Death and Unleavened Bread
Background and Printed Text: Exodus chapters 11 and 12
Exodus 11:1 And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “I will bring one further strike upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward, he will send you from this. He finished according to his sending. Thrusting, he will thrust you from this!
2 “Speak thou, na, in the ears of the people. And they have asked a man from with his neighbour and a woman from with her neighbour utensils of silver and utensils of gold.” 3And Yehovah gave favour of the people in the eyes of Egypt. The man Draw [Moshe] is also very big in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of the slaves of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of the people!
4And Draw [Moshe] said, “So said Yehovah, ‘As halving the night, I am exiting in the midst of Egypt. 5And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die—from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting upon his chair unto the firstborn of the slave-woman who is after the millstones, and every firstborn of beast.’ 6And a big scream will be in all the land of Egypt that was not like him, and will not increase like him. 7And a dog will not cut his tongue to all the children of Israel to/from a man and unto a beast, so that ye will know that Yehovah will segregate between Egypt and between Israel! 8And all these thy slaves will descend unto me. And they will worship to me to say, ‘Exit thou!—thou and all the people that is with thy feet!’ And afterward I will exit.” And he exited from with Pharaoh via heats of nose!
9And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Pharaoh will not hearken unto you so that my wonders are multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10And Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] did all these wonders to the faces of Pharaoh. And Yehovah gripped the heart of Pharaoh. And he did not send the children of Israel from his land.
Chapter 12
Exodus 12:1 And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe] and unto Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] in the land of Egypt to say, 2 “This month is the head of months to you. He is the first to you to the months of the year.
3 “Speak-ye unto all the congregation of Israel to say, ‘In the 10th to this month, and they have taken to them a man a lamb for the house of fathers, a lamb for a house. 4And if the house will-be-too-little from being from a lamb, and he will take, and his neighbour near unto his house, via the blanketing of beings.’ Ye will blanket a man to the mouth of his eating concerning the lamb.
5 “A perfect male son-of-a-year lamb will be to you. Ye shall take from the sheep and from the goats. 6And he shall be to you for a guarding until the 14th day to this month. And ye shall slaughter him between the evenings—all the congregation of the witness of Israel.
7 “‘And they shall take from the blood. And they shall give upon two of the doorposts and upon the lintel, upon the houses in which they will eat him.
8 “‘And they shall eat the flesh in this night roasted of fire. And they shall eat him, Matzahs upon bitternesses.’ 9Ye shall not eat from him raw and boiling, boiled in water, but rather fire-roasted, his head upon his knees and upon his approach.
10 “And ye shall not make-remain from him unto morning. And ye shall burn the remainder from him unto morning in fire.
11 “And ye shall eat him thus: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your walking-staff in your hand. And ye shall eat him in haste—he is the Skip-Over to Yehovah!
12 “And I will cross-over in the land of Egypt in this night. And I will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt from Adam and unto cattle. And I will do justices via all gods of Egypt. I am Yehovah!
13 “And the blood shall be to you for a sign upon the houses where ye are. And I will see the blood. And I will skip-over above you. And the strike will not be in you for a slaughter when I smite in the land of Egypt.
14 “And this day shall be to you for a remembrance. And ye shall solemnize him a solemnity to Yehovah to your generations. Ye shall solemnize him, a statute of Hider!
15 “Ye shall eat Matzahs seven days. Indeed, ye shall make-cease leaven from your houses in the first day. For every eater of vinegar, and that being shall-be-cut-off from Israel from the first day unto the seventh day.
16 “And a calling of a Holy-[One] is in the first day. And a calling of a Holy-[One] shall be to you in the day seven. He will not do any errand in them. He alone shall do for you only what he will eat for every being.
17 “And ye shall guard the Matzahs. For in this selfsame day I made-exit your armies from the land of Egypt. And ye shall guard this day to your generations, a statute of Hider. 18Ye shall eat Matzahs in the evening in the first, in the 14th day to the month, unto the day one and twenty to the month in the evening.
19 “Leaven will not be found in your houses seven days. For every eater from vinegar, and that being—in a sojourner and in a native of the land—shall be cut-off from the witness of Israel! 20Ye shall not eat every vinegar! Ye shall eat Matzahs in all your dwellings!”
21And Draw [Moshe] called to all elders of Israel. And he said unto them, “Draw-ye and take-ye a flock to you—to your families. And slaughter-ye the Skip-Over! 22And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop. And ye shall immerse in blood that is in a basin. And ye shall cause-to-touch unto the lintel and unto two of the doorposts from the blood that is in the basin.”
“And ye, ye shall not exit—a man from the opening of his house—unto morning. 23And Yehovah will cross-over to smite Egypt. And He will see the blood upon the lintel and upon two of the doorposts. And Yehovah will Skip-Over above the opening. And He will not give the Slaughterer to come unto your houses to smite.
