The First Passover

Context & Setting

• Main Biblical Reference: Exodus 11:1–10; 12:1–36
• Historical Period: Israel’s oppression in Egypt and the events leading to the exodus
• Geographic Location: Egypt (in the land of Goshen); departure toward the wilderness
• Key Characters: God (the LORD), Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, the Israelites, the Egyptians

The Narrative

The Beginning:
After repeated plagues, Pharaoh still refuses to release Israel from slavery. The LORD announces a final judgment—the death of the firstborn in Egypt—and gives Moses and Aaron specific instructions for Israel’s deliverance. God establishes a new beginning for Israel’s calendar, marking this moment as foundational.

The Middle:
Each household is to select an unblemished lamb, slaughter it at twilight, and place its blood on the doorposts and lintel of the house. They must eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, dressed to leave quickly, because the LORD will pass through Egypt in judgment. Where the blood is seen, the house will be “passed over,” and the people inside will be spared. At midnight the judgment falls: Egypt’s firstborn die, and a loud cry rises throughout the land.

The End:
Pharaoh urgently calls for Moses and Aaron and orders Israel to leave, even asking for a blessing. The Egyptians press the Israelites to depart quickly, and the people leave with unleavened dough and with goods given by the Egyptians. The Passover is commanded as an enduring memorial, so future generations will remember how the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt.

Theological Meaning

The first Passover reveals the LORD as both righteous judge and faithful redeemer: judgment falls on Egypt, yet God provides a means of protection for his people through the Passover blood. The event marks Israel’s covenant identity as a redeemed community, delivered not by Israel’s power but by God’s saving action and word. The Passover memorial also frames Israel’s worship around remembrance—God’s deliverance is to be received, trusted, and proclaimed across generations.

Historical & Cultural Insight

In the ancient Near East, household and family identity was central, and a meal could function as a covenantal remembrance. Passover combines both: a family-based ritual meal and a recurring festival that preserves communal memory, helping Israel transmit its identity and story in a largely oral culture.

Key Memory Verse

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” — Exodus 12:13