Exodus 12 2

Exodus 12:2 kjv

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Exodus 12:2 nkjv

"This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Exodus 12:2 niv

"This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.

Exodus 12:2 esv

"This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.

Exodus 12:2 nlt

"From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you.

Exodus 12 verses

Exodus 12 2 Meaning

This verse initiates a foundational change in the Israelite calendar, declaring the month of their exodus from Egypt to be the beginning of their new year in a spiritual and national sense. It marks the commencement of a divinely ordained calendar distinct from the existing civil or agricultural year, signifying their birth as a nation redeemed by God.

Exodus 12 2 Context

Exodus 12:2 is spoken to Moses and Aaron by God just before the final plague upon Egypt—the death of the firstborn—and the institution of the Passover. This verse is part of God's direct instruction to the Israelite people, delivered through Moses and Aaron, regarding how they are to prepare for their impending liberation and establish a new life under His covenant. The context is highly charged with divine action and human anticipation, setting the stage for Israel's emergence as a distinct nation. It redefines time for them, shifting focus from cycles of nature or oppressive servitude to a calendar centered on God's redemptive intervention, signifying a complete break from their Egyptian past.

Exodus 12 2 Word analysis

• This month (חֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה, chodesh hazzeh):
  • חֹדֶשׁ (chodesh): Lit. "new moon," by extension "month." Implies the cycle beginning with the sighting of the new moon. This month, Abib (later Nisan), typically aligns with March/April, signifying spring and new growth.
  • Significance: God directly designates which month is important. This is not chosen by human decree but divine authority, emphasizing the centrality of the Passover event.
• shall be unto you (יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, yihyeh lakem):
  • יִהְיֶה (yihyeh): "It shall be." A declarative future statement, a divine command.
  • לָכֶם (lakem): "To you." Emphasizes that this calendar change is specific to the Israelites, distinguishing them as a covenant people from all other nations. It defines their new identity.
  • Significance: This is a unilateral divine act establishing a new reality for Israel, setting them apart and marking their unique relationship with God.
• the beginning (רֹאשׁ, ro'sh):
  • רֹאשׁ (ro'sh): "Head," "top," "chief," "beginning." Connotes preeminence, source, or most important part.
  • Significance: Not just a beginning, but the beginning. It signifies a fundamental reset and reorganization of time and life around God's redemptive work.
• of months (חֳדָשִׁים, chodashim):
  • חֳדָשִׁים (chodashim): Plural of "month."
  • Significance: This month, the month of redemption, is to be paramount among all months, serving as the temporal anchor for all their future religious observances and national memory.
• it shall be the first month (רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם, rishon hu lakem):
  • רִאשׁוֹן (rishon): "First," "former." A direct, ordinal designation.
  • הוּא (hu): "He," "it." Reinforces the definite identification.
  • Significance: Reiterates and emphasizes the primacy established by "beginning of months." It sets a new chronological sequence based on divine initiative, rather than natural cycles or civil conventions.
• of the year (הַשָּׁנָה, hashshanah):
  • הַשָּׁנָה (hashshanah): "The year." From root "shanah" meaning "to repeat, to change," implying a cycle of seasons.
  • Significance: This newly designated "first month" for Israel effectively creates a distinct religious calendar for them, running parallel to the older agricultural or civil calendar (which traditionally started in the autumn month of Tishrei).
• Word Group Analysis:
  • "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months": This phrase highlights a divine declaration of a new sacred calendar. God is establishing a fresh framework for Israel's existence, centering time around His redemptive acts rather than natural seasons or pagan observances. It signals a fundamental reorientation for the nation's identity and future worship.
  • "it shall be the first month of the year to you": This repetition and emphasis solidify the concept of the first month. It’s not merely the start, but the definitive ‘number one’ in their national-religious reckoning. This creates a parallel with new creation, a reset of Israel's temporal reality in conjunction with their spiritual and political liberation. It underlines their unique identity forged in the crucible of redemption.

Exodus 12 2 Bonus section

This decree marks the theological genesis of two distinct calendar systems in Judaism:

• The Religious (or Sacred) Calendar: Begins in Nisan (Abib) in the spring, based on Exodus 12:2. All festivals, starting with Passover, follow this calendar.
• The Civil (or Economic) Calendar: Begins in Tishrei (Ethanim) in the autumn, traditionally considered the start of the agricultural year and when Jewish kings began their reigns. Rosh Hashanah (New Year) is celebrated in Tishrei.

This dual system demonstrates how Israel's life was always viewed through both practical and spiritual lenses, with the religious calendar underscored as paramount for understanding their covenant identity and relationship with God. It reinforces that their redemption defined their time.

Exodus 12 2 Commentary

Exodus 12:2 is more than a simple calendar reform; it's a profound theological statement. God redefines time for Israel, shifting their temporal reference point from earthly cycles or Egyptian servitude to His decisive act of liberation. The institution of this "new year" in the month of their redemption signifies a new beginning for them, not merely as freed slaves but as God's chosen nation. Every subsequent religious observance—Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits—is tethered to this starting point, ensuring that God's deliverance remains central to their national consciousness. It teaches that true life and blessing commence when God sets the rhythm.

Examples:

• Like a birthday for a nation, signifying when they were "born" out of bondage into a relationship with God.
• Similar to how personal spiritual new birth marks the beginning of a believer's true life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17).
• A reminder that God’s redemptive work often involves a total reordering of life's priorities and timelines.