Exodus 13:7 kjv
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
Exodus 13:7 nkjv
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters.
Exodus 13:7 niv
Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders.
Exodus 13:7 esv
Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.
Exodus 13:7 nlt
Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time.
Exodus 13 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:8 | "They shall eat the flesh that same night... with unleavened bread and bitter herbs." | Initial Passover instructions. |
| Exod 12:15 | "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread... Whoever eats leavened bread... that person shall be cut off." | First mention of seven days and severity of law. |
| Exod 12:19 | "For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off." | Reinforces ban on leaven in houses. |
| Exod 12:20 | "You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread." | General instruction for all homes. |
| Exod 23:15 | "You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread... for in it you came out from Egypt." | Connects the feast to the Exodus. |
| Exod 34:18 | "The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread." | Reiteration of the command. |
| Lev 2:11 | "No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven." | Leaven forbidden in offerings to God. |
| Lev 6:17 | "It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion from My food offerings." | Leaven prohibited in priestly food portions. |
| Lev 23:6 | "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread." | Levites' specific mention of the feast. |
| Num 28:17 | "On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is a feast; for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten." | Numeral details for the feast. |
| Deut 16:3 | "You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it." | Command to associate unleavened bread with Passover. |
| Deut 16:4 | "No leavened bread shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days." | Direct parallel, emphasizes "seen" and "territory." |
| Josh 5:11 | "And on the day after the Passover, on the very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain." | Observance upon entering the Promised Land. |
| Matt 16:6 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." | Leaven as a metaphor for corrupt teaching/doctrine. |
| Mark 8:15 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." | Leaven as hypocrisy and worldly mindset. |
| Luke 12:1 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." | Defines leaven as hypocrisy. |
| 1 Cor 5:6 | "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" | Paul's spiritual application: sin spreads. |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | "Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." | Spiritual purging, Christ as Passover fulfillment. |
| 1 Cor 5:8 | "Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." | Spiritual observance with truth and sincerity. |
| Gal 5:9 | "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." | Warning against legalism or false doctrine. |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | General call to purity and holiness. |
| 1 Pet 1:15 | "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct." | Call to holy living as God is holy. |
Exodus 13 verses
Exodus 13 7 Meaning
Exodus 13:7 stipulates a perpetual statute for the children of Israel: for the entire seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, only unleavened bread is to be eaten. Crucially, it prohibits the presence, or even the sight, of any leavened bread or leaven (yeast) anywhere within their homes or entire geographical boundaries, signifying a complete and rigorous purge. This commandment serves as a memorial of their swift departure from Egypt and spiritually symbolizes a life of purity and separation from corruption.Exodus 13 7 Context
Exodus 13 follows immediately after the climactic Tenth Plague (death of the firstborn) and the Israelites' hurried departure from Egypt. Chapter 12 details the Passover observance and the initial instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Chapter 13 focuses on perpetuating these acts as a memorial: the dedication of the firstborn (vv. 1-2, 11-16) and the enduring commandment concerning the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 3-10). Verse 7 reinforces the stringency of this commandment, making it clear that this observance is not merely ceremonial but deeply impactful on their daily life and environment for seven days each year. Historically, the swiftness of their liberation necessitated leaving Egypt without allowing bread dough to rise, turning a pragmatic necessity into a divine statute. This ritual also set Israel apart from surrounding nations, whose religious practices often included leavened bread offerings.Word Analysis
- Unleavened bread: Matzot (מַצּוֹת). This refers to bread baked without yeast, characterized by its flatness and rapid preparation. Its significance lies in commemorating the haste of the Exodus, when the Israelites left Egypt so quickly they had no time for their dough to rise (Exod 12:34, 39). Spiritually, matzah represents purity, humility, and sincerity, free from the puffing up (pride/sin) that leaven symbolizes.
- shall be eaten: Yē’āḵēl (יֵאָכֵל). This is a passive verb in the Qal stem, indicating that it "will be eaten" or "it must be eaten." It denotes an obligation and a communal act, underscoring that this consumption is commanded by God, not merely optional.
