A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake unto Moſes and A…ron in the land of Egypt, &c.]
It is not preciſely expreſſed when the Lord ſpake this which here followeth to Moſes and Aaron concerning the inſtitution of the Paſſeover; yet moſt probably it may be gathered …hat it was before the three dayes darkneſſe, wherewith the Lord puniſhed the Egyptians: for the Paſſeover was kept on the foureteenth day, the day after the firſt-born of the Egyptians were ſlain; and it ſeems it was but the day before the thirteenth day, when Moſes being ſent for to Pharaoh, immediately after that darkneſſe was over, and finding he would not diſmiſſe the Iſraelites, denounced that laſt plague, the death of the firſt-born, and that it ſhould befall them the night following, chap. 11. 4, 5. Thus ſaith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midſt of Egypt, and all the first-born in the land of Egypt ſhall die. Now theſe directions concerning the Paſſeover were given before the tenth day of this ſeventh monethmonth; for upon the tenth day they were enjoyned (as we ſee her ver. 3.) to ſet apart the lambe which was to be eaten at the Paſſeover.
Verſ. 2. This monethmonth ſhall be unto you the beginning of moneths.]
That is, the monethmonth Abib. See chap. 13. 4. This day came ye out in the monethmonth Abib, which in the Chaldee tongue was alſo called Niſan and contained for the moſt part ſome of our March, and ſome of our April; whereas formerly they began their year with the monethmonth Ethanim, or after the Chaldees Tiſri, which agreeth with our September, as is evident Exod. 23. 16. where we may ſee that one year ended, and another began at the feaſt of in gathering, which was after all their harveſt. Now in remembrance of this their miraculous deliverance they were appointed to begin it with this monethmonth, which was formerly the ſeventh in number. And yet this account was af…erward kept onelyonly in Eccleſiaſticall affairs: for the Jubilees and ſuch other civil affairs, it began as it had done before, Lev. 25. 8, 9, 10.
Verſ. 3. In the tenth day of this monethmonth they ſhall take to them every man a lambe, &c.]
To wit, the very day whereon afterwards the Iſraelites entre d the land of Canaan, Joſh. 4. 19. The people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the firſt monethmonth. Now a lambe, or a kid (for that is added ver. 5. Ye ſhall take it out from the ſheep, or from the goats) was appointed to be ſet apart on this day for the Paſſeover; and that no doubt as a ſignificant type and figure of Chriſt, who is therefore called our Paſſeover ſacrificed for us, 1. Cor. 5. 7. and by the Baptiſt, John 1. 29. the lambe of God which taketh away the ſinnes of …he world. For as theſe lambes were taken away from the reſt of the flock, ſo was Chri…t taken from among men, Hebr. 5. 1. and was indeed a man as other men are, and ſent into the world by his bloud to ſave us from death: and the lambe being of all creatures the moſt harmleſſe, meek, and profitable, it was the fitter to be a ſhadow of him in whom the truth of theſe things was tranſcendently eminent.
Verſ. 6. And ye ſhall keep it up untill the foureteenth day of the ſame monethmonth.]
There is no mention made of this ſeparating the Paſchall lambe from the flock foure dayes before the feaſt, in other places where the Paſſeover is commanded. At this time it was thus ordered, both that it might be in a readineſſe, and not be to ſeek when they were encumbred with buſineſſe about their going away; eſpecially that in this, as in other things, it might be a type of Chriſt, who was holy, harmleſſe▪ undefiled, and ſeparate from ſinners; and that there was ſuch a degree of perfection required in him who was to be offered up as a ſacrifice of propitiation for us, as was no where amongſt men to be found.
And the whole aſſembly of the congregation of Iſra…l ſhall kill it in the evening.]
In the Hebrew it is between the two evenings. The meaning of this may thus be underſtood: The naturall day from ſunne to ſunne the Jews uſed to divide into foure parts, the firſt was from ſunneriſing to nine in the forenoon; the ſecond contained the three following houres, from nine to twelve, and was called the ſixth ho…re; the third contained the three next, from twelve to three in the afternoone, and was called the ninth houre; the fourth reached from thence unto ſunſetting: ſo that between three a clock in the afternoon (which was the firſt evening) and ſunſetting (which is here reckoned the other evening) was the time appointed for the killing of the Paſſeover, at which time alſo Chriſt the true Paſchall lambe dyed for us, as is evident Matth. 27. 46. 50. And about the ninth houre Jeſus cryed with a loud voyce, Eli, Eli, &c. verſ. 50. Jeſus, when he had cryed again with a loud voice, yielded up the Ghoſt. And ſo, Once in the end of the world appeared to put away ſinne by the ſacrifice of himſef, Heb. 9. 27.
