Exodus 12:42 kjv
It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
Exodus 12:42 nkjv
It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
Exodus 12:42 niv
Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.
Exodus 12:42 esv
It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.
Exodus 12:42 nlt
On this night the LORD kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation.
Exodus 12 42 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 12:13 | When I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be... | God's protection during the plague. |
| Exo 13:8 | And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because... | Passover's pedagogical purpose. |
| Exo 23:15 | Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread... as I commanded thee... | Commandment for Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover. |
| Lev 23:5 | In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover. | Specifies Passover's place in the calendar. |
| Num 9:2 | Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. | Reiteration of the Passover observance. |
| Deut 16:1-2 | Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God... | Annual, commanded Passover remembrance. |
| Josh 5:10-11 | And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover... | Passover observed upon entering Canaan. |
| 2 Ki 23:21-22 | The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD... | King Josiah's grand revival of Passover. |
| 2 Chro 35:1 | Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the... | Details of Josiah's significant Passover. |
| Ezra 6:19-22 | And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth... | Post-exilic celebration of Passover. |
| Ps 78:4 | We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation... | Importance of teaching future generations God's acts. |
| Ps 105:27 | They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. | Recounts God's powerful acts in Egypt. |
| Isa 43:16 | Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in... | God as the deliverer from bondage. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant... | Prophecy of the New Covenant's institution. |
| Matt 26:26-29 | As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it... This is my body. | Institution of the Lord's Supper at Passover. |
| Mark 14:12 | And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover... | Synoptic account of Jesus's Last Supper preparation. |
| Luke 22:15-20 | And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover... | Jesus's longing for Passover and its fulfillment. |
| John 1:29 | The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb... | Jesus identified as the ultimate Passover Lamb. |
| John 6:53-56 | Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat... | Jesus as the bread of life, life through Him. |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump... For even... | Christ identified as our Passover Lamb. |
| Gal 3:29 | And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according... | Spiritual inclusion in God's promises through Christ. |
| Heb 9:11-14 | But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a... | Christ's once-for-all sacrifice fulfilling shadows. |
| Rev 5:9-10 | And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book... | Redemption by the Lamb, forming a new kingdom. |
| Rev 19:7-9 | Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage... | The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 42 Meaning
Exodus 12:42 establishes the night of the Passover as a perpetual and unique observance dedicated to the LORD. It commemorates His specific act of vigilance and protection, demonstrated when He passed over the homes of the Israelites while delivering them from Egyptian bondage. This sacred "night of watching" serves as a foundational memorial, mandating its faithful celebration by all the descendants of Israel through every successive generation.
Exodus 12 42 Context
Exodus 12:42 concludes the detailed divine instructions regarding the Passover, the tenth and final plague, and the Exodus itself. It immediately follows the narrative of God striking the firstborn of Egypt and the Israelites leaving their homes after the desperate Egyptians urged their departure. The verse establishes the night of deliverance as a perpetual covenant memorial. It marks a foundational event for Israel's national identity, transforming a group of slaves into a people consecrated to the LORD, bound by an eternal ordinance to remember their liberation through divine power and fidelity. This verse sets the stage for the calendar and feasts that will shape Israel's life, rooting their very existence in God's redemptive work.
Exodus 12 42 Word analysis
- "It is a night" (Laylah Hu - לַיְלָה הוּא): Signifies not just any evening but a specific, singular period of darkness profoundly marked by divine intervention. This particular night stands out as pivotal in salvation history.
- "to be much observed" / "a night of watching" (Leil shimmurim - לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים): The Hebrew term shimmurim (from shamar) carries a dual significance.
- First, it denotes the LORD's "watching over" His people, His protective vigilance as He passed over their homes while judgment fell upon Egypt (Exo 12:13, 23). This highlights God's active preservation.
- Second, it demands Israel's response: "a night to be observed," requiring watchful commemoration, careful obedience, and vigilant remembrance by humans. This command emphasizes their active participation in remembering divine action. It indicates a sacred vigil.
- "unto the LORD" (laYHWH - לַיהוָה): Stresses that the entire observance, its origin, its purpose, and its glory, is solely for the covenant God, YHWH. It is not for human veneration of an event but for God's honor. It asserts His unique claim over the time and the act.
- "for bringing them out" (le-hotzi'am - לְהוֹצִיאָם): Identifies the direct and immediate cause for this perpetual observance—the LORD's mighty act of delivering Israel from their oppressive servitude in Egypt. This serves as the bedrock event for Israel's identity and worship.
- "from the land of Egypt": Emphasizes the utter desperation and impossible bondage from which YHWH redeemed them, highlighting the magnitude of His saving power. This contrasts their former state with God's liberation.
- "this is that night of the LORD": The emphatic repetition further sanctifies and singularizes the specific night of the Exodus. It reinforces that this is God's own chosen night for a monumental redemptive work. It distinguishes it from all other nights, highlighting its divine designation and singular importance.
- "to be observed of all the children of Israel": This expands the scope of the command to include every single descendant and family unit within Israel, emphasizing its universal and collective nature. No Israelite is exempt from this memorial, underscoring communal responsibility.
- "in their generations" (b'doroteikhem - בְּדֹרֹתֵיכֶם): Stipulates the perpetual nature of this observance. It's not a one-time event but a multi-generational commandment, ensuring the memory and significance of the Exodus is transmitted and reaffirmed throughout all future ages. This binds the past, present, and future generations in a shared sacred history, ensuring continuity of faith.
Exodus 12 42 Bonus section
The term "Leil Shimurim" (night of watchings/observances) became a significant concept in Jewish tradition. While Exodus 12:42 directly refers to the Exodus event, its formulation, "night of the LORD," emphasizes divine proprietorship over historical time. This foundational night established a new religious calendar for Israel (Exo 12:2), signifying a divine reset in their understanding of time and purpose. The Passover ritual, stemming from this command, became the living vehicle through which Israel's national and religious identity was perpetually renewed, serving as a constant reminder of God's redemptive faithfulness and their special relationship with Him.
Exodus 12 42 Commentary
Exodus 12:42 serves as a pivotal summary and command, encapsulating the profound significance of the first Passover night. It mandates a perpetual vigil, known as a "night of watching," which functions dually: it is the night God watched over Israel, preserving them, and it is the night Israel must faithfully watch and remember this divine intervention. This commemoration is exclusively "unto the LORD," attributing all honor and focus to His saving work of bringing them out of Egypt. The verse elevates this single night to an eternal, foundational covenant event for all of Israel's descendants, weaving divine action and human remembrance into the fabric of their identity. Ultimately, this commanded observance serves as a pedagogical tool, ensuring that the deliverance from bondage, God's mighty arm, and His faithfulness would forever be celebrated and taught, foreshadowing the greater redemption achieved through Christ, our true Passover Lamb, who ushers in a new "watch" of spiritual freedom and unending covenant.