Exodus 12:17 kjv
And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
Exodus 12:17 nkjv
So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance.
Exodus 12:17 niv
"Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
Exodus 12:17 esv
And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.
Exodus 12:17 nlt
"Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation.
Exodus 12 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text (shortened) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 12:15 | Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread... | Command to eat unleavened bread. |
| Ex 12:24 | And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy children for ever. | Reiterates "ordinance for ever." |
| Ex 12:42 | It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out... | Night of deliverance to be observed. |
| Ex 12:51 | And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. | Exact phrase "selfsame day...armies" confirmed. |
| Ex 13:3 | And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt... | Command to remember the Exodus. |
| Ex 13:6 | Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread... | More instructions on Unleavened Bread. |
| Ex 13:9 | And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes... | Feast as a memorial. |
| Lev 23:6-8 | And on the fifteenth day...is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD... | Regulations for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. |
| Num 9:13 | But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover... | Importance of Passover/Unleavened Bread observance. |
| Num 28:17-25 | And on the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast... | Offerings during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. |
| Deut 5:15 | And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence... | Remembering God's liberation from Egypt. |
| Deut 16:3-4 | Thou shalt eat no leavened bread...that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth... | Leavened bread prohibition for remembrance. |
| Josh 24:17 | For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt... | Acknowledging God's Exodus work. |
| Psa 78:12 | Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. | Recounting God's miracles in Egypt. |
| Psa 105:43 | And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness. | Joy of the Exodus. |
| Isa 43:16 | Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters. | God's power in leading out of Egypt. |
| Luke 22:7 | Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. | Jesus and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | Purge out therefore the old leaven...For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. | Christ as our spiritual Passover/Unleavened Bread. |
| 1 Cor 5:8 | Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness... | Spiritual application of keeping the Feast. |
| Heb 11:28 | Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. | Faith demonstrated in Passover obedience. |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 17 Meaning
Exodus 12:17 commands the Israelites to diligently observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread annually. The precise reason for this perpetual observance is stated: it commemorates the exact day God, with His mighty hand, led their organized hosts out of bondage in Egypt. This command, rooted in God's powerful act of liberation, is designated as an enduring statute for all future generations of Israel.Exodus 12 17 Context
This verse is positioned within God's comprehensive instructions for the initial Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:1-20), given to Moses and Aaron just before the tenth and final plague on Egypt. These commands were crucial for the Israelites' immediate safety during the impending judgment and for their prepared, hasty departure. Historically, these rituals were designed to solidify Israel's identity as a nation delivered by God, transitioning them from Egyptian bondage to a covenant people. The institution of Unleavened Bread served not just as a one-time event but as a perpetually observed marker, intertwining historical deliverance with ongoing spiritual practice, forming a cornerstone of their communal memory and worship of God.Exodus 12 17 Word analysis
- And ye shall observe: The Hebrew shamar (שָׁמַר) signifies "to keep, guard, watch, preserve." This is not a casual suggestion but a serious command demanding active adherence, protection of the tradition, and continuous remembrance, highlighting the importance God placed on it.
- the feast: The Hebrew chag (חַג) denotes a sacred festival or pilgrimage feast, typically characterized by prescribed rituals, assembly, and communal celebration. It establishes the event as a central part of Israel's worship calendar.
- of unleavened bread: The Hebrew matztzah (מַצָּה) refers to flat, quickly baked bread without yeast. It symbolizes purity, the haste of the Exodus (no time for dough to rise), and a separation from corruption (as leaven later became associated with sin).
- for in this selfsame day: The Hebrew b'etzem ha'yom ha'zeh (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) literally means "in the bone/essence of this day." It strongly emphasizes the exact, specific, and definitive nature of the day of the Exodus, highlighting God's precise timing and the historical truth of the event.
- have I brought your armies: The Hebrew hotzēti et tsiv'otêchem (הוֹצֵאתִי אֶת־צִבְאֹתֵיכֶם) speaks volumes. "I brought" (hotzēti, from yatza) underscores divine agency; God alone initiated and executed this deliverance. "Your armies" (tsiv'otêchem, from tsava) literally means "your hosts" or "troops." This powerful term denotes a highly organized, disciplined body, implying that God, despite their enslaved status, brought them out not as a fleeing mob, but as an orderly, divinely-led multitude with purpose, highlighting His sovereign control.
- out of the land of Egypt: Specifies the origin of their oppression and God's powerful removal of His people from this realm of slavery. It clarifies the monumental scale of their redemption.
- therefore shall ye observe this day: A crucial logical connector. The "therefore" makes the required observance the direct and necessary response to God's powerful act of liberation. It reiterates and reinforces the binding nature of the command.
- in your generations: The Hebrew l'dorotêychem (לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם) means "throughout your generations." This ensures the perpetual remembrance of the Exodus and the continuity of the covenant community, connecting all future descendants to this foundational redemptive act.
- by an ordinance: The Hebrew chukkat (חֻקַּת), from chukkah, signifies a divinely established, binding statute or decree. It indicates a permanent, authoritative, and unchangeable law from God.
- for ever: The Hebrew olam (עוֹלָם) means eternity, perpetuity, or for all time. Coupled with "ordinance," it means a "perpetual statute," cementing the eternal relevance and non-negotiable nature of this divine command.
Words-Group analysis
- "And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread": This opening clause establishes a direct, authoritative divine command for Israel to continually uphold this specific sacred celebration. The weight of "observe" underscores the intentional, active, and diligent adherence required for this pivotal covenant practice.
- "for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt": This provides the foundational, non-negotiable rationale for the command. It grounds the future observance in an undeniable past divine act. The emphatic "selfsame day" points to precise historical accuracy, while "I brought your armies" highlights God's unique power and organization in delivering Israel, transforming them from slaves into a divinely marshaled host.
- "therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever": This concluding statement binds the command with eternal validity. "Therefore" logically connects the divine act to human obligation. "In your generations" mandates that this memory and practice transcends individual lives, binding all future Israelites to the foundational redemption. "By an ordinance for ever" designates it as an immutable, perpetual law from God, central to Israel's covenant identity and relationship with Him.
Exodus 12 17 Bonus section
- Pedagogical Purpose: The command "in your generations" strongly implies the educational responsibility of parents to pass down the significance of this feast to their children. It ensures that the divine story of deliverance becomes embedded in the collective consciousness of each new generation, sustaining their faith and identity (Ex 13:8, 14; Deut 6:20-25).
- Covenant Renewal: Annually observing this feast acted as a corporate renewal of the covenant between God and Israel, where the community reaffirmed its allegiance to the God who had redeemed them.
- Symbolism of Purity and Haste: The eating of unleavened bread during the feast vividly portrayed both the purity required for approaching God and the hasty, urgent nature of their departure from Egyptian bondage. This symbolic act was a constant reminder of the rapid and definitive break from their former life.