Exodus 12

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Exodus 12

1And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μευσῆν καὶ Ἀαρὼν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου, λέγων,

2This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it is the first to you among the months of the year.ὁ μὴν οὗτος ὑμῖν ἀρχὴ μηνῶν· πρῶτός ἐστιν ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς μησὶ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ.

3Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month let them take each man a * lamb according to the houses of their families, every man a lamb for his household.Λάλησον πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, λέγων, τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου λαβέτωσαν ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατʼ οἴκους πατριῶν, ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατʼ οἰκίαν.

4And if they be few in a household, so that there are not enough for the lamb, he shall take with himself his neighbor that lives near to him, —as to the number of souls, every one according to that which suffices him shall make a reckoning for the lamb.Ἐὰν δὲ ὀλιγοστοὶ ὦσιν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ὥστε μὴ εἶναι ἱκανοὺς εἰς πρόβατον, συλλήψεται μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν γείτονα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν, ἕκαστος τὸ ἀρκοῦν αὐτῷ συναριθμήσεται εἰς πρόβατον.

5It shall be to you a lamb unblemished, a male of a year old: you shall take it of the lambs and the kids.Πρόβατον τέλειον, ἄρσεν, ἐνιαύσιον ἔσται ὑμῖν· ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν ἐρίφων λὴψεσθε.

6And it shall be kept by you till the fourteenth of this month, and all the multitude of the congregation of the children of Israel shall kill it toward evening.Καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν διατετηρημένον ἕως τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου· καὶ σφάξουσιν αὐτὸ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος συναγωγῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς ἑσπέραν.

7And they shall take of the blood, and shall put it on the two door-posts, and on the lintel, in the houses in which soever they shall eat them.Καὶ λήψονται ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος, καὶ θήσουσιν ἐπὶ τῶν δύο σταθμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν φλιὰν, ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις ἐν οἷς ἐὰν φάγωσιν αὐτὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς.

8And they shall eat the flesh in this night roast with fire, and they shall eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs.Καὶ φάγονται τὰ κρέα τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ὀπτὰ πυρὶ, καὶ ἄζυμα ἐπὶ πικρίδων ἔδονται.

9You shall not eat of it raw nor sodden in water, but only roast with fire, the head with the feet and the appurtenances.Οὐκ ἔδεσθε ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ὠμὸν, οὐδὲ ἡψημένον ἐν ὕδατι, ἀλλʼ ἢ ὀπτὰ πυρὶ, κεφαλὴν σὺν τοῖς ποσὶ καὶ τοῖς ἐνδοσθίοις.

10Nothing shall be left of it till the morning, and a bone of it you shall not break; but that which is left of it till the morning you shall burn with fire.Οὐκ ἀπολείψεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ· καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ· τὰ δὲ καταλειπόμενα ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωῒ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσετε.

11And thus shall you eat it: your loins girded, and your sandals on your feet, and your staves in your hands, and you shall eat it in haste. It is a passover to the Lord.Οὕτω δὲ φάγεσθε αὐτό· αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν περιεζωσμέναι, καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν, καὶ αἱ βακτηρίαι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· καὶ ἔδεσθε αὐτὸ μετὰ σπουδῆς· Πάσχα ἐστὶ Κυρίῳ.

12and I will go throughout the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt both man and beast, and on all the gods of Egypt will I execute vengeance: I am the Lord.Καὶ διελεύσομαι ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ, καὶ πατάξω πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους· καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ποιήσω τὴν ἐκδίκησιν· ἐγὼ Κύριος.

13And the blood shall be for a sign to you on the houses in which you are, and I will see the blood, and will protect you, and there shall not be on you the plague of destruction, when I † strike in the land of Egypt.Καὶ ἔσται τὸ αἷμα ὑμῖν ἐν σημείῳ ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκιῶν, ἐν αἷς ὑμεῖς ἔστε ἐκεῖ· καὶ ὄψομαι τὸ αἷμα, καὶ σκεπάσω ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν πληγὴ τοῦ ἐκτριβῆναι ὅταν παίω ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ.