24 “And ye shall guard this speech for a statute to thee and to thy children unto Hider. 25And he shall be when ye shall come unto the land that Yehovah will give to you just-as He spoke. And ye shall guard this service!
26 “And he shall be, for your children shall say unto you, ‘What is this service to you?’ 27And ye shall say, ‘He is the Sacrifice of Skip-Over to Yehovah Who Skipped-Over above the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt in His smiting Egypt! And He rescued our houses!’”
And the People bowed. And they worshipped. 28And they walked. And the children of Israel did just-as Yehovah commanded Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]—they did so!
29And he was in the half of the night. And Yehovah smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits upon his chair unto the firstborn of the captive who is in the house of the pit, and every firstborn of cattle! 30And Pharaoh arose that night, and all his slaves, and all Egypt. And a big scream was in Egypt. For there is not a house where there is no death there!
31And he called to Draw [Moshe] and to Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]… night!… and said, “RISE-YE! EXIT-YE FROM THE MIDST OF MY PEOPLE!—also ye! Also the children of Israel! And walk-ye! Serve-ye Yehovah as ye spoke— 32also your flock! Take-ye also your herd just-as ye spoke! And WALK! And bless-ye also me!”
33And Egypt was strong upon the People to hurry to send them from the land. For they said, “All of us are dead-[ones]!”
34And the People lifted his dough before he will ‘vinegarize,’ their kneadingtroughs bound-up in their clothes upon their shoulder. 35And the children of Israel did as Draw [Moshe] spoke. And they asked from Egypt utensils of silver and utensils of gold and clothing. 36And Yehovah gave the favour of the People in the eyes of Egypt. And they asked them. And they rescued Egypt.
37And the children of Israel journeyed from Raamses to Succot as 600,000 feet of the valiant-ones, beside a little-one. 38And also a great mixture ascended with them, and a very heavy flock and herd of livestock!
39And they baked the dough that they made-exit from Egypt, discs of Matzah. For it was not ‘vinegarized;’ for they were forced from Egypt. And they were not able to WHAT?WHAT? themselves. And they also did not make victuals for themselves.
40And the settlement of the children of Israel where they lived in Egypt is 30 year[s] and 400 year[s]. 41And he was from the end of 30 year[s] and 400 year[s]. And he was in this selfsame day. All armies of Yehovah exited from the land of Egypt! 42He is a night of guardings to Yehovah to make-exit from the land of Egypt! He is this night to Yehovah, guardings to all the children of Israel to their generations!
43And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], “This is the statute of the Skip-Over: Every son of a foreigner will not eat in him. 44And every slave, a man bought of silver and thou hast ‘fronted’ him, then he will eat in him. 45A sitter and a hireling—he will not eat in him. 46He shall be eaten in one house. Thou shalt not make-exit outside from the house from the flesh. And ye shall not break a bone in him. 47All the witness of Israel—they shall do him!
48 “And if a sojourner will sojourn with thee and will do Skip-Over to Yehovah, ‘front’ to him—every male! And then he will approach to do him. And he shall be as a native of the land. And every foreskin shall not eat in him! 49One teaching will be to the native and to the sojourner sojourning in your midst.” 50And all the children of Israel did just-as Yehovah commanded Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]—they did so!
51And he was in this selfsame day. Yehovah made-exit the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their armies!
I. Finished! (verse 1)
Yehovah told Pharaoh, “I will bring one further strike upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward, he will send you from this.” Yehovah then added, “According to his sending, he finished.” This will be the last of Pharaoh’s refusing to send the Israelis.
Yehovah told Moshe how Pharaoh will deal with the Israelis: “Thrusting, he will thrust you from this!”
Questions
1. Why did Yehovah view what He was about to do as a strike?
2. Why did Yehovah attack Egypt when the Egyptians couldn’t do anything about what their leader caused?
3. To what does this refer in “Afterward, he will send you from this”?
4. What does “He finished according to his sending” mean? Identify the pronouns (He and his).
5. Explain “Thrusting, he will thrust you from this”:
II. Utensils of Silver and Gold (verses 2-3)
Yehovah gave Moshe an assignment for the Israelis to do. He must speak this in the ears of the people of Israel. Each man and woman must ask from an Egyptian neighbour for utensils of silver and gold.
Yehovah gave favour into the eyes of Egypt toward the Israelis; otherwise, they wouldn’t have given precious valuables.
Moshe is very big in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh’s slaves, and in the eyes of the people!
Questions
1. How could Moshe speak in the ears of the people of Israel? Wouldn’t that take years?
2. Did the Israelis only have to ask for utensils of silver and gold? What is a utensil?
3. What happened when “Yehovah gave favour of the people in the eyes of Egypt”?
4. Did the Egyptians feel threatened into giving these items?
5. What does “Moshe is very big in the land” mean?
6. Moshe was very big in the eyes of what groups?
III. The Firstborn Warning (verses 4-8)
Moshe came to Pharaoh. He gave him terrifying information for the next . He told them, “So said Yehovah, ‘As halving the night, I am exiting in the midst of Egypt.’” Halving the night refers to midnight.
