Exodus 12:21-32 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:29

And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt ,.... The midnight of the fifteenth of Nisan, as the Targum of Jonathan, when fast asleep, and thoughtless of any danger; and it being at such a time must strike with a greater horror and terror, when sensible of the blow, which might be attended with a great noise, that might awaken the rest: from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne ; the heir to his crown, who was to have sat upon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:30

And Pharaoh rose up in the night ,.... Being awakened by the uncommon noise he heard: he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians ; he and his nobles, and ministers of state, courtiers, and counsellors, and his subjects in common, perhaps everywhere in his kingdom, but particularly in the metropolis: and there was a great cry in Egypt ; throughout the whole land, the firstborn being everywhere slain, which caused a most dreadful lamentation of parents for their eldest son, of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:31

And he called for Moses and Aaron by night ,.... Not that Pharaoh went in person, but he sent his servants to call them; for they never saw his face more after he had drove them from his presence; but now was fulfilled what Moses told him, that his servants should come to him in a very suppliant manner, and entreat him and his people to get away in all haste, Exodus 10:28 . Where Moses and Aaron now were is not certain, probably in the city, or suburbs of it, where Pharaoh's palace was,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:32

Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said ,.... Which they had insisted upon should go with them, but he had refused, but now he is willing they should go with them: and be gone ; out of his city and country in all haste: and bless me also ; or pray for me, as the Targum of Onkelos; pray the Lord to bestow a blessing upon me also, as I have done well by you in suffering you to depart with your whole families, flocks, and herds. The Targum of Jonathan is,"I desire nothing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:21

Kill the passover - That is, the lamb, which was called the paschal or passover lamb. The animal that was to be sacrificed on this occasion got the name of the institution itself: thus the word covenant is often put for the sacrifice offered in making the covenant; so the rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4 ; bread and wine the body and blood of Christ, Mark 14:22 , Mark 14:24 . St. Paul copies the expression, 1 Corinthians 5:7 ; : Christ our passover (that is, our paschal lamb) is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:22

A bunch of hyssop - The original word אזוב ezob has been variously translated musk, rosemary, polypody of the wall, mint, origanum, marjoram, and Hyssop: the latter seems to be the most proper. Parkhurst says it is named from its detersive and cleansing qualities, whence it was used in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb, in cleansing the leprosy, Leviticus 14:4 , Leviticus 14:6 , Leviticus 14:51 , Leviticus 14:52 ; in composing the water of purification, Numbers 19:6 ,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:26

What mean ye by this service? - The establishment of this service annually was a very wise provision to keep up in remembrance this wonderful deliverance. From the remotest antiquity the institution of feasts, games, etc., has been used to keep up the memory of past grand events. Hence God instituted the Sabbath, to keep up the remembrance of the creation; and the passover to keep up the remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt. All the other feasts were instituted on similar reasons. The... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:27

It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover - We have already intimated that the paschal lamb was an illustrious type of Christ; and we shall find that every thing in this account is typical or representative. The bondage and affliction of the people of Israel may be considered as emblems of the hard slavery and wretchedness consequent on a state of sinfulness. Satan reigns over both body and soul, bringing the whole into subjection to the law of sin and death; while various evil tempers,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:29

Smote all the first born - If we take the term first-born in its literal sense only, we shall be led to conclude that in a vast number of the houses of the Egyptians there could have been no death, as it is not at all likely that every first-born child of every Egyptian family was still alive, and that all the first-born of their cattle still remained. And yet it is said, Exodus 12:30 , that there was not a house where there was not one dead. The word therefore must not be taken in its... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:30

There was a great cry - No people in the universe were more remarkable for their mournings than the Egyptians, especially in matters of religion; they whipped, beat, tore themselves, and howled in all the excess of grief. When a relative died, the people left the house, ran into the streets, and howled in the most lamentable and frantic manner. See Diod. Sicul., lib. i., and Herod., lib. ii., c. 85, 86. And this latter author happening to be in Egypt on one of their solemnities, saw myriads... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:29

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:30

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:32

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:26

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:27

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:29

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 12:30

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