Verſ. 7. And they ſhall take of the bloud, and ſtrike it on the two ſidepoſts, &c.]
In the 13. verſe the reaſon is expreſſed why the Lord enjoyned the Iſraelites thus to ſtrike the bloud of the Paſchall lambe, on the two ſidepoſts, and on the upper dorepoſt of the houſes wherein they did eat it, The bloud (ſaith the Lord) ſhall be to you for a token upon the houſes where you are, and when I ſee the bloud I will paſſe over you, and the plague ſhall not be upon you to deſtroy you. And hence we may probably gather, that this alſo was ordained onelyonly for this Paſſeover in Egypt, when the deſtroying angel was to paſſe over the Iſraelites houſes that had their doores ſprinkled with the bloud of the lambe, and not for future times; 2. That hereby alſo was ſignified the applying of Chriſts bloud by faith, to the hearts of believers, which is called the ſprinkling of the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, 1. Pet. 12. 3. That where two ſmaller houſeholds joyned together for the eating of the Paſchall lambe, either they all continued together that following night in the houſe wherein they eat, or elſe that the doores of both their houſes had the blo…d of the lambe ſprinkled upon them.
Verſ. 8. And they ſhall eat the fleſh in that night; roſt with fire, and unleavened bread, and with bitter herbs, &c.]
This roſting of the lambe was chiefly enjoyned, with reſpect unto the great haſte and ſpeed they were to make, becauſe, it might be ſooner made ready by roſting then by ſeething; and withall it ſignifyed the bitterneſſe of Chriſts paſſion. So likewiſe the unleavened bread did betoken haſte alſo, for unleavened cakes are ſooner made. But withall it ſignified, if they will be Gods peculiar people they muſt be purged from all thoſe old ſuperſtitions and corruptions wherein they live that have not this intereſt in God▪ 1. Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedneſſe; but with the unleavened bread of ſincerity and truth. And as for the bitter herbs that were eaten with it, they were a memoriall of their bitter bondage in Egypt, and withall a type of our mortification, and read…neſſe to undergo afflictions with Chriſt.
Verſ. 9. Eat not of it raw, nor ſodden at all with water, but roſt with fire, his head with his legges, &c.]
Meaning that the lambe muſt be roſted all and whole: not ſo much but the inward parts (after they had been taken out and waſhed) muſt be put in again and roſted with the reſt: whereby may well be ſignified our communion with Chriſt whole and undivided, 1. Cor. 1. 13. Is Chriſt divided? &c. Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Chriſt: Nevertheleſſe I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the ſonne of God, &c.
Verſ. 10. And ye ſhall let nothing of it remain untill the morning, &c.]
Becauſe he would not have them imployed to any other uſe then what he had appointed. And beſides it might ſignifie that when the morning of the Goſpel came, there ſhould be no more uſe of thoſe Legall ſhadows.
Verſ. 11. And thus ſhall ye eat it; with your loyns girded, your ſhoes on your feet, &c.]
Theſe ceremonies were alſo peculiar to that Paſſeover in Egypt, and therefore not obſerved by Chriſt. They were principally intended as an expreſſion of their faith concerning their ſudden going out of Egypt, which God had promiſ…d.
Verſ. 12. And againſt all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement, &c.]
It may well be meant, of Gods confounding their Idole-Gods by puniſhing the people that worſhipped them, and delivering the Iſraelites whom they had kept in bondage: for hereby God diſcovered the vanity of thoſe Idoles, and as it were laid their honour in the duſt. But becauſe, Numb. 33. 4. Moſes ſpeaks of this executing judgements upon their gods, as a ſeverall act from that of killing their firſt-born, I rather conceive, that hereby is meant either the killing of the firſt-born of thoſe beaſts which they worſhipped as gods; or elſe, that ſome ſuch notable accident befell the Egyptian Idoles as did the Philiſtines Dagon before the Ark.
Verſ. 14. And this day ſhall be unto you for a memoriall, &c.]
Here begins the direction for the obſervation of the Paſſeover in ſucceeding generations.
You ſhall keepit a feaſt by an ordinance for ever.]
That is, untill the coming of Chriſt who is our Paſſeover for ever; ſince whoſe paſſion there is a like ſacrament uſed alſo in the Church of the new Teſtament, in remembrance of his death untill he come.
Verſ. 15. Seven dayes ſhall ye eat unleavened bread, &c.]
