Leviticus 23:5 kjv
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.
Leviticus 23:5 nkjv
On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover.
Leviticus 23:5 niv
The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.
Leviticus 23:5 esv
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD's Passover.
Leviticus 23:5 nlt
"The LORD's Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month.
Leviticus 23 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:2 | "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months..." | First month designated as Nisan/Abib |
| Exod 12:6 | "...ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day...kill it in the evening." | Details the slaying of the Passover lamb. |
| Exod 12:7-8 | "...and the blood...they shall eat the flesh..." | Application of the blood and eating the lamb. |
| Exod 12:11 | "...it is the LORD'S passover." | Reaffirms divine ownership of the feast. |
| Exod 13:4 | "This day came ye out in the month Abib." | Links Passover to the month of Abib/Nisan. |
| Num 9:2 | "Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season." | Command to observe Passover in the wilderness. |
| Num 28:16 | "And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD." | Confirms the exact date for the Lord's Passover. |
| Deut 16:1 | "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD..." | General instruction to keep Passover in Abib. |
| Josh 5:10 | "And the children of Israel encamped...and kept the passover on the fourteenth day..." | First Passover observed in the Promised Land. |
| 2 Kgs 23:21 | "And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover..." | Josiah's great Passover observance. |
| 2 Chr 30:2-5 | "...take counsel to keep the passover in the second month." | Hezekiah's deferred Passover (exception). |
| Ezra 6:19 | "And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month." | Post-exilic Passover observance. |
| Matt 26:2 | "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover..." | Jesus' final Passover anticipation. |
| Matt 26:17 | "Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came..." | Links Passover with Unleavened Bread. |
| Mark 14:12 | "...when they killed the passover..." | Highlights the Passover lamb sacrifice. |
| Luke 22:7 | "Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed." | The lamb as central to Passover observance. |
| John 1:29 | "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." | Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb, hinted. |
| John 19:36 | "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken." | Fulfillment related to the Passover lamb (Exod 12:46). |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." | Explicit identification of Christ as the Passover Lamb. |
| Heb 9:11-14 | "...Christ being come an high priest...by his own blood..." | Connects the blood of Christ to superior sacrifice, superseding Old Covenant sacrifices. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "...redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish..." | Redemption through Christ's perfect blood, like a lamb for sacrifice. |
| Rev 5:6 | "...a Lamb as it had been slain..." | Depicts Christ in heavenly worship as the slain Lamb. |
Leviticus 23 verses
Leviticus 23 5 Meaning
This verse precisely identifies the date and time for the observance of the Passover (Pesach) festival. It states that on the fourteenth day of the first month, specifically in the twilight period (often translated as "at even"), the Passover of the LORD is to be held. This timing emphasizes its divine origin and commemorates the decisive act of deliverance by God during the Exodus from Egypt.
Leviticus 23 5 Context
Leviticus 23 outlines the sacred calendar of the LORD, presenting a series of holy convocations and feasts that Israel was commanded to observe throughout the year. These festivals served as central expressions of their covenant relationship with God, reminding them of His past provisions, present presence, and future promises. Passover, being the first festival chronologically within this list, serves as the foundational commemoration, directly linking the nation's liberation from Egyptian bondage to their identity as God's chosen people. Historically, the institution of Passover marks the pivotal event of the Exodus (Exo 12), transforming a collection of enslaved tribes into a nation brought forth by divine power. This annual remembrance reinforced God's redemptive work and sustained their faith, ensuring that future generations understood their miraculous origins.
Leviticus 23 5 Word analysis
- In: Signifies placement within time. This isn't just a general timeframe but a specific, mandated point.
- the fourteenth: Refers to the 14th day. This specificity underlines God's precise ordering of sacred time, distinct from pagan practices that often relied on ambiguous astrological signs or local customs. It implies a fixed calendar established by divine authority.
- day: Yom (יוֹם). A common Hebrew word for day. Here, it is explicitly tied to the numerical order of the month, establishing a concrete, annual commemoration.
