Chapter 18—The Passover
The Lord then gave Moses special directions, to give to the children
of Israel, in regard to what they must do to preserve themselves and
their families from the fearful plague that he was about to send upon
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Egypt. Moses was also to give them instructions in regard to their
leaving Egypt. He related to them the command of God to slay a lamb
without blemish, and take the blood of the lamb and strike it upon
the door-posts, and also upon the upper door-posts of their houses.
And while this token should be without for a sign, and they should be
eating the lamb, roasted whole, with bitter herbs, within, the angel of
God would be passing through the land of Egypt doing his dreadful
work, slaying the first-born of man and the first-born of beast. “And
thus shall ye eat it, with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet,
and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s
passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and
against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord.
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye
are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague
shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a
feast to the Lord throughout your generations. Ye shall keep it a feast
by an ordinance forever.”
Here was a work required of the children of Israel, which they must
perform on their part, to prove them and to show their faith by their
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works in the great deliverance God had been bringing about for them.
In order to escape the great judgment of God which he was to bring
upon the Egyptians, the token of blood must be seen upon their houses.
And they were required to separate themselves and their children from
the Egyptians, and gather them into their own houses, for if any of the
Israelites were found in the houses of the Egyptians, they would fall
by the hand of the destroying angel. They were also directed to keep
the feast of the passover for an ordinance, that when their children
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