A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. One of another nation, and one that was only hired by the day, week, or year; as they were not obliged to circumcision, so without it they had no right to eat of the passover, none but such as became proselytes of righteousness. read more
In one house shall it be eaten ,.... For though there might be more lambs than one eaten in a house, where there were a sufficient number to eat them; and there might be more societies than one in a house, provided they kept themselves distinct, and were large enough each of them to eat up a lamb; yet one lamb might not be eaten in different houses, a part of it in one house, and a part of it in another; which may denote the unity of the general assembly and church of the firstborn, and the... read more
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. The passover, and the feast of unleavened bread only; for a Gentile was first to be circumcised, and be joined to the congregation, and then partake of it, and not before. read more
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, Who by so doing became a proselyte of the gate, he observing the commands of the sons of Noah: and will keep the passover of the Lord ; is desirous of being admitted to that ordinance: let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near, and keep it : first himself, and then all his male children and male servants, and then, and not till then, he might approach to this ordinance, and observe it; for by this means he would become a... read more
One law shall be to him that is homeborn ,.... A proper Israelite, one that is so by descent: and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you ; that becomes a proselyte to the true religion; these were both bound by the same law, and obliged to observe the same rites and ceremonies, and partook of the same ordinances, benefits, and privileges; this was a dawn of grace to the poor Gentiles, and presignified what would be in Gospel times, when they should be fellow citizens with the... read more
Thus did all the children of Israel ,.... They slew a lamb, and roasted and ate it, with unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, and took a bunch of hyssop, and dipped it in the blood, and struck the lintel and the side posts of the doors of their houses: this they did on the night of their deliverance out of Egypt: as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they ; being instructed by them; which is an instance of their ready and cheerful obedience to the divine will, which they were... read more
And it came to pass the selfsame day ,.... That the above ordinance was instituted and celebrated in the night: that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, by their armies ; by their several tribes, which were like so many armies, marching in large numbers, and with great order and regularity; see Gill on Exodus 7:4 . read more
The month Abib is to be considered as the commencement of the year, Exodus 12:1 , Exodus 12:2 . The Passover instituted; the lamb or kid to be used on the occasion to be taken from the flock the tenth day of the month, and each family to provide one, Exodus 12:3 , Exodus 12:4 . The lamb or kid to be a male of the first year without blemish, Exodus 12:5 . To be killed on the fourteenth day, Exodus 12:6 , and the blood to be sprinkled on the side posts and lintels of the doors, ... read more
This month shall be unto you the beginning of months - It is supposed that God now changed the commencement of the Jewish year. The month to which this verse refers, the month Abib, answers to a part of our March and April; whereas it is supposed that previously to this the year began with Tisri, which answers to a part of our September; for in this month the Jews suppose God created the world, when the earth appeared at once with all its fruits in perfection. From this circumstance the Jews... read more
Get a Bible verse delivered to your inbox every day!
Read on Mobile
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:44
But every man's servant that is bought for money ,.... And so his own property: when thou hast circumcised him ; as such an one ought to be, according to the covenant of circumcision given to Abraham, Genesis 17:13 , though one should think not without his consent; wherefore care was to be taken to purchase such servants as would be willing to conform to that rite, and pains were to be taken with them to instruct them in it, and persuade them to it; to which, when they had submitted,... read more