14And this day shall be to you a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord through all your generations; you shall keep it a feast for a perpetual ordinance.Καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμῖν αὕτη μνημόσυνον, καὶ ἑορτάσετε αὐτὴν ἑορτὴν Κυρίῳ εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν· νόμιμον αἰώνιον ἑορτάσετε αὐτήν.

15Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and from the first day you shall utterly remove leaven from your houses: whoever shall eat leaven, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from Israel, from the first day until the seventh day.Ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἄζυμα ἔδεσθε· ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας τῆς πρώτης, ἀφανιεῖτε ζύμην ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν ὑμῶν· πᾶς ὃς ἂν φάγῃ ζύμην, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας τῆς πρώτης ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας τῆς ἑβδόμης.

16And the first day shall be called holy, and the seventh day shall be a ‡ holy convocation to you: you shall do no servile work on them, only as many things as will necessarily be done by every soul, this only shall be done by you.Καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα ἡ πρώτη, κληθήσεται ἁγία· καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα ἡ ἑβδόμη, κλητὴ ἁγία ἔσται ὑμῖν· πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν αὐταῖς, πλὴν ὅσα ποιηθήσεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ, τοῦτο μόνον ποιηθήσεται ὑμῖν.

17And you shall keep this commandment, for on this day will I bring out your force out of the land of Egypt; and you shall make this day a perpetual ordinance for you throughout your generations.Καὶ φυλάξετε τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην· ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐξάξω τὴν δύναμιν ὑμῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ποιήσετε τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην εἰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν νόμιμον αἰώνιον,

18Beginning the fourteenth day of the first month, you shall eat unleavened bread from evening, till the twenty-first day of the month, till evening.ἐναρχόμενοι τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου, ἀφʼ ἑσπέρας ἔδεσθε ἄζυμα, ἕως ἡμέρας μίας καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ μηνὸς, ἕως ἑσπέρας.

19Seven days leaven shall not be found in your houses; whoever shall eat anything leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, both among the occupiers of the land and the original inhabitants.Ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ζύμη οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται ἐν ταῖς οἰκιαῖς ὑμῶν· πᾶς ὃς ἂν φάγῃ ζυμωτὸν, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ συναγωγῆς Ἰσραήλ· ἔν τε τοῖς γειώραις, καὶ αὐτόχθοσι τῆς γῆς.

20You shall eat nothing leavened, but in every habitation of yours you shall eat unleavened bread.Πᾶν ζυμωτὸν οὐκ ἔδεσθε, ἐν παντὶ δὲ κατοικητηρίῳ ὑμῶν ἔδεσθε ἄζυμα.

21And Moses called all the elders of the children of Israel, and said to them, Go away and take to yourselves a lamb according to your kindred, and kill the passover.Ἐκάλεσε δὲ Μωυσῆς πᾶσαν γερουσίαν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ἀπελθόντες λάβετε ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς πρόβατον κατὰ συγγενείας ὑμῶν, καὶ θύσατε τὸ πάσχα.

22And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and having dipped it into some of the blood that is by the door, you shall touch the lintel, and shall put it upon both door-posts, even of the blood which is by the door; but you shall not go out every one from the door of his house till the morning.Λήψεσθε δὲ δέσμην ὑσσώπου, καὶ βάψαντες ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ παρὰ τὴν θύραν, καθίξετε τῆς φλιᾶς, καὶ ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν σταθμῶν, ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος ὅ ἐστι παρὰ τὴν θύραν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐξελεύσεσθε ἕκαστος τὴν θύραν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ.

23And the Lord shall pass by to strike the Egyptians, and shall see the blood upon the lintel, and upon both the door-posts; and the Lord shall pass by the door, and shall not suffer the destroyer to enter into your houses to strike you.Καὶ παρελεύσεται Κύριος πατάξαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, καὶ ὄψεται τὸ αἷμα ἐπὶ τῆς φλιᾶς, καὶ ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν σταθμῶν· καὶ παρελεύσεται Κύριος τὴν θύραν, καὶ οὐκ ἀφήσει τὸν ὀλοθρεύοντα εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὰς οἰκίας ὑμῶν πατάξαι.

