Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2: The Pentateuch
Hap. X11. 1 - 28. Institution OF the passover. The deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt was at hand; also their adoption as the nation Of Jehovah (chap. Vi. 6, But for this a divine consecration was necessary, that their outward severance from the land of Egypt might be accompanied by an inward sever ance from everything of an Egyptian or heathen nature. This consecration was to be imparted by the Passover - a festival which was to lay the foundation for Israel's birth (hos. Ii. 5) into the new life of grace and fellowship with God, and to renew it perpetually in time to come. This festival was there fore instituted and commemorated before the exodus from Egypt. Vers. 1 - 28 contain the directions for the Passover: viz. Vers. 1 - 14 for the keeping of the feast of the Passover before the departure from Egypt, and vers. 15 - 20 for the seven days' feast of unleavened bread. In vers. 21 - 27 Moses com municates to the elders of the nation the leading instructions as to the former feast, and the carrying out of those instructions is mentioned in ver. 28. Vers. 1 and 2. By the words, in the land of Egypt, the law of the Passover which follows is brought into connection with the giving of the law at Sinai and in the fields of Moab, Israel as the people of Jehovah (isa. Xliii. 15) commenced with the institution of the Passover. As a proof of this, it was pre ceded by the appointment of a new era, fixing the commence ment of the congregation of Jehovah. This month (i.e. The present in which ye stand) be to you the head (i.e. The be ginning) of the months, the first let it be to you for the months of the year, i.e. Let the numbering of the months, and therefore the year also, begin with it. Consequently the Israelites had hitherto had a different beginning to their year, probably only a civil yehr, commencing with the sowing, and ending with the termination of the harvest (cf. Xxiii. 16) whereas the Egyptians most likely commenced their year with the over?owing of the Nile at the summer solstice (cf. Lepsius, Chron. 1, pp. 148 The month which was henceforth to be the first of the year, and is frequently so designated (chap. X1. 2, I7; Lev. Xxiii. 5, is called Abib (the ear-month) in chap. Xiii. 4, xxiii. 15, xxxiv. 18, Deut. Xvi. 1, because the corn was then in ear; after the captivity it was called Nisan (neh. Ii. 1 Esth. Iii. It cor responds very nearly to our April.
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