God’s Word Translation
Exodus 12:23
23The Lord will go throughout Egypt to kill the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, he will pass over that doorway, and he will not let the destroyer come into your home to kill you.
Exodus 12:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
- New International Version (NIV)When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.
Context of Exodus 12:23
21Then Moses called for all the leaders of Israel. He said to them, “Pick out a lamb or a young goat for your families, and kill the Passover animal. 22Take the branch of a hyssop plant, dip it in the blood which is in a bowl, and put some of the blood on the top and sides of the doorframes ⌞of your houses⌟. No one may leave the house until morning. The Lord will go throughout Egypt to kill the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, he will pass over that doorway, and he will not let the destroyer come into your home to kill you. 24“You must follow these instructions. They are a permanent law for you and your children. 25When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.
Read all of Exodus 12Exodus 12:23 word by word
וְעָבַ֣ר יְהוָה֮ לִנְגֹּ֣ף אֶת־מִצְרַיִם֒ וְרָאָ֤ה אֶת־הַדָּם֙ עַל־הַמַּשְׁק֔וֹף וְעַ֖ל שְׁתֵּ֣י הַמְּזוּזֹ֑ת וּפָסַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ עַל־הַפֶּ֔תַח וְלֹ֤א יִתֵּן֙ הַמַּשְׁחִ֔ית לָבֹ֥א אֶל־בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם לִנְגֹּֽף׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- will pass throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- to smiteנָגַףnâgaph · to strikeH5062
- the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- and when he seethרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- upon the lintelמַשְׁקוֹףmashqôph · lintelH4947
- and on the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- side postsמְזוּזָהmezûzâh mezûzâh · doorpostH4201
- will pass overפָּסַחpâsach · to passH6452
- the doorפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
- and will not sufferנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
- the destroyerשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- to comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- in unto your housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
Cross-references for Exodus 12:23
- Exodus 12:12“On that same night I will go throughout Egypt and kill every firstborn male, both human and animal. I will severely punish all the gods of Egypt, ⌞because⌟ I am the Lord.
- 2 Samuel 24:16But when the Messenger stretched out his arm to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord changed his mind about the disaster. “Enough!” he said to the Messenger who was destroying the people. “Put down your weapon.” The Messenger of the Lord was at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
- Isaiah 37:36The Lord’s angel went out and killed 185,000 ⌞soldiers⌟ in the Assyrian camp. When the Judeans got up early in the morning, they saw all the corpses.
- Ezekiel 9:4The Lord said to that person, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan about all the disgusting things that are being done in the city.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:10Don’t complain as some of them did. The angel of death destroyed them.
- Hebrews 11:28Faith led Moses to establish the Passover and spread the blood ⌞on the doorposts⌟ so that the destroying angel would not kill the firstborn sons.
- Hebrews 12:24You have come to Jesus, who brings the new promise from God, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel’s.
- Revelation 7:3“Don’t harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
- Revelation 9:4They were told not to harm any grass, green plant, or tree on the earth. They could harm only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Commentaries on Exodus 12:23
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-28Verses 21-28 That night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no Israelite must stir out of doors till called to march out of Egypt. Their safety was owing to the blood of sprinkling. If they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was at their peril. They must stay within, to wait for the salvation of the Lord; it is good to do so. In after-times they should carefully teach their children the meaning of this service. It is good for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30The Lord gave Moses instructions for the Passover meal and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (12:14–20). Moses and the people then celebrated the first Passover (12:21–30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2521-25. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, &c.--Here are given special directions for the observance.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 12:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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