Exodus 12:20 kjv
Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Exodus 12:20 nkjv
You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.' "
Exodus 12:20 niv
Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread."
Exodus 12:20 esv
You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread."
Exodus 12:20 nlt
During those days you must not eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, eat only bread made without yeast."
Exodus 12 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 12:8 | "They shall eat the flesh... with unleavened bread..." | Companion to the Passover Lamb |
| Ex 12:15 | "Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread..." | Duration of the feast |
| Ex 12:19 | "Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses..." | Strict prohibition and home cleansing |
| Ex 12:34 | "And the people took their dough... before it was leavened..." | Practical haste of Exodus |
| Ex 12:39 | "And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough..." | Consequence of the hurried departure |
| Ex 13:6-7 | "Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread... neither shall there be leaven seen with thee." | Reinforces daily observance and absence of leaven |
| Ex 23:15 | "Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread..." | Annual observance commanded |
| Ex 34:18 | "The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep..." | Reminder of deliverance |
| Lev 2:11 | "No meat offering... shall be made with leaven..." | Leaven symbolizing impurity in offerings |
| Lev 23:6 | "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD seven days." | Calendar for the feast |
| Deut 16:3 | "Thou shalt eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction..." | Remember the affliction of Egypt |
| Matt 16:6, 11-12 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees... of the doctrine of the Pharisees..." | Leaven symbolizing false doctrine |
| Mark 8:15 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod." | Leaven as corrupt influence |
| Luke 12:1 | "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." | Leaven as hypocrisy |
| 1 Cor 5:6-8 | "Purge out therefore the old leaven... For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven..." | Leaven as sin, Christ as pure Passover sacrifice |
| Gal 5:9 | "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." | Small sins/errors corrupt a whole group |
| Jn 6:35, 48 | "I am the bread of life..." | Jesus as ultimate spiritual sustenance |
| Rom 6:4 | "We also should walk in newness of life." | Symbolic of leaving old life of sin |
| Col 3:8-10 | "Put off all these... the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man..." | Call to put away sin and embrace new creation |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "Redeemed... with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." | Christ's purity linked to Passover Lamb |
| Heb 9:14 | "How much more shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience from dead works...?" | Cleansing from spiritual impurity |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" | Spiritual transformation, leaving the old |
| 1 Thess 5:23 | "May God himself... sanctify you wholly..." | God's work of making His people pure |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 20 Meaning
Exodus 12:20 issues a strict and universal command to the Israelites: they are to consume nothing leavened and are instead required to eat unleavened bread in all their dwelling places during the prescribed period of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This ordinance signifies the urgent and swift departure from Egypt, leaving no time for bread to rise, and serves as a profound symbol of spiritual purification, marking a complete separation from the old, corrupt life of bondage to sin and an entry into a new life of covenant with God.
Exodus 12 20 Context
Exodus chapter 12 details the institution of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, pivotal events immediately preceding the Exodus from Egypt. Verse 20 specifically mandates a critical dietary aspect of this seven-day festival, commencing directly after the Passover lamb is eaten. The broader context includes the Lord's instructions for the Israelites' immediate deliverance, emphasizing signs of distinction, God's protection during the tenth plague, and the foundational covenant established between God and His chosen people. The urgency of their departure (Ex 12:33, 39) necessitated bread that required no leavening, transforming a practical necessity into a lasting religious and commemorative observance.
Exodus 12 20 Word analysis
- Ye shall eat nothing leavened:
- "Ye shall eat": This is a direct, imperative command, addressing every individual within the community of Israel. It denotes a strict and compulsory instruction from the divine authority.
- "nothing leavened": The Hebrew word is chametz (חָמֵץ), referring to anything that has undergone fermentation, specifically bread raised by yeast or sourdough. Its prohibition is absolute for the specified seven days of the feast. Spiritually, chametz universally symbolizes corruption, decay, swelling (pride), sin, or evil. Its removal emphasizes purity, humility, and the shedding of old influences associated with Egyptian bondage and general moral decay, enabling a fresh, pure start with God. The immediate haste of the Exodus meant no time for bread to rise (Ex 12:34, 39), reinforcing this symbol of a decisive break.
- in all your habitations:
- "in all": The Hebrew kol (כּל) emphasizes the totality and universality of the command. It signifies that the prohibition of leaven is not confined to sacred places or specific ritualistic settings but is comprehensive.
- "your habitations": The Hebrew moshav (מוֹשָׁב) refers to dwellings, residences, or settled places. This includes their tents in the wilderness and their future homes in the promised land. Its inclusion signifies that the observance of the feast, and the principles it represents, was to pervade every aspect of daily life and every household, making the spiritual truth personal and practical within the domestic sphere.
- shall ye eat unleavened bread:
- "shall ye eat": Reiteration of the authoritative command, cementing the requirement.
- "unleavened bread": The Hebrew word is matzah (מַצָּה), referring to flat, unleavened bread. It represents several key concepts:
- Haste: The urgency of the Exodus, as there was no time for bread to rise (Ex 12:34, 39).
- Purity: The absence of leaven (corruption) symbolizes freedom from sin and malice, leading to a life of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:8).
- Affliction: Often referred to as "the bread of affliction" (Deut 16:3), matzah serves as a perpetual reminder of Israel's suffering and slavery in Egypt, fostering humility and gratitude for God's deliverance. In the New Testament, Christ is presented as "our Passover Lamb" (1 Cor 5:7), fulfilling the symbolism of matzah as the pure, spotless Lamb whose sacrifice brings spiritual liberation, compelling believers to partake of Him, the true Bread of Life, and live pure lives in fellowship with God.
Exodus 12 20 Bonus section
- Perpetual Ordinance: The command in Exodus 12:20, along with the entire observance of Passover and Unleavened Bread, was explicitly declared by God as a "perpetual ordinance" for "all your generations" (Ex 12:14, 17). This underscores its lasting and binding significance for the covenant people of God, establishing a rhythm of remembrance and purification through their history.
- The Twofold Command: The verse includes both a negative injunction ("Ye shall eat nothing leavened") and a positive instruction ("shall ye eat unleavened bread"). This holistic command signifies that spiritual life requires not only the putting away of sin and defilement but also the active embracing and partaking of that which is pure, true, and life-giving. This duality of purification and participation is central to the life of faith.
- Household Sanctification: The emphasis on "in all your habitations" teaches that the principles of God's covenant must extend beyond communal worship into the private, daily life of every individual and family. The home is intended to be a place of spiritual integrity and adherence to divine law, fostering a pervasive culture of holiness.
Exodus 12 20 Commentary
Exodus 12:20 concisely establishes a fundamental mandate for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, highlighting the complete and pervasive separation from leaven for seven days. This was not a mere dietary restriction but a profound spiritual object lesson for the Israelites. The total removal of leaven, a substance symbolizing corruption, sin, pride, and the influence of the "old life" of Egyptian bondage, from their homes ("in all your habitations") emphasized that holiness was to permeate every sphere of their existence—from the national celebration to the intimacy of the family dwelling. The accompanying command to consume matzah, the "bread of affliction" and haste, simultaneously recalled their deliverance and called them to a life of purity, humility, and sincerity before God. In a greater sense, this prefigures the New Covenant truth where believers are called to purge the "leaven" of sin from their lives (1 Cor 5:7-8), living as new creations in Christ, who is Himself the spiritual fulfillment of the Passover and the pure "bread of life." It is an enduring call to continuously sanctify one's life and environment, living in true sincerity.