Exodus 12:4 kjv
And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Exodus 12:4 nkjv
And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb.
Exodus 12:4 niv
If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.
Exodus 12:4 esv
And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
Exodus 12:4 nlt
If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat.
Exodus 12 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:3 | "Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take..." | Instruction to select Passover lamb |
| Exod 12:5 | "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year..." | Requirements for the sacrificial lamb |
| Exod 12:10 | "And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning..." | Command against leaving leftovers |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement..." | Life is in the blood; atonement principle |
| Deut 16:7 | "And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose..." | Passover eaten in chosen place |
| Ps 133:1 | "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" | Celebration of communal unity |
| Isa 53:7 | "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter..." | Prophecy of the Suffering Servant, Lamb |
| Matt 26:26-28 | "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave to the disciples..." | Institution of the Lord's Supper |
| Mark 14:22-24 | "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them..." | Communal sharing in Lord's Supper |
| Luke 22:19-20 | "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body..." | Lord's Supper, memorial communal meal |
| John 1:29 | "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin..." | John the Baptist identifies Jesus |
| John 6:12 | "When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." | No waste principle after miracle feeding |
| John 6:53-56 | "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man..." | Spiritual consumption of Christ for life |
| Rom 12:5 | "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." | Unity of believers in Christ's body |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump... For even Christ our passover is sacrificed..." | Christ as the true Passover Lamb |
| 1 Cor 10:16-17 | "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?... for we, being many, are one bread..." | Shared participation in Christ's body and blood |
| 1 Cor 11:23-26 | "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus..." | Instructions for communal observance of Lord's Supper |
| Eph 4:3-6 | "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." | Exhortation to Christian unity |
| Heb 9:14 | "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God..." | Efficacy of Christ's blood in atonement |
| Heb 10:25 | "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is..." | Importance of communal gathering |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things... But with the precious blood of Christ..." | Redemption by the sinless Lamb, Jesus |
| Rev 5:6 | "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb..." | The Lamb as central in heavenly worship |
| Rev 7:17 | "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains..." | The Lamb as Shepherd and Provider |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 4 Meaning
Exodus 12:4 outlines a practical directive for the observance of the inaugural Passover. It commands that if a family unit is too small to consume an entire Passover lamb or kid in one sitting, they must join with a nearby neighbor. The allocation of the lamb’s meat must then be meticulously determined by a count of all individuals in the combined households, ensuring that each person receives a portion based on their capacity to eat. This ensures that the whole lamb is consumed entirely before the morning, upholding both sacred command and practical stewardship by preventing any waste of the sacrificial animal.
Exodus 12 4 Context
Exodus chapter 12 introduces the institution of the Passover, the most foundational observance for the nation of Israel. It sets the stage for the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn, which would compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites. This particular verse provides detailed instructions regarding the communal consumption of the Passover lamb. These instructions, given to Moses and Aaron by God while Israel was still enslaved in Egypt, were critical for ensuring proper observance of the protective covenant on that first night. The emphasis on careful allocation and communal eating not only served a practical purpose (no waste) but also spiritually bound the participating families and neighbors together in a shared act of faith and deliverance, distinguishing them from the surrounding Egyptians.
Exodus 12 4 Word analysis
- And if the household: This initiates a contingent scenario. The instruction accommodates situations where the normative unit (one family, one lamb) is impractical.
- be too little: Hebrew: mim'mat (מִמֶּט), meaning "from fewness" or "insufficient number." It directly addresses a family having too few members to consume a whole lamb completely.
- for a lamb: Hebrew: l’ha-seh (לַשֶּׂה). This specifies the designated sacrificial animal for Passover, which could be either a lamb or a young goat.
- then he and his neighbor next unto him: Emphasizes the expansion beyond the immediate household. "Neighbor" (Hebrew: shakhen, שָׁכֵן) denotes physical proximity, suggesting individuals from adjacent dwellings joining forces. This highlights the early fostering of community responsibility.
- shall take it: Hebrew: yiqqach (יִקַּח). A unified verb implying that both the original householder and his neighbor cooperatively acquire and prepare the lamb.
- according to the number of the souls: Hebrew: l’mikhsat nefashot (לְמִכְסַת נְפָשֹׁת). Nefashot (נְפָשֹׁת) means 'souls' or 'persons'. Mikhsat (מִכְסַת) implies 'counting' or 'measuring out'. This commanded a precise census of every person who would participate, ensuring accurate apportionment.
- every man: Hebrew: ish (אִישׁ). Used generically to include every individual, both male and female, who would partake in the meal.
- according to his eating: Hebrew: l’phi okhlo (לְפִי אָכְלוֹ). Lit. "according to his mouth/consumption." This practical allowance recognizes that individual appetites vary, advocating for an equitable, efficient distribution to prevent excess or insufficiency for any one person, and ultimately ensuring the entire lamb's consumption.
- shall make your count for the lamb: Hebrew: takhosshu l’seh (תָּכֹסּוּ לַשֶּׁה). The verb takhosshu signifies 'you shall calculate' or 'apportion'. It stresses a deliberate, systematic division based on the actual number and capacity of eaters.
Exodus 12 4 Bonus section
The flexibility implied by "lamb" (seh) allowing for either a sheep or goat demonstrates God's practical consideration for the economic realities of His people, especially while in slavery. The mandate for careful accounting and distribution ensured maximum utilization, signifying respect for the sacredness of the offering. This specific command for neighboring families to merge underscores the burgeoning communal identity of Israel, emphasizing mutual reliance and shared spiritual experience that transcended immediate family lines, fostering cohesion in anticipation of their Exodus and national formation. This prefigures the New Testament concept of the church as a single body composed of many members, collectively participating in Christ and sharing in His provision.
Exodus 12 4 Commentary
Exodus 12:4, though a detailed instruction on Passover logistics, profoundly reveals God's meticulous care, emphasis on community, and commitment to the sacred. The requirement to join households for consumption if a family is too small speaks to both divine practicality and communal bonding. It prevented waste of the sanctified lamb, which later statutes reinforced as unholy (Exod 12:10). More importantly, it cultivated inter-familial relationships, forging unity among those destined to be delivered together as a new nation. This foreshadows the collective participation of believers in the spiritual sustenance found in Christ, the ultimate Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7). The detailed counting by "souls" and "eating capacity" underscores the personal nature of God's covenant—He cares for each individual's portion and their participation in His redemptive plan. It emphasizes that salvation, while personal, is experienced and expressed communally, uniting believers in "one bread, one body" in the New Covenant (1 Cor 10:17). Practically, this instructs us in stewardship of God's provisions, and in the necessity of communal participation to fully appropriate spiritual blessings in Christ.