Keraia
Exodus 12

Exodus 12:15

The Feast of Unleavened Bread · Exodus 12:14–28
Read Exodus 12

Translations

Modern
For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to remove the leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.
Traditional
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
Literal
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; indeed, on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses, for anyone eating leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
Latin
Septem diebus azyma comedetis: in die primo non erit fermentum in domibus vestris: quicumque comederit fermentatum, peribit anima illa de Israël, a primo die usque ad diem septimum.

Original

Hebrew
English
For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to remove the leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.

Notes

Exodus 12:15

  • unleavened: The Israelites needed unleavened bread (which was made without yeast) when they left Egypt in a hurry (see 12:34, 39). The Feast of Unleavened Bread remembers that event.

    Later in the Bible, yeast became a symbol of sin. Yeast spreads through dough, and in the same way sin spreads through people and communities. Jesus warned his disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). He was speaking about their teaching and hypocrisy.

  • cut off from Israel: This phrase means that a person would either be put to death or removed from the community. Being removed meant losing protection, family support, and the right to worship with God’s people.

Exodus 12:1–30

The 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).

Events

Parallels

Leviticus 23:4–8 Numbers 28:16–25 Deuteronomy 16:1–8

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Aaron Banish, Banishment Book of Exodus Calendars (Ancient and Modern) Chronology of the Bible (New Testament) Deuteronomy, Book of Family Life and Relations Feast of Unleavened Bread Feasts and Festivals of Israel History of Israel Kings, Books of First and Second Lintel (Top of a Doorframe) Meaning of Meals in the Bible Mezuzah Plague Unleavened Bread Wilderness Wanderings Worship

Topics

Blood: Sacrificial: Sprinkled on Door Posts Church: Rules of Discipline In, Mosaic and Christian Egypt: Israel in The Passover Instituted Israel: Instituted the Passover Leaven: Forbidden: During the Feast of the Passover Month: Abib (April): Passover Instituted and Celebrated In Passover: Institution of Passover: Observed with Unleavened Bread (No Yeast) Seven: Days: The Passover Lasted For Symbols and Similitudes: Passover, of the Sparing of the Firstborn, and of the Atonement Made by Christ The Feast of the Passover: Lasted Seven Days The Feast of the Passover: Leaven: Punishment for Eating The Feast of the Passover: Unleavened Bread Eaten At Unleavened Bread