Exodus 12:6
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)
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The text emphasizes that the entire congregation is responsible for the Passover lamb, not just individuals. This collective responsibility foreshadows how Jesus, our Passover, is not just for one person or group but for all of Israel and, by extension, all who believe.
God is giving the Israelites final instructions for the very first Passover, the night before they will be freed from slavery in Egypt. This lamb, chosen on the tenth day of the month, is to be kept under observation for four days before the entire community is to slaughter it on the evening of the fourteenth day, a critical step before God's final plague. This specific timing and ritual were unique to this first Passover and foreshadowed Jesus' sacrifice.
Did you know the lamb wasn't just picked out and then immediately sacrificed? This passage reveals a crucial waiting period, a time of focused preparation that highlights God's intentionality.
A Four-Day Vigil
The instruction to "keep it up until the fourteenth day" (Exodus 12:6) means the lamb was chosen on the tenth day of the month and carefully guarded for four days.
This wasn't just about finding a suitable animal. This extended period served several vital purposes:
Who was actually supposed to kill the Passover lamb? This verse points to a surprising responsibility placed on everyone, not just a select few.
A Nation of Priests
The phrase "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it" (Exodus 12:6) signifies a profound truth about God's people.
While later traditions might have centralized sacrificial duties, the initial command highlights:
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 specific timing of selecting the lamb four days before the Passover meal (on the 10th of Nisan) was a unique practice for the very first Passover, serving as a tangible anticipation of God's deliverance and, for later believers, a foreshadowing of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
The Israelites have been in Egypt for centuries, and their population has grown significantly, leading to fear and oppression by the Egyptian rulers. This sets the stage for God's intervention and the Passover.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Instructions for the First Passover
God gives Moses and Aaron detailed instructions for the very first Passover meal to be observed by the Israelites before their exodus from Egypt. This includes selecting a lamb, keeping it for four days, and the specific timing of its sacrifice.
c. 1446 BC
The Tenth of Nisan Selected
The lamb or kid for the Passover sacrifice is to be set aside on this day, the 10th of Nisan. This practice of setting the lamb aside four days before was unique to the first Passover.
c. 1446 BC
The First Passover Meal
The Israelites follow God's instructions, sacrificing the lamb on the evening of the 14th of Nisan and eating the meal in haste with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. This act of faith marks their deliverance.
This passage describes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the tenth of Nisan, four days before his crucifixion, paralleling how the Passover lamb was selected on the tenth and kept until the fourteenth, highlighting the meticulous timing of God's redemptive plan.
1 Corinthians 5:7Paul explicitly calls Jesus our 'Passover lamb that has been sacrificed,' directly linking the ancient Passover ritual, including the selection and timing of the lamb, to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
Hebrews 1:2This verse speaks of God speaking to us 'in these last days by his Son,' which connects to the timing of the Passover sacrifice being 'in the evening' or the 'last days' of the world's age, pointing to Christ's ultimate sacrifice as the fulfillment.
Matthew 27:46The precise time of Jesus' crucifixion, around the ninth hour (3 PM), aligns with the traditional understanding of 'between the two evenings' when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, underscoring the symbolic parallel between the lamb and Christ.
1 Peter 1:19Peter refers to Christ as a 'lamb without blemish or spot,' echoing the requirement for the Passover lamb to be perfect and without defect, emphasizing Christ's purity as the sacrifice.
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…
The text emphasizes that the entire congregation is responsible for the Passover lamb, not just individuals. This collective responsibility foreshadows how Jesus, our Passover, is not just for one person or group but for all of Israel and, by extension, all who believe.
God is giving the Israelites final instructions for the very first Passover, the night before they will be freed from slavery in Egypt. This lamb, chosen on the tenth day of the month, is to be kept under observation for four days before the entire community is to slaughter it on the evening of the fourteenth day, a critical step before God's final plague. This specific timing and ritual were unique to this first Passover and foreshadowed Jesus' sacrifice.
God is giving the Israelites final instructions for the very first Passover, the night before they will be freed from slavery in Egypt. This lamb, chosen on the tenth day of the month, is to be kept under observation for four days before the entire community is to slaughter it on the evening of the fourteenth day, a critical step before God's final plague. This specific timing and ritual were unique to this first Passover and foreshadowed Jesus' sacrifice.
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The timing of the Passover sacrifice, "in the evening," is more specific than it first appears. This 'between the two evenings' carries significant meaning.
The Crucial 'Between'
The phrase "between the two evenings" (Exodus 12:6) refers to a specific window of time, though its exact interpretation has been debated.
Most scholars agree it indicates the period from mid-afternoon until sunset.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Following the Passover and the tenth plague, the Israelites are finally released from Egypt after 430 years of bondage, marking a pivotal moment in their history.
Later Israelite History
Regular Observance of Passover
After the initial institution, the Passover becomes an annual feast, though some specific practices of the first Passover, like selecting the lamb on the 10th of Nisan, are not repeated.
"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." — The text emphasizes that the entire congregation is responsible for the Passover lamb, not just individuals. This collective responsibility foreshadows how Jesus, our Passover, is not just for one…
