and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that the entire community of Israel, not just priests, was responsible for the Passover sacrifice, signifying that every person directly participated in this act of redemption. The specific timing, "between the two evenings," points to a crucial window of time that later traditions extended, but originally meant a specific period in the late afternoon before full sunset.
and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of God's detailed instructions for the very first Passover, given just before the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. It follows the selection of the lamb on the tenth day and precedes the command to put its blood on the doorposts. This specific directive explains that the lamb is to be kept for four days and then collectively sacrificed by all Israel on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.
Why four days? The time before the Passover lamb was chosen wasn't just idle waiting.
God's instructions for the Passover were incredibly specific, and this included a four-day period between choosing the lamb and its sacrifice.
A Time for Careful Selection
From the tenth day of the month, the lamb was to be set apart. This wasn't a casual choice. It allowed for thorough inspection, ensuring the lamb was truly without blemish – a perfect symbol. This period was a divine appointment for careful consideration and preparation.
Foreshadowing Greater Things
This specific timing also points forward. Jesus entered Jerusalem on the tenth of Nisan, four days before His crucifixion, mirroring the lamb's selection. This deliberate overlap highlights the Passover's prophetic significance, pointing to Christ as the ultimate sacrifice.
When exactly was 'the evening'? This seemingly small detail held significant meaning.
The Hebrew phrase 'between the two evenings' (beyn ha'arbayim) has been debated, but it points to a specific window of time for the Passover sacrifice.
More Than Just Sunset
While one interpretation places it at sunset, the more common understanding, supported by later Jewish practice and the context of other sacrifices, indicates a period starting in the afternoon and extending towards sunset (roughly 3 PM onwards).
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A Symbol of Christ's Sacrifice
Crucially, this timeframe directly aligns with the time of Jesus' crucifixion. As the Passover lambs were being sacrificed, Christ, our ultimate Passover Lamb, was also giving His life. This overlap wasn't accidental; it powerfully illustrates Christ fulfilling the Passover symbolism.
Who was responsible for the Passover sacrifice? It wasn't just the priests.
The command for the 'whole assembly of the congregation of Israel' to kill the lamb reveals a profound truth about God's people.
Collective Responsibility
Unlike many other sacrifices that were offered by priests on behalf of the people, the Passover lamb was to be killed by the people themselves, likely by the head of each household acting for their family. This emphasized that the entire nation was involved in this pivotal act of redemption.
A Priestly People
This communal participation underscored the idea that Israel was a 'kingdom of priests.' Every family had a direct role in securing their deliverance. This foreshadows the New Testament concept that all believers are called to be priests, having direct access to God through Christ.
Understand the original words
ʿēdâ · Hebrew Noun
A gathering or gathering together, often referring to the people of God organized for worship, instruction, or action under His covenant. In the OT, it frequently denotes the nation of Israel as a community set apart by God.
bēin hāʿarbāyim · Hebrew Noun phrase
The specific time of day between sunset and total darkness, often designated in the OT for ritual slaughter or the evening sacrifice. It symbolizes the transition between day and night.
The instructions in Exodus 12 for selecting and preparing the Passover lamb on the tenth day, to be sacrificed four days later on the fourteenth, were unique to the very first Passover. This specific timing and process were tied directly to the imminent exodus from Egypt and the final plague, setting the stage for Israel's dramatic liberation.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Exodus from Egypt
Following generations of slavery, God miraculously leads the Israelites out of Egypt, initiating their journey to the Promised Land. This event marks the foundational moment of their national identity and covenant relationship with God.
c. 1446 BC
Institution of the Passover
The night before their departure, God institutes the Passover. This sacred meal, with its specific instructions for selecting, sacrificing, and consuming the lamb, serves as a memorial of their liberation and God's protective judgment.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues and Final Judgment
The Passover lamb's blood on the doorposts protected Israelite homes from the final plague: the death of every firstborn in Egypt. This decisive act broke the Pharaoh's hold and secured the Israelites' freedom.
c. 1446 BC
Journey into the Wilderness
After their miraculous escape, the Israelites begin their long journey through the Sinai wilderness towards Mount Sinai. The Passover observance would continue to remind them of their God-given deliverance as they faced new challenges.
This passage describes Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the tenth of Nisan, four days before the Passover, mirroring how the lamb was set aside on this day for later sacrifice, highlighting a significant parallel to Christ's own path to the cross.
Hebrews 1:2This verse speaks of God speaking 'in these last days by his Son,' connecting the 'evening' time of the Passover lamb's sacrifice to the 'evening of the world' or the end times when Christ, our ultimate Passover, would come.
1 Peter 1:19-20It describes Christ as a lamb without blemish, chosen before the foundation of the world, echoing the spotless nature required of the Passover lamb and its preordained sacrifice at the 'end of the age.'
Matthew 27:46This passage places Jesus' cry on the cross at the ninth hour, which corresponds to the time the Passover lamb was typically sacrificed, drawing a powerful connection between the literal lamb and Christ, our Passover sacrifice.
Revelation 1:6This verse declares believers to be 'a kingdom, priests to his God,' aligning with the original institution of the Passover where the head of each family, acting as a priest, offered the sacrifice, emphasizing the priestly role of all God's people.
cambridgeExodus 12:6: "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."
6 . ye shall keep it up ] Heb. it shall be to you for a keeping : cf. Exodus 16:23 ; Exodus 16:32-34 , Numbers 17:10 [Heb. 25], Exodus 19:9 . the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel ] Cf. for the pleonasm Numbers 14:5 . between the two evenings ] one of P’s technical expressions: of the Passover, as here, Leviticus 23:5 ,…
clarkeExodus 12:6: "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."
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…
This verse highlights that the entire community of Israel, not just priests, was responsible for the Passover sacrifice, signifying that every person directly participated in this act of redemption. The specific timing, "between the two evenings," points to a crucial window of time that later traditions extended, but originally meant a specific period in the late afternoon before full sunset.
This verse is part of God's detailed instructions for the very first Passover, given just before the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. It follows the selection of the lamb on the tenth day and precedes the command to put its blood on the doorposts. This specific directive explains that the lamb is to be kept for four days and then collectively sacrificed by all Israel on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.
This verse is part of God's detailed instructions for the very first Passover, given just before the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. It follows the selection of the lamb on the tenth day and precedes the command to put its blood on the doorposts. This specific directive explains that the lamb is to be kept for four days and then collectively sacrificed by all Israel on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.
"and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight." — This verse highlights that the entire community of Israel, not just priests, was responsible for the Passover sacrifice, signifying that every person directly participated in this act of redemption.…
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Last reviewed October 2026