Exodus 12:21-51

21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, select lambs for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb.

22You are to take a bundle of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply it to the crossbeam and two doorposts with the blood from the basin. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning.

23Adonai will pass through to strike down the Egyptians, but when He sees the blood on the crossbeam and the two doorposts, Adonai will pass over that door, and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you down.

24Also you are to observe this event as an eternal ordinance, for you and your children.

25“When you come into the land which Adonai will give you as He has promised, you are to keep this ceremony.

26Now when it happens that your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’

27You are to say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Adonai’s Passover, because He passed over the houses of Bnei-Yisrael in Egypt, when He struck down the Egyptians, but spared our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshipped.

28Then Bnei-Yisrael went and did it. They did just as Adonai had commanded Moses and Aaron.

29So it came about at midnight that Adonai struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn cattle.

30Then Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was loud wailing in Egypt. For there was not a house where someone was not dead.

31So he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, go out from my people, both you and Bnei-Yisrael, go, serve Adonai as you have said.

32Take your flocks and your herds, as you said, and be gone! But bless me, too.”

33Now the Egyptians urged the people, sending them out of the land quickly, for they thought, “We will all be dead!”

34So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders.

35So Bnei-Yisrael acted ­according to the word of Moses. They asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing.

36Adonai gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and let them have what they asked for. So they plundered the Egyptians.

37Then Bnei-Yisrael journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 men on foot, as well as children.

38Also a mixed multitude went up with them, along with the flocks, herds and heavy livestock.

39They had baked matzot cakes from the dough that they brought out of Egypt. It had no hametz, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not delay, so they had not made provisions for themselves.

40Now the time that Bnei-Yisrael lived in Egypt was 430 years.

41So it happened at the end of 430 years, to the very day, that all the armies of Adonai went out from the land of Egypt.

42It was a night of watching for Adonai to bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is a night of vigil for Adonai, for all Bnei-Yisrael throughout their generations.

43Then Adonai said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may eat it,

44but every man’s servant that is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it.

45Nor should a visitor or hired servant eat it.

46It is to be eaten inside a single house. You are not to carry the meat out of the house, nor are you to break any of its bones.

47All the congregation of Israel must keep it.

48But if an outsider dwells with you, who would keep the Passover for Adonai, all his males must be circumcised. Then let him draw near and keep it. He will be like one who is native to the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat from it.

49The same Torah applies to the native as well as the outsider who dwells among you.”

50So all Bnei-Yisrael did so. They did just as Adonai commanded Moses and Aaron.

51It was on that very day that Adonai brought Bnei-Yisrael out of the land of Egypt as armies.