Yehovah’s speech continued, “And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die—from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting upon his chair unto the firstborn of the slave-woman who is after the millstones, and every firstborn of beast.” Yehovah will kill every firstborn in Egypt!
“And a big scream will be in all the land of Egypt that was not like him, and will not increase like him.” The Egyptians will respond with screams to all the dead firstborn. While these screams will occur through Egypt, Yehovah explained what would happen in Israel: “And a dog will not cut his tongue to all the children of Israel to/from a man and unto a beast, so that ye will know that Yehovah will segregate between Egypt and between Israel!” (The dog cutting his tongue refers to barking.)
“And all these thy slaves will descend unto me.” Yehovah gave this speech to Moshe! All Pharaoh’s slaves will descend unto Moshe! “And they will worship to me to say, ‘Exit thou!—thou and all the people that is with thy feet!’” The slaves of Pharaoh will beg Moshe to leave with all the Israelis, including the entire people at Moshe’s feet!
Moshe continued, “And afterward I will exit.” Moshe then left Pharaoh with great anger!
Questions
1. What does “As halving the night” mean?
2. Where is Yehovah going if He is exiting in the midst of Egypt?
3. What will Yehovah do in Egypt?
4. Why is Yehovah attacking the firstborn, when some of those are little children and babies?
5. What does “the slavewoman who is after the millstones” mean?
6. Isn’t Yehovah’s killing a slavewoman’s child cruel, since she doesn’t have freedom?
7. What are the purposes of all these attacks, besides convincing the Egyptians to send the Israelis?
8. Why didn’t Yehovah slaughter the leaders of Egypt who held the Israelis instead of going after little children?
9. Will firstborn die if they are females?
10. What does “a big scream will be in all the land of Egypt that was not like him, and will not increase like him” mean?
11. What does “a dog will not cut his tongue to all the children of Israel to/from a man and unto a beast” mean?
12. What is the purpose for Yehovah causing the dogs owned by the Israelis to refrain from barking?
13. Who is speaking in these verses, and to whom is he speaking?
14. Who is me in, “And all these thy slaves will descend unto me”?
15. If Pharaoh’s slaves will descend and worship to Moshe, what is happening, and why are they doing this?
16. What does “that is with thy feet” mean?
17. What does “he exited from with Pharaoh via heats of nose” mean?
18. Why was Moshe so angry?
IV. The Recap (verses 9-10)
Yehovah told Moshe again, “Pharaoh will not hearken unto you…” Yehovah then told Moshe what the result of Pharaoh’s refusal will be: “…so that my wonders are multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
The text now gives this information about all that has been done and will yet be done: “And Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] did all these wonders to the faces of Pharaoh. And Yehovah gripped the heart of Pharaoh. And he did not send the children of Israel from his land.”
Questions
1. Yehovah said, “Pharaoh will not hearken unto you so that my wonders are multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Hadn’t His wonders already been multiplied in the land of Egypt? What did Yehovah mean?
2. Do Egyptians today know about these events that occurred in Moshe’s day?
3. Again, what happened when Yehovah gripped the heart of Pharaoh?
V. New Year (chapter 12, verses 1-2)
Yehovah commanded both Moshe and Aharon to give this command to the Israelis: “This month is the head of months to you. He is the first to you to the months of the year.” This month is the month in which the spring of the year occurs.
Questions
1. What does “This month is the head of months to you” mean?
2. Why did Yehovah repeat what He said by saying, “He is the first to you to the months of the year”?
3. Exactly when is this month? Does it refer to one of the months of the year that we use?
4. Why did Yehovah choose this month to be the first month of the year?
VI. One Lamb (verses 3-4)
Yehovah commanded Moshe and Aharon to speak unto all the congregation of Israel, and to say the following: “In the 10th to this month, and they have taken to them a man a lamb for the house of fathers, a lamb for a house.” They will be slaughtering, cooking and eating this lamb.
“And if the house will-be-too-little from being from a lamb, and he will take, and his neighbour near unto his house, via the blanketing of beings.” Thus, if one house of persons has too few folks to eat an entire lamb, a house of persons and a neighbouring house of persons will together take one lamb so that one lamb will ‘blanket’ (will cover) the eating of both houses. Yehovah explains and commands: “Ye will blanket a man to the mouth of his eating concerning the lamb.” Thus, the Israelis will make certain that they will know how much all the members of a house can eat so that they can determine if two houses will come together to eat one lamb.
