unleavened Bread ( 12:14-20 ), and then the report of the response of the people ( 12:21-28 ).


text: B. Jacob ( Exodus , 294-95) shows that the intent of the passage was not to make this month in the spring the New Year – that was in the autumn. Rather, when counting months this was supposed to be remembered first, for it was the great festival of freedom from Egypt. He observes how some scholars have unnecessarily tried to date one New Year earlier than the other.


text: Later Judaism ruled that “too small” meant fewer than ten (S. R. Driver, Exodus , 88).


text: Bread made without yeast could be baked quickly, not requiring time for the use of a leavening ingredient to make the dough rise. In Deut 16:3 the unleavened cakes are called “the bread of affliction,” which alludes to the alarm and haste of the Israelites. In later Judaism and in the writings of Paul, leaven came to be a symbol of evil or corruption, and so “unleavened bread” – bread made without yeast – was interpreted to be a picture of purity or freedom from corruption or defilement (S. R. Driver, Exodus , 90-91).


text: This ruling was to prevent their eating it just softened by the fire or partially roasted as differing customs might prescribe or allow.


text: For additional discussions, see W. H. Elder, “The Passover,” RevExp 74 (1977): 511-22; E. Nutz, “The Passover,” BV 12 (1978): 23-28; H. M. Kamsler, “The Blood Covenant in the Bible,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 94-98; A. Rodriguez, Substitution in the Hebrew Cultus ; B. Ramm, “The Theology of the Book of Exodus: A Reflection on Exodus 12:12 ,” SwJT 20 (1977): 59-68; and M. Gilula, “The Smiting of the First-Born: An Egyptian Myth?” TA 4 (1977): 94-85.


text: This refers to an assembly of the people at the sanctuary for religious purposes. The word “convocation” implies that the people were called together, and Num 10:2 indicates they were called together by trumpets.


text: The hyssop is a small bush that grows throughout the Sinai, probably the aromatic herb Origanum Maru L. , or Origanum Aegyptiacum . The plant also grew out of the walls in Jerusalem ( 1 Kgs 4:33 ). See L. Baldensperger and G. M. Crowfoot, “Hyssop,” PEQ 63 (1931): 89-98. A piece of hyssop was also useful to the priests because it worked well for sprinkling.


text: This expression “the sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover” occurs only here. The word זֶבַח ( zevakh ) means “slaughtering” and so a blood sacrifice. The fact that this word is used in for the peace offering has linked the Passover as a kind of peace offering, and both the Passover and the peace offerings were eaten as communal meals.


text: The next section records the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and so becomes the turning point of the book. Verses 28 and 29 could be included in the exposition of the previous section as the culmination of that part. The message might highlight God’s requirement for deliverance from bondage through the application of the blood of the sacrifice, God’s instruction for the memorial of deliverance through the purging of corruption, and the compliance of those who believed the message. But these verses also form the beginning of this next section (and so could be used transitionally). This unit includes the judgment on Egypt (29-30), the exodus from Egypt (31-39) and the historical summation and report (40-42).


text: Or so it seemed. One need not push this description to complete literalness. The reference would be limited to houses that actually had firstborn people or animals. In a society in which households might include more than one generation of humans and animals, however, the presence of a firstborn human or animal would be the rule rather than the exception.


text: God was destroying the tyrant and his nobles and the land’s economy because of their stubborn refusal. But God established friendly, peaceful relations between his people and the Egyptians. The phrase is used outside Exod only in Gen 39:21 , referring to Joseph.


text: See B. Jacob, “The Gifts of the Egyptians; A Critical Commentary,” Journal of Reformed Judaism 27 (1980): 59-69.


text: The wilderness itinerary begins here. W. C. Kaiser records the identification of these two places as follows: The name Rameses probably refers to Qantir rather than Tanis, which is more remote, because Qantir was by the water; Sukkoth is identified as Tell el Maskhuta in the Wadi Tumilat near modern Ismailia – or the region around the city (“Exodus,” EBC 2:379). Of the extensive bibliography, see G. W. Coats, “The Wilderness Itinerary,” CBQ 34 (1972): 135-52; G. I. Davies, “The Wilderness Itineraries: A Comparative Study,” TynBul 25 (1974): 46-81; and J. T. Walsh, “From Egypt to Moab. A Source Critical Analysis of the Wilderness Itinerary,” CBQ 39 (1977): 20-33.


text: For the use of this word in developing the motif, see Exod 2:17, 22; 6:1; and 11:1 .


text: Here as well some scholars work with the number 430 to try to reduce the stay in Egypt for the bondage. Some argue that if the number included the time in Canaan, that would reduce the bondage by half. S. R. Driver ( Exodus , 102) notes that P thought Moses was the fourth generation from Jacob ( 6:16-27 ), if those genealogies are not selective. has Levi – Kohath – Amram – Moses. This would require a period of about 100 years, and that is unusual. There is evidence, however, that the list is selective. In 1 Chr 2:3-20 the text has Bezalel (see Exod 31:2-5 ) a contemporary of Moses and yet the seventh from Judah. Elishama, a leader of the Ephraimites ( Num 10:22 ), was in the ninth generation from Jacob ( 1 Chr 7:22-26 ). Joshua, Moses’ assistant, was the eleventh from Jacob ( 1 Chr 7:27 ). So the “four generations” leading up to Moses are not necessarily complete. With regard to , K. A. Kitchen has argued that the four names do not indicate successive generations, but tribe (Levi), clan (Kohath), family (Amram), and individual (Moses; K. A. Kitchen, Ancient Orient and Old Testament , 54-55). For a detailed discussion of the length of the sojourn, see E. H. Merrill, A Kingdom of Priests , 75-79.


text: This military term is used elsewhere in Exodus (e.g., 6:26; 7:4; 12:17, 50 ), but here the Israelites are called “the regiments of the Lord.”


text: The section that concludes the chapter contains regulations pertaining to the Passover. The section begins at v. 43 , but vv. 40-42 form a good setting for it. In this unit vv. 43-45 belong together because they stress that a stranger and foreigner cannot eat. Verse 46 stands by itself, ruling that the meal must be eaten at home. Verse 47 instructs that the whole nation was to eat it. Verses 48-49 make provision for foreigners who may wish to participate. And vv. 50-51 record the obedience of Israel.