Leviticus 23:5-6
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The verse states the Passover is "in the first month, on the fourteenth day," but the key detail often missed is the specific timing: "at twilight." This phrase, meaning "between the two evenings," refers to the period from mid-afternoon until sunset, a crucial window for the Passover observance and a subtle hint at the transition from day to night, life to deliverance.
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage kicks off the chapter on the appointed feasts of the Lord by immediately establishing the Passover as the first and foundational observance. It's about setting the rhythm for Israel's year, beginning with a commemoration of their liberation from slavery in Egypt. This immediately precedes the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing a week of remembering their hurried exodus and God's protective faithfulness.
The timing of the Passover sacrifice wasn't just any old evening. It held a specific, critical window.
The verse pinpoints the Passover to the "fourteenth day of the first month at even." The Hebrew word for 'even' here, 'bein ha-arbayim,' literally means 'between the two evenings.' This phrase was interpreted differently by various Jewish groups, but it generally referred to the period from mid-afternoon until sunset.
This specific timing was crucial. It marked the transition point – the moment when the death angel passed over Egypt while sparing those marked by the lamb's blood. It symbolized a moment of judgment and deliverance, a pivotal point in history.
For us, it highlights how God often works in transition, in the liminal spaces between what was and what is yet to come.
This wasn't just a feast; it was a command, a memorial, and a profound act of covenant.
Leviticus 23:5 declares the Passover as 'the LORD's Passover.' This wasn't a human invention or a cultural tradition; it was God's ordinance, established by Him for a specific purpose.
The primary purpose was remembrance. It was to be a perpetual memorial (Exodus 12:14) of God's mighty act of deliverance from slavery in Egypt. This deliverance wasn't just physical freedom; it was a demonstration of God's covenant faithfulness and His power over the oppressor.
By eating the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, the Israelites were to actively participate in the memory of their redemption, internalizing both the sacrifice (the lamb) and the haste of their departure (unleavened bread, bitter herbs representing affliction).
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Understand the original words
pecach · Hebrew Noun
The commemorative feast celebrating the Lord’s sparing of the firstborn of Israel during the final plague in Egypt. It serves as a profound typology of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, who delivers His people from judgment.
matstsah · Hebrew Noun
A seven-day festival following Passover, characterized by the removal of leaven (yeast) from the home. It symbolizes the removal of sin and the haste with which Israel departed from Egypt.
matstsah · Hebrew Noun
Leaven typically represents sin, corruption, or moral impurity in the Bible. To eat unleavened bread is to live in purity and holiness before God.
This passage details the original institution of the Passover, explaining the specific instructions for the lamb, the blood on the doorposts, and the haste of the departure, all of which are foundational to understanding Leviticus 23:5.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8Paul directly connects the Passover lamb to Jesus Christ, calling believers to live in sincerity and truth, reflecting the spiritual reality behind the ancient festival.
John 19:14This verse mentions the 'sixth hour' on the day of preparation for the Passover, highlighting the specific timing and significance of the Passover meal in relation to Jesus' crucifixion.
Matthew 26:17-20This passage describes Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples, which becomes the setting for the institution of the Lord's Supper, a New Covenant parallel to the Passover.
clarkeLeviticus 23:5: "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover."
The Lord's passover - See this largely explained in the notes on Exodus 12:21-27 (note).
calvinLeviticus 23:1-44: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Alloquere filios Israel, et dic eis, Quum ingressi fueritis terrain quam ego do vobis, et messueritis messem ejus, tunc offeretis omnes primitias messis vestrae ad sacerdotem.
And he shall wave the shea…
The verse states the Passover is "in the first month, on the fourteenth day," but the key detail often missed is the specific timing: "at twilight." This phrase, meaning "between the two evenings," refers to the period from mid-afternoon until sunset, a crucial window for the Passover observance and a subtle hint at the transition from day to night, life to deliverance.
This passage kicks off the chapter on the appointed feasts of the Lord by immediately establishing the Passover as the first and foundational observance. It's about setting the rhythm for Israel's year, beginning with a commemoration of their liberation from slavery in Egypt. This immediately precedes the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing a week of remembering their hurried exodus and God's protective faithfulness.
This passage kicks off the chapter on the appointed feasts of the Lord by immediately establishing the Passover as the first and foundational observance. It's about setting the rhythm for Israel's year, beginning with a commemoration of their liberation from slavery in Egypt. This immediately precedes the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing a week of remembering their hurried exodus and God's protective faithfulness.
"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread." — The verse states the Passover is "in the first month, on the fourteenth day," but the key detail often missed is the specific timing: "at twilight." This phrase, meaning "between the two evenings," r…
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Last reviewed October 2026
