Exodus 12 11

Exodus 12:11 kjv

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.

Exodus 12:11 nkjv

And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.

Exodus 12:11 niv

This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

Exodus 12:11 esv

In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.

Exodus 12:11 nlt

"These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the LORD's Passover.

Exodus 12 verses

Exodus 12 11 Meaning

Exodus 12:11 outlines the precise manner in which the Israelites were to consume the Passover lamb on the night of their deliverance from Egypt. The prescribed attire and posture – with a belt fastened, sandals on their feet, and a staff in hand – along with the command to eat it in haste, were direct symbols of immediate readiness for an impending journey. This hurried meal underscored the urgency of God's imminent judgment upon Egypt and the swift, miraculous nature of His salvation for His people, emphasizing that this was "the LORD’s Passover," a divinely ordained event for their liberation.

Exodus 12 11 Context

Exodus 12 sets the stage for the most significant redemptive act in Israel's early history: the Passover and the Exodus from Egypt. Verses 1-10 detail the selection of the lamb, its ritual slaughter, the application of its blood to the doorposts, and its consumption with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. These precise instructions from the LORD to Moses and Aaron were to establish a perpetual memorial. Verse 11’s command for a stance of readiness and haste starkly contrasts the static existence of slavery and vividly foreshadows their impending liberation, which occurred within hours of this meal. It marked the moment they transitioned from a enslaved population to a nation ready to follow God into their new covenant destiny.

Exodus 12 11 Word Analysis

• And thus (וְכָכָה, v'khakha): This introductory phrase, "and in this manner," highlights the meticulous divine instruction for how the Passover meal was to be eaten. It signifies that the precise procedure was as crucial as the substance, indicating God's authority over every detail of their deliverance and worship.
• you shall eat (תֹּאכְל֣וּ, tochlu): This plural verb addresses the entire community, underscoring that the instruction and its implications applied to all Israel, emphasizing their collective participation in this foundational covenant act.
• it (אֹת֗וֹ, oto): Specifically refers to the roasted Passover lamb, clarifying that these distinct eating protocols were reserved for this unique, divinely appointed sacrificial meal.
• your waist (מָתְנֵיכֶם֙, matneikhem): The "loins" or waist; metaphorically considered the seat of physical strength. In ancient Eastern custom, people wore long garments that needed to be tucked up or girded with a belt to allow for freedom of movement during labor, travel, or warfare.
• girded (חֲגֻרִ֔ים, ḥagurim): To be bound or tightened with a belt. This implies an active state of readiness, contrasting sharply with the leisurely posture often assumed for meals. It's an idiom for being prepared for strenuous activity, travel, or imminent departure (e.g., Lk 12:35; Eph 6:14). It implicitly polemicizes against the complacency of slavery and encourages active anticipation of divine rescue.
• your sandals (נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙, na'aleikhem): Footwear suitable for walking long distances. Conventionally, sandals were removed indoors as a mark of respect or comfort. Eating with sandals on deliberately overturned this custom, unmistakably signaling immediate preparation for a journey and a transient status, marking their home as a temporary dwelling.
• on your feet (בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם, b'ragleikhem): Reinforces the literal act of having the sandals positioned for movement, emphasizing a stance of readiness for swift departure rather than comfort or leisure.
• and your staff (וּמַקֶּלְכֶם֙, umakkêl'kem): A walking stick or rod used by shepherds and travelers for support, guiding, and protection. Its presence indicates full readiness for a long and potentially arduous journey through unfamiliar territory, highlighting their nomadic future.
• in your hand (בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם, b'yedkhem): Signifies that the staff is not merely present but actively held, ready for immediate use, further underscoring an attitude of anticipation and being fully equipped for transit.
• and you shall eat it (וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם אֹת֔וֹ, va'akhaltem oto): A repetition of the eating command, preceding the critical adverb.
• in haste (בְּחִפָּז֖וֹן, b'ḥippazon): This crucial adverb signifies with speed, quickly, urgently, or precipitately. It communicates the lack of time for leisurely consumption or packing. This haste reflects not merely the people's action but also the rapid, decisive nature of God's judgment and their instantaneous expulsion from Egypt (Exod 12:33, 39), reinforcing His irresistible power.
• It is the LORD’s Passover (פֶּ֣סַח ה֥וּא לַיהֹוָֽה, pesach hu la'YHWH): This definitive declaration attributes the entire event, including the ritual and the ensuing liberation, solely to YHWH. "Passover" (pesach) signifies His "passing over" or "sparing" the Israelite homes marked by blood. "The LORD’s" (la'YHWH) designates it as His unique, divinely initiated event, establishing its sacredness, ultimate meaning, and establishing a covenant foundation solely upon God’s redemptive power, not human effort.

Words-group Analysis:

• "with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand": This triplet of commands creates a vivid image of total readiness for travel. It diametrically opposes the typical comfortable dining posture and symbolizes Israel's transition from static enslavement to active pilgrims. Each item denotes immediate physical preparedness for a sudden, God-orchestrated departure, highlighting the imperative of active obedience.
• "and you shall eat it in haste": This phrase captures the essence of the entire command. It conveys urgency, leaving no room for idleness or procrastination. This haste was a response to God's immediate action, where there was no interval between His judgment and their required movement, thus demonstrating God's swiftness and decisiveness in judgment and salvation.
• "It is the LORD’s Passover": This culminating declaration provides the ultimate context and meaning. It signifies that the entire ritual, including the lamb, the blood, the judgment, the liberation, and the prescribed manner of eating, originates from and belongs to YHWH alone. It anchors the event in divine purpose, emphasizing that salvation is sovereignly God’s work, distinct from human initiative, establishing a foundational theological truth for Israel's identity and their relationship with God.

Exodus 12 11 Bonus Section

• The strict instructions about how to eat (standing, prepared for travel) also served as a preventative measure against a natural desire for mourning or prolonged grief for those suffering the death of the firstborn in Egypt. The focus was to be solely on God’s imminent deliverance and departure.
• The emphasis on haste underscores the theological principle of God’s sudden, overwhelming intervention. Salvation often arrives unexpectedly, demanding an immediate and responsive faith from His people.
• This preparation for immediate travel establishes a theme of pilgrimage for God's people throughout the Scriptures, highlighting their temporary residence on earth and their ultimate journey toward a heavenly homeland (Heb 11:13-16).
• The meticulous detail of the command in 12:11, following other specific Passover instructions, highlights the importance God places on obedient observance of His divine patterns and commands in worship and life.

Exodus 12 11 Commentary

Exodus 12:11 provides not merely logistical instructions but profound spiritual insights into God’s deliverance and man’s appropriate response. The prescribed readiness—girded loins, sandals, staff, and haste—was more than a physical posture; it was a powerful theological statement. It communicated to the Israelites that their freedom would be immediate and decisive, an act of God so potent it left no time for leisurely preparations. They were to eat as if already departing, in anticipation of a divine intervention that required their immediate obedience and movement. This meal marked the point of no return, psychologically preparing them for life as pilgrims dependent on God's leading. The closing declaration, "It is the LORD’s Passover," firmly roots this pivotal event in divine initiative and sovereignty, signifying that their salvation was entirely God's doing. Spiritually, this passage beckons believers today to live in a perpetual state of readiness: to be girded with the truth of God’s Word (Eph 6:14), to walk readily in the path of the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15), and to ever be attentive and obedient to God’s call, reflecting our status as sojourners in this world awaiting our eternal dwelling.