Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 12
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying," — Exodus 12:1 (ASV)
This chapter was written some time after the Exodus, probably when Moses compiled the portions of the book toward the end of his life. The statements that these instructions were given in the land of Egypt, and that they were given to Moses and Aaron, are important: the one marks the special dignity of this ordinance, which was established before the Sinaitic code; the other marks the distinction between Moses and Aaron and all other prophets. They alone were prophets of the law, that is, no law was promulgated by any other prophets.
"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." — Exodus 12:2 (ASV)
This month - Abib (Exodus 13:4). It was called “Nisan” by the later Hebrews, and nearly corresponds to our April. The Israelites are directed to take Abib from now on as the beginning of the year; the year previously began with the month Tisri, when the harvest was gathered in; see (Exodus 23:16). The injunction concerning Abib or Nisan referred only to religious rites; in other affairs they retained the old arrangement, even in the beginning of the Sabbatic year; see (Leviticus 25:9).
"Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers` houses, a lamb for a household:" — Exodus 12:3 (ASV)
A lamb - The Hebrew word is general, meaning either a sheep or a goat—male or female—and of any age; the age and sex are therefore especially defined in the following verse. The direction to select the lamb on the tenth day, the fourth day before it was offered, was intended to ensure due care in the preparation for the great national festival. The custom certainly fell into disuse at a later period, but probably not before the destruction of the temple.
"and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man`s eating ye shall make your count for the lamb." — Exodus 12:4 (ASV)
Tradition specifies ten as the least number; but the matter was probably left altogether to the discretion of the heads of families.
The last clause should be rendered: each man, according to his eating, you shall count for the lamb.
"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old: ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:" — Exodus 12:5 (ASV)
Without blemish - This is in accordance with the general rule (margin reference): although in this case there is a special reason, since the lamb was in place of the firstborn male in each household. The restriction to the first year is unique, and refers apparently to the condition of perfect innocence in the antitype, the Lamb of God.
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