Questions
1. How could Moshe and Aharon speak unto all the congregation of Israel?
2. What does “they have taken to them a man a lamb for the house of fathers” mean?
3. Should more than one lamb be acquired if the household is very large?
4. What does “if the house will-be-too-little from being from a lamb” mean?
5. What will they take in, “And if the house will-be-too-little from being from a lamb, and he will take, and his neighbour near unto his house”?
6. What does via the blanketing of beings mean?
7. What does the instruction, “Ye will blanket a man to the mouth of his eating concerning the lamb” mean?
8. Why is it so important that each person will have enough lamb to eat? What does this picture?
VII. Male Yearling (verses 5-6)
Yehovah now explained how to determine what lamb is acceptable: “A perfect male son-of-a-year lamb will be to you. Ye shall take from the sheep and from the goats.” Thus, a goat is also an acceptable animal.
Yehovah commanded the Israelis to guard the animal until the 14th day of this first month. They then must slaughter him “between the evenings.” All the congregation of the witness of Israel must do this slaughter.
Questions
1. Why must the lamb be a perfect male son-of-a-year lamb?
2. What does “to you” mean in “A perfect male son-of-a-year lamb will be to you”?
3. Why did Yehovah give the option of taking the lamb from the sheep and from the goats?
4. How many days must the Israelis keep the lamb?
5. What does “he shall be to you for a guarding until the 14th day to this month” mean, and what is the purpose of this?
6. Why does the text only refer to one lamb in all of its parts as if there is only one lamb in mind?
7. Why did the Israelis have to guard this lamb if they were only going to slaughter him in the end?
8. What occurs on the 14th day of every Israeli month?
9. Who is him in, “And ye shall slaughter him between the evenings”?
10. What does “between the evenings” mean?
11. Why must they slaughter the lamb exactly between these evenings?
12. Who will do the slaughter of the lamb, according to this text?
13. What is “the witness of Israel,” and what does that mean?
14. This event with one lamb can only occur under what one condition?
VIII. The Given Blood (verse 7)
After slaughtering this perfect one-year-old male goat or sheep lamb, they must take some of the collected blood, and they must give that blood “upon two of the doorposts and upon the lintel, upon the houses in which they will eat him.”
Questions
1. Why must they take from the blood (instead of taking all the blood)?
2. Why does the text say that they will give the blood upon the doorposts and lintel instead of saying that they will splatter the blood there?
3. Why did they have to place the blood particularly upon two of the doorposts and upon the lintel, and what is a lintel and what are doorposts?
4. Why did they have to eat the lamb? Why couldn’t they just slaughter the lamb, and place the blood?
5. Why did they have to eat the lamb in the same houses where they placed the blood?
6. Did the Israelis understand these things when they did what Moshe said to do?
7. Do the Israelis and other folks (like those who claim to be Christian) understand these things today?
8. Must a person understand these things in order for them to work for the person?
IX. Roasted Lamb and Matzahs (verses 8-9)
The Israelis must roast the sheep or goat lamb, and they must eat the meat of the lamb in this one night. Yehovah then commanded, “And they shall eat him, matzos upon bitternesses.” (Matzos/matzahs are pieces of unleavened bread.)
There are two ways the Israelis are not to eat the sheep or goat lamb: “Ye shall not eat from him raw and boiling, boiled in water, but rather fire-roasted…”
The entire lamb must be roasted with “his head upon his knees and upon his approach.”
Questions
1. Why did the flesh have to be roasted (instead of baked, boiled, or treated in some other fashion)?
2. What are matzahs?
3. What do matzahs picture?
4. What does “And they shall eat him, Matzahs upon bitternesses” mean?
5. What is wrong with eating from the lamb either raw or boiling, boiled in water?
6. Why is fire-roasting so important?
7. The text next states, “his head upon his knees…” What does this mean?
8. The text also states, “his head … upon his approach.” What does that mean?
9. Could the Israelis eat the head and every part of the lamb?
X. No Remainder (verse 10)
Yehovah gave two commands regarding any leftovers from the lamb: “And ye shall not make-remain from him unto morning,” and “ye shall burn the remainder from him unto morning in fire.”
Questions
1. What does “And ye shall not make-remain from him unto morning” mean?
2. What were they commanded to do with leftovers?
3. Why did they have to get rid of lamb leftovers?
4. Why did they have to burn the remainder of the lamb (instead of throwing the rest away, giving it to friends, or burying it)?
5. Why does the text say, “ye shall burn the remainder from him unto morning in fire” instead of this: “ye shall burn the remainder from him before morning in fire”?
6. Look carefully at verse 10. It starts with this: “And ye shall not make-remain…” Verse 9 above starts with this: “Ye shall not eat from him…” Above that is verse 8, though, that starts with this: “And they shall eat the flesh…” Verse 7 also has they, and verse 5 has you and ye. Why does the text keep switching from you and ye to they and them? In other words, why do the pronouns go from being as if the speaker is speaking directly to the Israelis to speaking about the Israelis?
