Deuteronomy 16:1
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This verse doesn't just remind them to celebrate Passover; it grounds that command in God's powerful, night-time action of deliverance. The emphasis on "by night" highlights the supernatural timing and the dramatic suddenness of their freedom, a stark contrast to the long, dark oppression they had endured.
“Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the beginning of Moses instructing the Israelites about the major pilgrimage festivals they must observe. After detailing laws for avoiding idolatry, he shifts focus to joyful remembrance of God’s saving power, starting with Passover, which commemorates their miraculous exodus from Egypt. The emphasis is on observing this specific month, Abib, and recounting the night God brought them out of slavery, setting the stage for the subsequent instructions on the Passover feast itself and the other festivals.
Why does the Bible specifically mention the 'month of Abib' for Passover? It's a clue to God's deep connection with His creation and His people.
The month of Abib, which corresponds to our March-April, wasn't just a random date on the calendar. Its name literally means 'young ears of grain,' pointing to the new life and growth emerging in the land of Israel.
A Sign of New Beginnings
God chose this time, when the land was bursting with new life, to bring His people out of slavery. This wasn't a coincidence! It was a powerful symbol of the new life and freedom He was giving them.
Connecting with the Land
This name rooted the observance in the natural world, linking the grand event of the Exodus to the rhythms of the earth. It was a way for God's people to see His hand in both the monumental acts of salvation and the daily provision of life.
The Exodus happened 'by night.' What's so significant about that detail, and how does it connect to the name 'Passover'?
The phrase 'by night' in Deuteronomy 16:1 carries immense weight. It refers to the terrifying night when God's judgment fell upon Egypt, but 'passed over' the homes of His people.
Divine Judgment and Deliverance
This was the pivotal moment: God executed judgment on Egypt's gods and firstborn, demonstrating His supreme power. For Israel, it was a night of divine protection, secured by the blood of the sacrificial lamb sprinkled on their doorposts.
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The Name 'Passover'
The very name 'Passover' (Pesaḥ) comes from God's action of 'passing over' the Israelite homes. It's a constant reminder that their freedom wasn't earned by their strength, but by God's decisive, protective intervention during a night of judgment.
Understand the original words
abib · Hebrew Noun
The first month of the Hebrew calendar, occurring in the spring, marking the time of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It symbolizes a new beginning and the inception of Israel as a covenant nation.
pesach · Hebrew Noun
A primary festival instituted by God to commemorate the sparing of the firstborn of Israel during the final plague in Egypt. It functions as a foundational type for Christ's sacrifice as the perfect Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting the covenantal, personal name of God, YHWH. It implies His self-existence, eternal faithfulness, and His active presence in the history of His people.
This passage details the institution of the Passover, explaining its origin in the tenth plague and the divine instruction to mark the doorposts with blood to 'pass over' the Israelite homes. Deuteronomy 16:1 is a command to remember and observe this foundational event.
Exodus 13:3-10This text reiterates the command to observe the Passover festival, emphasizing that it is a perpetual ordinance to remember God's mighty act of bringing Israel out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 16:1 echoes this perpetual remembrance of the exodus.
Numbers 9:1-14This passage records a situation where some Israelites were unable to observe the Passover at the appointed time and God provides an alternative, secondary observance. This highlights the importance and strictness with which the Passover was to be kept, as commanded in Deuteronomy 16:1.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8The Apostle Paul uses the Passover imagery, stating that Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed, urging believers to live with sincerity and truth. This New Testament passage shows how the command in Deuteronomy 16:1 finds its ultimate fulfillment and spiritual significance in Christ.
clarkeDeuteronomy 16:1: "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night."
Keep the passover - A feast so called because the angel that destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, seeing the blood of the appointed sacrifice sprinkled on the lintels and door-posts of the Israelites' houses, passed over Them, and did not destroy any of their firstborn. See the notes on Exodus 12:2 , and Exodus 12:3…
cambridgeDeuteronomy 16:1: "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night."
1 . Observe ] As of the Sabbath, Deuteronomy 16:12 . month of Abib ] Abib = young ears of corn ( Exodus 9:31 ; Leviticus 2:14 ) and the month fell in our March–April. So E and J ( Exodus 13:4 ; Exodus 23:15 ; Exodus 34:18 ). The name, belonging to the early agricultural calendar, was replaced after the Exile by the name N…
This verse doesn't just remind them to celebrate Passover; it grounds that command in God's powerful, night-time action of deliverance. The emphasis on "by night" highlights the supernatural timing and the dramatic suddenness of their freedom, a stark contrast to the long, dark oppression they had endured.
This verse marks the beginning of Moses instructing the Israelites about the major pilgrimage festivals they must observe. After detailing laws for avoiding idolatry, he shifts focus to joyful remembrance of God’s saving power, starting with Passover, which commemorates their miraculous exodus from Egypt. The emphasis is on observing this specific month, Abib, and recounting the night God brought them out of slavery, setting the stage for the subsequent instructions on the Passover feast itself and the other festivals.
This verse marks the beginning of Moses instructing the Israelites about the major pilgrimage festivals they must observe. After detailing laws for avoiding idolatry, he shifts focus to joyful remembrance of God’s saving power, starting with Passover, which commemorates their miraculous exodus from Egypt. The emphasis is on observing this specific month, Abib, and recounting the night God brought them out of slavery, setting the stage for the subsequent instructions on the Passover feast itself and the other festivals.
"“Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night." — This verse doesn't just remind them to celebrate Passover; it grounds that command in God's powerful, night-time action of deliverance. The emphasis on "by night" highlights the supernatural timing a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