24And keep you this thing as an ordinance for yourself and for your children for ever.Καὶ φυλάξασθε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο νόμιμον σεαυτῷ, καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου, ἕως αἰῶνος.

25And if you should enter into the land, which the Lord shall give you, as he has spoken, keep this service.Ἐὰν δὲ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ἂν δῷ Κύριος ὑμῖν, καθότι ἐλάλησε, φυλάξασθε τὴν λατρείαν ταύτην.

26And it shall come to pass, if your sons say to you, What is this service?Καὶ ἐσται ἐὰν λέγωσι πρὸς ὑμᾶς οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν, τίς ἡ λατρεία αὕτη;

27that you shall say to them, This passover is a sacrifice to the Lord, as he defended the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, but delivered our houses.Καὶ ἐρεῖτε αὐτοῖς, θυσία τὸ πάσχα τοῦτο Κυρίῳ, ὡς ἐσκέπασε τοὺς οἴκους τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἡνίκα ἐπάταξε τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, τοὺς δὲ οἴκους ἡμῶν ἐῤῥύσατο· καὶ κύψας ὁ λαὸς προσεκύνησε.

28And the people bowed and worshipped. And the children of Israel departed and did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.Καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ, καθὰ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ καὶ Ἀαρῶν, οὕτως ἐποίησαν.

29And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharao that sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the captive-maid in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all cattle.Ἐγενήθη δὲ μεσούσης τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ Κύριος ἐπάταξε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραὼ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος τῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ, καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου παντὸς κτήνους.

30And Pharao rose up by night, and his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in all the land of Egypt, for there was not a house in which there was not one dead.Καὶ ἀναστὰς Φαραὼ νυκτὸς, καὶ οἱ θεράποντες αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, καὶ ἔγενήθη κραυγὴ μεγάλη ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν οἰκία, ἐν ᾗ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ τεθνηκώς.

31And Pharao called Moses and Aaron by night, and said to them, Rise and depart from my people, both you and the children of Israel. Go and serve the Lord your God, even as you say.Καὶ ἐκάλεσε Φαραὼ Μωυσῆν καὶ Ἀαρὼν νυκτὸς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἀνάστητε, καὶ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ· βαδίζετε καὶ λατρεύσατε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν, καθὰ λέγετε.

32And take with you your sheep, and your oxen: bless me also, I pray you.Καὶ τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας ὑμῶν ἀναλαβόντες πορεύεσθε· εὐλογήσατε δὴ κᾀμέ.

33And the Egyptians constrained the people, so that they cast them out of the land with haste, for they said, We all shall die.Καὶ κατεβιάζοντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὸν λαὸν σπουδῇ ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῆς γῆς· εἶπαν γὰρ, ὅτι πάντες ἡμεῖς ἀποθνήσκομεν.

34And the people took their dough before their § meal was leavened, bound up as it was in their garments, on their shoulders.Ἀνέλαβε δὲ ὁ λαὸς τὸ σταῖς αὐτῶν, πρὸ τοῦ ζυμωθῆναι τὰ φυράματα αὐτῶν, ἐνδεδεμένα ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμαν.

35And the children of Israel did as Moses commanded them, and they asked of the Egyptians articles of silver and gold and apparel.Οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐποίησαν, καθὰ συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς Μωυσῆς, καὶ ᾔτησαν παρὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ καὶ ἱματισμόν.

36And the Lord gave his people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and they lent to them; and they spoiled the Egyptians.Καὶ ἔδωκε Κύριος τὴν χάριν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ ἐναντίον τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ ἔχρησαν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἐσκύλευσαν τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους.

37And the children Israel ** departed from Ramesses to Socchoth, to the full number of six hundred thousand footmen, even men, besides the baggage.Ἀπάραντες δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ Ῥαμεσσῆ εἰς Σοκχὼθ εἰς ἑξακοσίας χιλιάδας πεζῶν, οἱ ἄνδρες, πλὴν τῆς ἀποσκευῆς.