XI. Dress Code (verses 11-12)
How must the Israelis be dressed while eating the lamb? “And ye shall eat him thus: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your walking-staff in your hand.”
How quickly must the Israelis eat the lamb? “And ye shall eat him in haste.” Why must they be dressed like this and eat the lamb so quickly? “He is the Skip-Over to Yehovah!”
Yehovah next told what He will be doing at the same time that these other events will be occurring: “And I will cross-over in the land of Egypt in this night. And I will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt from Adam and unto cattle. And I will do justices via all gods of Egypt.”
Yehovah then gave His signature: “I am Yehovah!”
Questions
1. What three items did the Israelis have to have or wear while eating the lamb?
2. What does “loins girded” mean?
3. Why did they have to have (or have to wear) these three things?
4. Why is hand singular in “and your walking-staff in your hand”?
5. Why did the Israelis have to eat the roasted lamb in haste?
6. What does “he is the Skip-Over to Yehovah” mean?
7. Why does the text now state that He will cross over instead of skip over?
8. What does “I will do justices via all gods of Egypt” mean? What will happen?
9. Why did Yehovah now state, “I am Yehovah”?
XII. Blood (verse 13)
He now explained the purpose of the blood: “And the blood shall be to you for a sign upon the houses where ye are. And I will see the blood. And I will skip-over above you. And the strike will not be in you for a slaughter when I smite in the land of Egypt.”
Questions
1. What was the purpose for the blood, according to verse 13?
2. Who will see the blood? Who will skip over above the Israelis?
3. If Yehovah is so kind, gentle and good, why would He do a slaughter in the land of Egypt?
XIII. Memories (verse 14)
A new Holy Day will be born: “And this day shall be to you for a remembrance. And ye shall solemnize him a solemnity to Yehovah to your generations. Ye shall solemnize him, a statute of Hider!” This Holy Day is called Passover in English.
Questions
1. Why does Yehovah sometimes command that a day be for a remembrance? Is it just because it was an important day in the past?
2. What does solemnize mean?
3. What must the Israelis do if they will solemnize this day?
4. What does to your generations mean?
5. Why is this a solemnity to Yehovah instead of being a solemnity to the Israelis?
6. What is Hider?
7. What is a statute?
XIV. Matzahs (verse 15)
The Israelis must eat only unleavened bread if they eat any bread during the next seven days. They must cause all leaven to cease from their houses in the first day. Yehovah then warns, “For every eater of vinegar, and that being shall-be-cut-off from Israel from the first day unto the seventh day”—that is, anyone who eats any form of vinegar during the seven days will be cut off from Israel!
Questions
1. Why must the Israelis eat matzahs seven days?
2. Do the seven days include the day of the Skip-Over?
3. How can the Israelis “make-cease leaven” from their houses?
4. What does this ‘making cease’ leaven picture?
5. What does vinegar picture?
6. What does eating vinegar picture?
7. What will happen to every Israeli who eats vinegar during these seven days?
8. How many of the Israelis must do these commands?
XV. Callings (verse 16)
Yehovah now told the Israelis, “A calling of a Holy-[One] is in the first day.” He didn’t explain in this text whether that meant that a Holy One will do the calling or whether the Israelis will call the Holy One.
Yehovah continued, “And a calling of a Holy-[One] shall be to you in the day seven.”
Yehovah then referred to one person using the pronoun he: “He will not do any errand in them. He alone shall do for you only what he will eat for every being.”
Questions
1. This text refers to two callings of the Holy One. What are these events? Are they the same event?
2. What does “He will not do any errand in them” mean?
3. What does “He alone shall do for you only what he will eat for every being” mean and show if the reader takes it literally?
XVI. Guarding (verses 17-18)
Yehovah’s commands to the Israelis continued: “And ye shall guard the Matzahs.” It is as if the Matzahs are in danger! But why must they guard the matzahs? “For in this selfsame day I made-exit your hosts from the land of Egypt. And ye shall guard this day to your generations, a statute of Hider.” (A statute of Hider is a statute that continues until the planet ends.)
Yehovah even told them when to eat the Matzahs: “Ye shall eat Matzahs in the evening in the first, in the 14th day to the month, unto the day one and twenty to the month in the evening.”
Questions
1. What is involved with guarding the matzahs, and why do they need guarding?
2. What armies are these?
3. How long did it take the armies of the Israelis to exit from Egypt?
4. Why must they guard this day to their generations?
5. When the Israelis exited from Egypt, where did they go?
6. How many days must the Israelis eat matzah, according to this text?
XVII. No Vinegar, No Leaven (verses 19-20)
“Leaven will not be found in your houses seven days.” (Yehovah is serious when He commands!) “For every eater from vinegar, and that being in a sojourner and in a native of the land shall be cut-off from the witness of Israel!” Yehovah states this warning again: “Ye shall not eat every vinegar!” He tells what they must eat: “Ye shall eat Matzahs in all your dwellings!”