This number of dayes was appointed, both becauſe ſeven (being a full and perfect number) figured the whole time of their life, wherein they were ſtill to remember with thankfulneſſe this deliverance; and alſo becauſe the deſtruction of the Egyptians in the red ſea followed ſeven dayes after the Iſraelites went out of Egypt. Now the firſt of theſe ſeven dayes was the fifteenth day of this monethmonth, and began at the evening, immediately after the eating of the Paſſeover, which they did at the very latter end of the fourteenth day.
Whoſoever eateth leavened bread from the firſt day untill the ſeventh day, that ſoul ſhall be cut off from Iſrael.]
This phraſe in this place ſignifieth not onelyonly the cutting of them off from the communion and ſociety of the Saints both in this life and in the next; as in Gen. 17. 14. The uncircumciſed manchild, whoſe fleſh of his foreskin is not circumciſed, that ſoul ſhall be cut off from his people; but alſo the cutting of them off by death, as in the like caſe, Exod. 31. 14. Ye ſhall keep the Sabbath therefore, &c. every one that defileth it ſhall ſurely be put to death: for whoſoever doth any work therein, that ſoul ſhall be cut off from among his people.
Verſ. 16. No manner of work ſhall be done in them, ſave that which every man muſt eat, that onelyonly may be done of you.]
And yet this might not be done on the Sabbath, as is clear Exod. 16. 5. 23. 29. On the ſixth day they ſhall prepare that which they bring in, and it ſhall be twice as much as they gather dayly. To morrow is the reſt of the holy Sabbath▪ bake that which you will bake to day, &c. and Exod. 35. 23. Ye ſhall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day.
Verſ. 22. And none of you ſhall go out at the doore of his houſe untill the morning.]
This alſo was onelyonly for the Paſſeover in Egypt (for Chriſt with his diſciples went out that night. Matth. 26. 30. And when they had ſung an hymne, they went out into the mount of Olives) and it was commanded, by this ſigne to teach thee that it was the bloud of Chriſt, the true Paſchal lambe, whereby they muſt be defended from the deſtroying angel.
Verſ. 24. And ye ſhall obſerve this thing for an ordinance for thee and for thy ſonnes for ever.]
That is, the commandment of the Paſſeover, and the feaſt of unleavened bread (but not thoſe ceremonies, verſ. 7, 11, 12. which were appointed for this Paſſeover in Egypt onelyonly) you and your children ſhall obſerve them for ever, to wit, during the time of the Sanctuary and the Legall ſervice: for thus this word for ever is often uſed in the Scripture▪ with reſpect to the thing ſpoken of, as Pſal. 89. 1. I will ſing the mercies of God for ever, that is, as long as I live.
Verſ. 25. When ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, &c. ye ſhall keep this ſervice.]
The command for keeping the Paſſeover was therefore chiefly intended for the land of Canaan, howbeit they kept it once in the wilderneſſe, Numb. 9.
Verſ. 29. Unto the firſt-born of the captive that was in the dungeon, &c.]
Where they ground at the mill, Exod. 11. 5. Even unto the firſt-born of the maid ſervant that is behind the mill.
Verſ. 30. And there was a great cry in Egypt: for there was not a houſe where there was not one dead.]
Either therefore the eldeſt and chief of the family was ſlain in thoſe houſes where there were no children; or elſe the words muſt be taken figuratively, there was not a houſe where there was not one dead, that is, there was not a houſe that had a firſt-born where there was not one dead; or there was ſcarce any houſe without one dead in it generally, the firſt-born were ſlain in every houſe, as elſewhere the Scripture uſeth the like expreſſion; Jer. 5. 1. Runne ye to and fr… through the ſ…reets of Jeruſalem, and ſee now, and know, and ſeek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgement, that ſeeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. John 12. 19. Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold▪ the world is gone after him.
Verſ. 31. And he called for Moſes and Aaron by night, &c.]
That is, Pharaoh ſent meſſengers to Moſes and Aaron, to call them up, and bid them preſently to go away with the Iſraelites as they had deſired. For that Moſes and Aaron went not now to Pharaoh, may be probably gathered from that which Moſes had ſaid to Pharaoh a while before, chap. 10. 29. Thou haſt ſpoken well, I will ſee thy fac… again no more. Yea indeed ſo violent were the people in haſtening them away, that it is not likely they would allow the delay of their going to Pharaoh.
Verſ. 33. And the Egyptians were urgent with the people, &c.]
With humble and earneſt entreaties, Exod. 11. 8. And all theſe thy ſervants ſhall come down unto me, and bow down themſelves unto me, ſaying, Get thee out, &c.
Verſ. 35. And they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of ſilver, &c.]