- of the first: Ha-rishon (הָרִאשׁוֹן), "the first." Refers to the first month of the sacred year, which later became known as Nisan (from Babylonian exile) or originally Abib (Exo 13:4). This month represents new beginnings and the start of the divine calendar cycle for Israel. It commemorates their rebirth as a free nation.
- month: Ba-chodesh (בַּחֹדֶשׁ). Signifies a lunar month. The Hebrew calendar is luni-solar, meaning months are determined by the new moon, but adjustments ensure feasts fall within their seasons. The first month signifies God's ordering of time for His people.
- at even: Bein ha-arbayim (בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם). Literally, "between the two evenings" or "between the sunsets." This is a precise yet debated time indicator. It commonly refers to the twilight period, usually interpreted as the late afternoon, between 3:00 PM (ninth hour) and sunset. For the Passover sacrifice, this allowed for the lamb to be slain during the waning hours of the 14th day, ensuring it was consumed after nightfall, which marked the beginning of the 15th day according to the Jewish reckoning (day begins at sunset). This specific time allowed for the meticulous preparation for the feast meal itself, reinforcing the solemnity and particularity of the ritual.
- is the LORD's: la-YHWH hu (לַיהוָה הוּא). Explicitly states divine ownership and mandate. "YHWH" (often rendered as LORD in English Bibles) is the covenant name of God, emphasizing that this festival is not a human invention but God's direct command and possession. Its significance is rooted in His Person and His saving acts.
- passover: Pesach (פֶּסַח). This is the key term. It describes both the festival itself and the sacrificial lamb. The verb root means "to pass over" or "to spare." It directly recalls God's act of "passing over" the Israelite houses marked with lamb's blood while smiting the firstborn of Egypt, thus securing Israel's deliverance. It is the defining moment of Israel's national birth and liberation.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even": This phrase provides an exact chronological anchor. It is not just an annual event, but one fixed to a specific point in God's calendar, demanding precise obedience. The timing, bein ha-arbayim, emphasizes the liminal period of transition from one day to the next and the urgency of the original event, as Israel had to be ready to leave Egypt that very night.
- "is the LORD's passover": This declaration underscores the sacred nature and divine institution of the festival. It belongs to the LORD, meaning its purpose, rules, and efficacy derive solely from Him. This reinforces that the entire festival is a memorial to God's redemptive power and grace, not merely a human tradition. The term "Passover" itself encapsulates the entire redemptive narrative of judgment averted and liberation secured by God's intervention and the blood of the lamb.
Leviticus 23 5 Bonus section
The distinction between the "first month" for the sacred year and the civil year's beginning (in the seventh month) highlights a fundamental separation of Israel's life and time under divine decree. The precise date of the 14th day emphasizes meticulous adherence to God's commands, preparing the Israelites for a disciplined and obedient life. The significance of Bein ha-arbayim in theological discussions points to the specific hour of Christ's crucifixion, further cementing Him as the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. While the preparation of the Passover lamb (its slaughter) happened in the afternoon of the 14th, the consumption of the meal officially initiated the 15th, underscoring a continuous process of purification and commemoration leading into the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Leviticus 23 5 Commentary
Leviticus 23:5 serves as the anchor point for Israel's liturgical year, declaring the precisely timed commencement of the Passover festival. This detailed specification — "the fourteenth day of the first month at even" — highlights the divine order governing Israel's life, from time and seasons to worship. The phrase "at even" (bain ha-arbayim) points to the crucial window for the lamb's sacrifice, signaling the transition into the full day of Passover, when the commemorative meal would be eaten. The repetition of "the LORD's passover" from Exodus 12 underscores its unchanging nature as a divine ordinance, commemorating God's direct and miraculous intervention to free Israel from slavery. This foundational feast, thus, perpetually reminds Israel of their redemption through sacrifice and God's saving power, prefiguring the ultimate Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice would provide complete redemption for all who believe, inaugurating a New Covenant freedom from spiritual bondage.