Questions
1. No leaven must be found in the houses of the Israelis for which seven days?
2. Why must no leaven be found during those seven days?
3. What is wrong with eating vinegar? What does this typify?
4. What is a sojourner?
5. What is a native?
6. What does “shall be cut off from the witness of Israel” mean?
7. Why will Yehovah cut off even sojourners from the witness of Israel if they eat vinegar?
8. How many types of vinegars are included in this restriction?
9. If you look at a Passover section (in the spring of the year), you will find several products that are “kosher for Passover” that include vinegar. What does this text have to say about these products?
10. In how many of the dwellings of the Israelis must matzah be eaten?
XVIII. The Skip-Over (verses 21-23)
Moshe now called to all the elders of Israel. He commanded them: “Draw-ye and take-ye a flock to you—to your families.” Thus, Moshe made the elders responsible to both draw—that is, to remove from the larger flocks—and to take a flock for them and their families. The elders had to then slaughter the Skip-Over!
Moshe told them what to use to move the blood from the collection pot to the lintel and the two doorposts: “And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop. And ye shall immerse in blood that is in a basin. And ye shall cause-to-touch unto the lintel and unto two of the doorposts from the blood that is in the basin.” (Hyssop is a plant.)
Moshe’s commands were now warnings: “And ye, ye shall not exit—a man from the opening of his house—unto morning.” Why must they not exit? “Yehovah will cross-over to smite Egypt. And He will see the blood upon the lintel and upon two of the doorposts. And Yehovah will Skip-Over above the opening. And He will not give the Slaughterer to come unto your houses to smite.”
Questions
1. Moshe called to all elders of Israel, telling them to draw and take a flock to them—to their families. What did drawing and taking a flock to them show?
2. The text continues, “And slaughter-ye the Skip-Over.” Why didn’t it say to slaughter sheep and goats?
3. What is hyssop?
4. Why must they take a bunch of hyssop?
5. The next statement is this: “And ye shall immerse in blood that is in a basin.” Explain this curious wording:
6. What is a lintel?
7. What are doorposts?
8. What does the touching of the lintel and the doorposts using the hyssop bunch dipped in blood show?
9. Yehovah commanded the Israelis to not exit from the opening of the house unto morning. Houses didn’t have indoor plumbing; there were places outside where folks used what we call ‘the restroom.’ What were they supposed to do if they had to use the restroom?
10. Why couldn’t they go outside of the house until morning?
11. Did the Israelis remain in their houses during the first Skip-Over (about which we are reading)?
12. Verse 23 stated that “Yehovah will cross-over to smite Egypt.” Is that what He said He would do? Explain.
13. What will cause Yehovah to skip over above the opening of a house?
14. Why does the text refer to the opening instead of the door? What is the difference between an opening and a door?
15. Who is this Slaughterer?
16. Why does the text use the word give instead of send?
XIX. Guarding Speech and Service (verses 24-25)
Moshe next warned the Israelis to guard this speech that he had been giving to them. They must view this speech as a statute “to thee”—that is, to the people of Israel as one unit—“and to thy sons”—that is, to all the sons of the people of Israel—unto Hider.
When the Israelis finally will “come unto the land that Yehovah will give to you just-as He spoke,” the Israelis must guard this service!
Questions
1. Why is guarding this speech so important to Yehovah and for the Israelis?
2. Why can’t they just forget the speech itself, but keep it recorded in the Bible, only studying it in detail just before it will occur? Wouldn’t that be the same thing?
3. What is a statute?
4. What is Hider?
5. Again, why must the Israelis guard this speech unto Hider?
6. What “shall be” when the Israelis shall come unto the land that Yehovah will give to them?
7. What is a service?
XX. The Question (verses 26-27)
Moshe prophesied that the Israelis’ sons will say unto the Israelis, “What is this service to you?” The Israelis must answer, “He is the Sacrifice of Skip-Over to Yehovah Who Skipped-Over above the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt in His smiting Egypt. And He rescued our houses!”
Questions
1. What do the children mean by the question, “What is this service to you?”
2. Look at the wording of verse 27. Yehovah commanded the Israelis to say to their children, “He is the Sacrifice of Skip-Over to Yehovah Who Skipped-Over above the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt in His smiting Egypt,” speaking of them. He then commanded them to say, “And He rescued our houses”—speaking of us. Why did Yehovah tell them to word it this way?
3. Where will all these houses that were rescued (in the future) be located?
XXI. Perfect Obedience (verses 27-28)
Moshe had called the elders. The People of Israel now bowed, prostrated—that is, they lay flat and face-down to the ground, and then they got up and walked to their places. The sons of Israel did exactly as Yehovah commanded Moshe and Aharon! They did so!