To wit, at that time when they were going away. I know that many Expoſitours hold tha… this was done before, betwixt the plague of the three dayes darkneſſe and this laſt of the death of their firſt-born. But I ſee no reaſon why we ſhould not think it was done in the order as here it is related, eſpecially conſidering that when the Egyptians were now in ſuch diſtraction of ſorrow, and thereupon ſo importunate with the Iſraelites to go, they were moſt likely to lend them whatever they would deſire to borrow, that they might haſten them to be gone.
Verſ. 36. And they ſpoyled the Egyptians.]
To wit, by carrying away their jewels and other ornaments which they had borrowed of them. It is evident (according to our tranſlation) that the Iſraelites, alledging that they we…e to keep a ſolemn feaſt unto the Lord in the wilderneſſe, deſired of their neighbours the Egyptians their jewels of ſilver and gold for their uſe at that time, and that the Egyptians lent them thoſe things, as not knowing nor believing any other but that they intended onelyonly a three dayes journey into the wilderneſſe, there to ſacrifice unto the Lord; yet withall as evident it is that they never intended to reſtore them again, but to carry them quite away, and that not onelyonly by Gods permiſſion but by his expr…ſſe command; for he had enjoyned them by Moſes to do ſo, chap. 11. 2. and had told them that by this means they ſhould ſpoyl the Egyptians, chap. 3. 22. So that the moſt that can be conceived in the behalf of the Iſraelltes herein▪ is this; that they did not ſay they would bring theſe things again, but onelyonly deſired them of the Egyptians for their uſe in keeping a feaſt unto the Lord concealing and diſſembling what farther they intended, to wit, to carry them quite away with them. Now in all thi…, notwithſtanding we cannot charge the Iſraelites with ſinne, becauſe they therein obeyed the commandment of God, whoſe word to obey can never be …il: And much leſſe can we charge God with unrighteouſneſſe, God forbid: His will is the ſupreme rule of all righteouſneſſe▪ and needs it muſt be good and juſt which he commands. Beſides all that is in the world is Gods; and is it not lawfull for him to do what he will with his own? Matth. 20. 15. The riches of the Egyptians were more Gods then theirs: and moſt juſt it was with God by this means to recompence the Iſraelites for the hard ſervice and injuries they had ſuffered in Egypt, and as it were to pay them their wages, which the Egyptians had moſt unjuſtly detained from them.
Verſ. 37. The children of Iſrael journeyed from Rameſes to Succoth.]
Which ſignifieth boothes; ſo called, becauſe there the Iſraelites made them boothes of the boughs of trees, in remembrance whereof was the feaſt of tabernacles, Levit. 23.
About ſix hundred thouſand foot, that were men, beſides children.]
This ſhews the virtue of that promiſe, Gen. 46. 3. I am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation.
Verſ. 38. And a mixed multitude went up alſo with them, &c.]
That is, ſtrangers, men of ſeverall Nations, both ſuch as were ſervants to the Iſraelites, and others ſojourning there, who were moved by Gods mighty works to go out of Egypt with them; and that doubtleſſe the rather, becauſe Egypt muſt now needs be in a ſad eſtate, by ſo many grievous plagues, as God had brought upon them.
Verſ. 40. The ſojourning of the children of Iſrael, who dwelt in Egypt, was foure hundred and thirty years.]
The ſpeech is figurative: for the meaning is, that from Abrahams calling out of Chaldea to ſojourn in the land of Canaan, unto this departure of the Iſraelites out of Egypt, was foure hundred and thirty years: as St Paul explains it, Gal. 3. 17. And this I ſay, that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Chriſt, the Law which was foure hundred and thirty years after cannot diſanull, &c. See the notes upon Gen. 15. 13.
Verſ. 46. Neither ſhall ye break a bone thereof.]
This was enjoyned the Iſraelites, as moſt other of the ceremonies that were to be obſerved in eating the Paſchall lambe, that it might put them in mind in what haſte they were at their going out of Egypt, when they were firſt commanded to keep this ordinance; and that becauſe they that eat in haſte do not uſe to ſtand breaking of the bones that they may pick out the marrow from thence. But withall God intended hereby the more manifeſtly to diſcover that the Paſchall lambe was a type of Chriſt our Paſſeover, or Paſchall lambe, as the Apoſtle calls him, 1. Cor. 5. 7. in whom there ſhould be an exact accompliſhment of the truth of this figure: for when the ſouldiers had broken the legges of the two thieves that were crucified with Chriſt (which they uſed to do to them that were crucified before they were yet dead, thereby to mak… their ſufferings the greater) coming to Chriſt and finding that he vvas dead already, they brake not his legges: And theſe things were done (ſaith St John chap. 19. 36.) that the Scripture ſhould be fulfilled, A bone of him ſhall not be broken.