Exodus 12 43

Exodus 12:43 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:

Exodus 12:43 nkjv

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it.

Exodus 12:43 niv

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the regulations for the Passover meal: "No foreigner may eat it.

Exodus 12:43 esv

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it,

Exodus 12:43 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the instructions for the festival of Passover. No outsiders are allowed to eat the Passover meal.

Exodus 12 verses

Exodus 12 43 Meaning

Exodus 12:43 declares a specific and strict regulation concerning participation in the Passover meal: only those within the covenant community are permitted to eat of it, explicitly excluding those identified as "foreigners." This establishes a fundamental boundary for the most significant redemption ritual of ancient Israel, emphasizing its unique sacredness and its ties to God's covenant with His people. It is a divine decree highlighting the exclusivity of the covenant privileges at that time.

Exodus 12 43 Context

Exodus 12:43 appears within the detailed instructions given by God to Moses and Aaron regarding the first Passover meal in Egypt, to be observed on the night the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn, was to be executed. The preceding verses (Ex 12:1-42) outline the selection and sacrifice of the lamb, the marking of doorposts with blood, the method of eating, and the significance of the Passover as an eternal ordinance. This specific verse (12:43) begins a subsection (Ex 12:43-49) dedicated to defining who is eligible to partake in the Passover meal, setting clear boundaries of inclusion and exclusion based on one's relationship to the covenant community. Historically, the Passover was not merely a memorial but a ritual affirmation of God's redemptive power and Israel's identity as His set-apart people, a crucial component for their separation from the Egyptians and all other nations.

Exodus 12 43 Word analysis

• And the LORD said: This phrase emphasizes divine authorship and authority. It is not a human decree, but a direct command from God (YHWH), highlighting its foundational importance and binding nature.
• to Moses and Aaron: Identifies the direct recipients of the divine command, establishing their role as mediators and leaders responsible for conveying and implementing God's will to the Israelites.
• This is the ordinance: Hebrew: chuqqah (חֻקָּה). This term denotes a permanent, established decree, statute, or prescribed rule. It is a divine enactment, implying an unchanging and binding law, rather than a suggestion or temporary guideline. It highlights the mandatory nature of the following instruction.
• of the Passover: Hebrew: Pesach (פֶּסַח). Refers to the annual feast commemorating God's "passing over" the houses of the Israelites during the final plague and the Exodus from Egypt. It is both a memorial and a propitiatory sacrifice, signifying God's redemptive work. Eating the Passover lamb was a central act of participation in this deliverance and identification with the covenant community.
• No foreigner: Hebrew: ben-nekhar (בֶּן־נֵכָר), literally "son of a stranger/alien." This term specifically denotes someone entirely outside the covenant, a complete outsider, someone belonging to another nation without any ties or commitment to Israel's God or community. This is distinct from ger (גֵּר), a resident alien or sojourner, who lived among Israelites but maintained a distinct identity (as addressed in Ex 12:48). The ben-nekhar implies someone who has made no move to identify with YHWH or His people through circumcision or adoption of their covenant.
• shall eat of it: This forbids participation in the Passover ritual by outsiders. Eating was not just a meal but an act of sacred communion, symbolizing covenant relationship and shared destiny with God's people. Exclusion underscores that participation was a privilege tied to identity within the covenant, established by God's choice and specific requirements.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 'This is the ordinance...": This establishes the authoritative and foundational nature of the command. God directly communicates a permanent decree through His appointed leaders. It signifies a divine constitution of the Passover's eligibility rules.
• "...of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat of it.": This directly links the core identity of the Passover, a sign of redemption and covenant, with exclusive participation. The chuqqah makes a definitive statement: the ritual belonging to God's set-apart people is not for those entirely outside that covenant identity, maintaining its sacred boundaries.

Exodus 12 43 Bonus section

The Hebrew distinction between ben-nekhar (foreigner, entirely outside) and ger (sojourner, resident alien) is vital for understanding this verse. While Ex 12:43 forbids the ben-nekhar from partaking, Ex 12:48 then explains how a ger could partake: "If a stranger [ger] sojourns with you and would keep the Passover for the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it, and he shall be as a native of the land." This progression demonstrates that God's plan, while emphasizing covenant boundaries, always included a path for outsiders to genuinely join His people by fully embracing the covenant. This foreshadows the broader New Testament inclusion of Gentiles who come to faith in Christ, demonstrating that the barriers are not impenetrable, but conditional upon true alignment with God's covenant terms.

Exodus 12 43 Commentary

Exodus 12:43 serves as a foundational boundary marker for the sacred Passover feast, underlining the exclusive nature of God's covenant with Israel in its initial phase. It is not merely a practical instruction but a theological statement. The exclusion of the ben-nekhar—the complete outsider—emphasizes that partaking in the Passover was not a universal right but a profound privilege directly tied to covenant identity. This exclusion underscores the idea of a set-apart people ("a holy nation") who share unique spiritual blessings and responsibilities due to their special relationship with YHWH.

The verse establishes a critical principle: access to God's sacred ordinances is contingent upon an appropriate relationship with Him, signified by entry into His covenant. While this initial directive is restrictive for foreigners, subsequent verses (Ex 12:48-49) reveal that sincere proselytes (those gerim who commit fully, including circumcision) could participate, illustrating God's gracious provision for inclusion into His family through formal adoption of the covenant requirements.

In a New Covenant context, this principle finds fulfillment and transformation. Christ becomes our Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7), and the communion meal, representing His sacrifice, similarly has parameters. While physical lineage no longer dictates inclusion (Gal 3:28, Eph 2:11-22), spiritual unity with Christ through faith is the new requirement. Unworthy participation in communion carries solemn warnings (1 Cor 11:27-29), echoing the sanctity and specific spiritual prerequisites for partaking in God's sacred redemptive meals. The ancient prohibition reinforces the ongoing truth: participating in divine communion requires a committed covenant relationship with God.