Questions
1. What is the difference between bowing and worshipping?
2. To whom did the people bow?
3. Whom did they worship?
4. Where did they walk?
5. Why does the text twice say that the children of Israel did as Yehovah commanded Moshe and Aharon?
XXII. The Half-Night Smiting! (verses 29-30)
At midnight, when the night is split in half, Yehovah smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt! He smote Pharaoh’s firstborn “who sits upon his chair” and all other firstborn ones right down to the firstborn of the captive who is in the house of the pit (the prison). He also smote every firstborn of cattle!
Pharaoh got up that night, as well as all his slaves and all of Egypt. There was a very big scream in all of Egypt since there wasn’t a house where there wasn’t death in that house!
Questions
1. What is the half of the night?
2. Who is he in, “And he was in half of the night”?
3. Why did Pharaoh arise that night? What awoke him?
4. Why did the slaves arise that night?
5. Was Pharaoh himself a firstborn?
6. Why was there a big scream in all of Egypt?
7. How many Egyptian houses were completely free from anyone dying in that night?
8. Were all the dead males?
XXIII. The Command to Exit (verses 31-32)
Pharaoh called to Moshe and Aharon in the middle of the night. And he said, “Rise-ye! Exit-ye from the midst of my people!—also ye!—also the sons of Israel! And walk-ye! Serve-ye Yehovah as ye spoke—also your flock! Take-ye also your herd just-as ye spoke! And walk! And bless-ye also me!”
Questions
1. Were Moshe and Aharon close to where Pharaoh was when Pharaoh called to them?
2. Why does the text say “… night! …”?
3. The words and wording that Pharaoh used to tell Moshe, Aharon and the Israelis to leave show what about Pharaoh’s mental state?
4. Pharaoh said, “RISE-YE! EXIT-YE FROM THE MIDST OF MY PEOPLE!—also ye!” To whom is Pharaoh referring by the first ye, and to whom is he referring by the second ye?
5. Why did Pharaoh command them to serve Yehovah?
6. Pharaoh twice commanded, “Walk!” What did he mean?
7. Why would this man whose son was newly slaughtered by Yehovah now command, “And bless ye also me”?
8. Was Pharaoh now a believer in Yehovah?
XXIV. Sending Israelis with Fear (verse 33)
All of Egypt greatly urged the Israelis to leave! They now wanted to send them from the land, and they wanted them to go as soon as possible. The Egyptians thought, “All of us are dead-[ones]!”
Questions
1. Why did the Egyptians so strongly urge the people of Israel to leave the land?
2. Were they right to fear that Yehovah might kill them all?
3. Were the Egyptians being mean or cruel when they hurried the Israelis to leave the land of Egypt?
XXV. Dough, Valuables and Rescue (verses 34-36)
The people of Israel was used to preparing flour to make bread on a daily basis. Bread was a very important part of the diet of the Israelis. When the Egyptians awoke them and urged them to quickly leave, one of the valuables that the Israelis knew they had to carry was the dough being prepared to make bread. The entire people lifted the people’s dough before the dough will become sourdough (which is very delicious if properly made). This is described as vinegarizing in the text. The Israelis also took their kneadingtroughs with them, binding them in their clothes upon their shoulder.
The children of Israel did as Moshe spoke by asking Egypt for utensils of silver and utensils of gold, and clothing. Yehovah gave to the Israelis the favour of Egypt when they asked the Egyptians. This act of receiving gold, silver and clothing rescued Egypt.
Questions
1. What kind of bread were the Israelis making in verse 34?
2. How did they carry the dough?
3. How did they make dough in the first place?
4. What does “before he will vinegarize mean?
5. Why did they bind up their kneadingtroughs in their clothes and upon their shoulder (as if they all shared just one shoulder)?
6. If they asked for these utensils from Egypt, whom did they ask?
7. Silver is valuable, and gold is even more valuable. Isn’t clothing very inexpensive?
8. What does “Yehovah gave the favour of the People in the eyes of Egypt” mean?
9. What were the Egyptians thinking that they became willing to give valuables to their slave neighbours?
10. Did Yehovah make the Egyptians change their minds by using His own power to overrule what they were thinking?
11. Why does the text describe favour being given in the eyes of the Egyptians?
12. Who rescued Egypt, and how did this occur?
XXVI. The Multitude’s Mix (verses 37-38)
The children of Israel journeyed as a giant group. They went from Raamses to Succot in the first leg of their journey. There were 600,000 feet of valiant ones that were walking. This number didn’t include the count of little ones. The Israelis were joined by a great mixture of other folks. They traveled with a heavy flock and a heavy herd of livestock.