38And a great mixed company went up with them, and sheep and oxen and very much cattle.Καὶ ἐπίμικτος πολὺς συνανέβη αὐτοῖς, καὶ πρόβατα, καὶ βόες, καὶ κτήνη πολλὰ σφόδρα.

39And they baked the dough which they brought out of Egypt, unleavened cakes, for it had not been leavened; for the Egyptians cast them out, and they could not remain, neither did they prepare provision for themselves for the journey.Καὶ ἔπεψαν τὸ σταῖς ὃ ἐξήνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, ἐγκρυφίας ἀζύμους, οὐ γὰρ ἐζυμώθη· ἐξέβαλον γὰρ αὐτοὺς οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν ἐπιμεῖναι, οὐδὲ ἐπισιτισμὸν ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὴν ὁδόν.

40And the sojourning of the children of Israel, †† while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Chanaan, was four hundred and thirty years.Ἡ δὲ κατοίκησις τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ἣν κατῴκησαν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν, ἔτη τετρακόσια τριάκοντα.

41And it came to pass after the four hundred and thirty years, all the forces of the Lord came forth out of the land of Egypt by night.Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὰ τετρακόσια τριάκοντα ἔτη, ἐξῆλθε πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις Κυρίου ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου νυκτός.

42‡‡ It is a watch kept to the Lord, so that he should bring them out of the land of Egypt; that very night is a watch kept to the Lord, so that it should be to all the children of Israel to their generations.Προφυλακή ἐστι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὥστε ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου· ἐκείνη ἡ νὺξ αὕτη, προφυλακὴ Κυρίῳ, ὥστε πᾶσι τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἶναι εἰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν.

43And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the law of the passover: no stranger shall eat of it.Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ Ἀαρὼν, οὗτος ὁ νόμος τοῦ πάσχα· πᾶς ἀλλογενὴς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ·

44And every slave or servant bought with money—him you shall circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.Καὶ πάντα οἰκέτην ἢ ἀργυρώνητον περιτεμεῖς αὐτόν· καὶ τότε φάγεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

45A sojourner or hireling shall not eat of it.Πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

46In one house shall it be eaten, and you shall not carry of the flesh out from the house; ✡ and a bone of it you shall not break.Ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐξοίσετε ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῶν κρεῶν ἔξω· καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

47All the congregation of the children of Israel shall keep it.Πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ποιήσει αὐτό.

48And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, you shall circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.Ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος ποιῆσαι τὸ πάσχα Κυρίῳ, περιτεμεῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν ἀρσενικόν, καὶ τότε προσελεύσεται ποιῆσαι αὐτό· καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς· πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

49There shall be one law to the native, and to the proselyte coming among you.Νόμος εἷς ἔσται τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ, καὶ τῷ προσελθόντι προσηλύτῳ ἐν ὑμῖν.

50And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron for them, so they did.Καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ καθὰ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ καὶ Ἀαρὼν πρὸς αὐτούς, οὕτως ἐποίησαν.

51And it came to pass in that day that the Lord brought out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt with their forces.Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ἐξήγαγε Κύριος τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου σὺν δυνάμει αὐτῶν.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 3*πρόβατον, sheep generally but ver. 5 seems to show that the word lamb. is admissable in this passage.
• v. 13†Or, strike the land Hebraism.
• v. 16‡Gr. called holy.
• v. 34§Gr. lumps of meal.
• v. 37**Gr. having departed.
• v. 40††Gr. which.
• v. 42‡‡ὥστε seems to be given for ל, instead of 'when he brought,' etc.
• v. 46✡John 19:36

The Fathers on Exodus 12

Julius Africanus comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Exodus 12

Julius Africanus

Ante-Nicene Fathers · Third century · Fragments of the Chronography

Part XII. XII. From this record, therefore, we affirm that Ogygus, from whom the first flood (in Attica) derived its name, and who was saved when many perished, lived at the time of the exodus of the people from Egypt along with Moses. (After a break): And after Ogygus, on account of the vast destruction caused by the flood, the present land of Attica…

Read Fragments of the Chronography →