- for seven days: Shiv'at yāmim (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים). The number seven often signifies completion, perfection, or spiritual fullness in biblical numerology. Here, it denotes the full, uninterrupted duration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing thoroughness in the observance and a complete cycle of dedication to this specific command.
- no leavened bread: Chametz (חָמֵץ). This term specifically refers to dough or bread that has undergone fermentation and risen, or any product containing leaven. It's strictly prohibited. Chametz is often symbolic of sin, malice, wickedness, or corrupting influences in a spiritual sense (as seen in NT passages), suggesting a requirement for spiritual purification.
- shall be seen: Yēra'eh (יֵרָאֶה). A passive form of the verb "to see," meaning "it shall be seen" or "it should appear." This goes beyond merely not eating it; it means no leavened bread or leaven should even be physically present or visible in one's possession or dwelling. This emphasizes a thorough purging and absolute removal, leaving no trace, signifying not just internal purity but external demonstration of obedience and holiness.
- among you: Implies within the community and households.
- nor shall leaven: Se'or (שְׂאֹר). This refers to the actual leavening agent itself, typically a piece of sour dough used to ferment fresh dough. This term is distinct from chametz (the finished product) and serves to reinforce the comprehensiveness of the prohibition. Not only the end product but the very source or catalyst of fermentation must be removed. This signifies getting rid of the root cause or principle of corruption.
- in all your territory: G'vulkha (גְּבוּלְךָ). This extends the scope of the command from individual households ("among you") to the entire land or region where the Israelites dwell. It signifies that the holiness required is not confined to personal spaces but should permeate their communal and national life, transforming their entire geographical domain into one that reflects divine law during this sacred period. This national cleansing highlights their unique covenant relationship with God.
Words-Group Analysis
- "no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you": This double prohibition of chametz (leavened bread/product) and se'or (leaven/agent) highlights the absolute nature of the command. It's a forceful injunction for complete removal, ensuring no trace of fermentation is left. The repetition emphasizes strictness and thoroughness in purging anything symbolizing impurity or sin, ensuring the physical environment aligns with the spiritual observance of purity. The focus on what shall be seen reinforces a public declaration of adherence to God's commandments and a tangible act of obedience.
Exodus 13 7 Commentary
Exodus 13:7 underscores the radical separation and comprehensive purification demanded by God during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This physical act of purging leaven from their homes served as a tangible and unforgettable annual lesson for Israel, embodying their break from Egypt and their new identity as a people consecrated to God. The command's breadth, extending from "seven days" of eating unleavened bread to "no leavened bread shall be seen...nor shall leaven be seen...in all your territory," teaches that obedience is total, leaving no room for compromise. This literal cleansing of physical space foreshadows the spiritual necessity of purging sin (the "leaven of malice and wickedness" as Paul explains in 1 Cor 5:8) from one's life to live in sincerity and truth, continually remembering Christ our Passover Lamb.Bonus Section
- The "cutting off" penalty (Exod 12:15, 19) associated with eating leavened bread during the Feast highlights the severe theological implications of disobedience. It means separation from the covenant community, demonstrating the vital importance God placed on this ordinance.
- The symbolic link between leaven and sin is a prominent New Testament typology. Jesus warns against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 16:6), equating it with their false doctrine and hypocrisy. Paul explicitly commands believers to "cleanse out the old leaven" (1 Cor 5:7) because "a little leaven leavens the whole lump," likening sin's pervasive nature to leaven's spread through dough. This makes the physical cleansing of Exodus 13:7 a powerful prototype for the Christian's spiritual walk of holiness.
- The transition of this command from an urgent necessity during the Exodus to a perpetual statute reveals God's pedagogical method: using historical events to institute ongoing spiritual lessons and ritual practices. The feast serves not only as a remembrance but as a consistent re-orientation to holiness.