Questions
1. How far is Raamses from Succot?
2. How many valiant ones traveled, according to this text?
3. Why did Yehovah describe it this way instead of giving the number of persons, and why is this important?
4. Why does the text mention the number of valiant ones instead of the entire population?
5. What was the total population of the Israelis leaving at this time?
6. Why does the text say, “beside a little one” instead of, say, “besides the little ones,” and why doesn’t it mention the women, the teenagers, the elders, etc.?
7. Of what did this great mixture (that ascended with the Israelis) consist?
8. What is a very heavy flock?
9. What is a herd of livestock?
XXVII. Eating Matzah (verse 39)
The group became hungry. They baked the dough that they had brought from Egypt; they were discs of matzah (unleavened bread). None of the bread was ‘vinegarized’—it hadn’t leavened, and it hadn’t gone to sourdough. The Israelis had been forced from Egypt.
The Israelis were not able to “What?What?” themselves—they hadn’t had time to ask questions about how they were supposed to provide anything for themselves. They hadn’t had opportunity to make victuals for themselves.
Questions
1. What are discs of Matzah?
2. What does “they were not able to WHAT?WHAT? themselves” mean?
3. What are victuals?
4. Why didn’t they make victuals?
XXVIII. Exiting after Centuries, and Guarding (verses 40-42)
The children of the man whose name was Israel settled in Egypt and remained in that same location for 430 years. At the very day that period of time ended, all the armies of Yehovah exited from the land of Egypt. That very night is a night of guardings to Yehovah to cause an exit from the land of Egypt. This is the very night that belongs to Yehovah that all the children of Israel must guard to their generations!
Questions
1. How long did the Israelis live in Egypt?
2. The text states, “And he was from the end of 30 year[s] and 400 year[s].” Who was from the end of 430 years?
3. What does “And he was in this selfsame day” tell the reader?
4. What are these armies of Yehovah that exited from the land of Egypt?
5. What does “He is a night of guardings to Yehovah to make-exit from the land of Egypt” tell the careful reader?
6. On which night will these guardings take place?
XXIX. The Statute of the Skip-Over (verses 43-47)
Yehovah communicated information about the statute of the Skip-Over to Moshe and Aharon:
- Every son of a foreigner will not eat in him.
- Every slave that has been bought using silver and who has been ‘fronted’ (circumcised) will eat in him.
- A ‘sitter’ (squatter) and a hireling (person hired from another land) will not eat in him.
- The Skip-Over must be eaten in one house.
- The meat from the Skip-Over must not be taken outside of the house.
- No one is permitted to break a bone of the Skip-Over.
- Everyone who is part of the witness of Israel shall do the Skip-Over.
Questions
1. Why can’t a son of a foreigner eat in the Skip-Over?
2. What does “fronted him” mean?
3. The text states, “every slave, a man bought of silver and thou hast ‘fronted’ him, then he will eat in him.” Must the slave believe in Yehovah to eat the Skip-Over?
4. Suppose that a slave has been captured in a war, and therefore wasn’t bought using silver; can he still eat the Skip-Over lamb?
5. What is a sitter?
6. Why can’t a sitter eat in the Skip-Over lamb?
7. What is a hireling?
8. What is wrong with a hireling eating in the Skip-Over?
9. Suppose that a sitter or a hireling truly desires to eat in the Skip-Over: is there a way that the person can?
10. Why must the Skip-Over be eaten in one house?
11. What is wrong with breaking a bone in the cooked lamb?
12. Explain “All the witness of Israel—they shall do him”:
XXX. Statutes Regarding the Sojourner (verses 48-50)
If a sojourner (a traveler from another land) will sojourn with the people of Israel and will do Skip-Over to Yehovah, every male in the group with the sojourner must first be circumcised. Only then is he allowed to approach to do the Skip-Over. The sojourner will then be as the native Israeli. No foreskin is permitted to do the Skip-Over.
There is one teaching to the native and to the sojourner who sojourns in the midst of the Israelis.
All the children of Israel did exactly as Yehovah commanded Moshe and Aharon. They really did!
Questions
1. Who can be a sojourner?
2. The text states, “if a sojourner will sojourn with thee…” Does the sojourner have to stay with an Israeli (that is, lodge in the Israeli’s tent or house) in order to qualify?
3. Who is thee in “if a sojourner will sojourn with thee”?
4. What must the sojourner do in order to do Skip-Over to Yehovah?
5. Why must every male in the group submit to circumcision if just one desires to do the Skip-Over?
6. What must the person approach in order to do the Skip-Over?
7. Is Yehovah calling an uncircumcised person a foreskin?
8. Why does Yehovah have one teaching (Torah) for the native and the sojourner instead of different teachings for the two groups?
9. Again, what is so amazing about the children of Israel doing just as Yehovah command Moshe and Aharon?
XXXI. The Israelis Finally Exit upon their Armies (verse 51)
In that very day, Yehovah exited the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their armies!
Questions
1. What took place in this selfsame day?
2. How did they exit upon their armies?