King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Complete Jewish Bible:
Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats.
Berean Standard Bible:
Your lamb must be an unblemished year-old male, and you may take it from the sheep or the goats.
American Standard Version:
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old: ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Your lamb{H7716} shall be without blemish{H8549}, a male{H2145} of the first{H1121} year{H8141}: ye shall take{H3947} it out from the sheep{H3532}, or from the goats{H5795}:
Cross-References (KJV):
1 Peter 1:18
- Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;
1 Peter 1:19
- But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Hebrews 9:13
- For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Hebrews 9:14
- How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Malachi 1:14
- But cursed [be] the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I [am] a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name [is] dreadful among the heathen.
Deuteronomy 17:1
- ¶ Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God [any] bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, [or] any evilfavouredness: for that [is] an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
Leviticus 1:10
- ¶ And if his offering [be] of the flocks, [namely], of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 12:5
**Themes:**
Exodus 12:5 contains several key themes:
1. **Sacrifice and Atonement:** The requirement for a lamb without blemish foreshadows the concept of a perfect sacrifice to atone for sins, ultimately fulfilled in Christianity by Jesus Christ, who is referred to as the "Lamb of God."
2. **Obedience and Faith:** The specific instructions regarding the lamb underscore the importance of obedience to God's commands and the demonstration of faith through action.
3. **Preparation for Deliverance:** The selection of the lamb is part of the preparation for the Passover, which commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
4. **Distinction Between the Sacred and Profane:** The choice of an unblemished animal emphasizes the distinction between the sacred (that which is set apart for God) and the profane (that which is common or imperfect).
**Historical Context:**
Exodus 12:5 is set within the narrative of the Israelites' oppression in Egypt. God is about to inflict the final plague upon the Egyptians, the death of the firstborn. To protect the Israelites from this plague, God instructs them to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, which would be a sign for the "destroyer" to pass over their households, sparing their firstborn.
The verse is part of the detailed instructions given to the Israelites for the first Passover celebration. This event is foundational in Jewish history, marking the beginning of the Hebrew calendar year and establishing the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover lamb would be roasted and eaten in haste, with the people ready to depart from Egypt at God's command.
In a broader historical context, the Passover and the associated themes would become central to Jewish religious identity and practice. For Christians, this verse also takes on additional significance as a typological prefiguration of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, seen as the ultimate Passover Lamb whose blood brings salvation to humanity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7716
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׂה
Transliteration: seh
Pronunciation: seh
Description: or שֵׂי; probably from שָׁאָה through the idea of pushing out to graze; a member of a flock, i.e. a sheep or goat; (lesser, small) cattle, ewe, goat, lamb, sheep. Compare זֶה. - Strong's Number: H8549
There are 85 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תָּמִים
Transliteration: tâmîym
Pronunciation: taw-meem'
Description: from תָּמַם; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth; without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole. - Strong's Number: H2145
There are 80 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָכָר
Transliteration: zâkâr
Pronunciation: zaw-kawr'
Description: from זָכַר; properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex); [idiom] him, male, man(child, -kind). - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H8141
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁנֶה
Transliteration: shâneh
Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). - Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H3532
There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֶּבֶשׂ
Transliteration: kebes
Pronunciation: keh-bes'
Description: from an unused root meaning to dominate; a ram (just old enough to butt); lamb, sheep. - Strong's Number: H5795
There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵז
Transliteration: ʻêz
Pronunciation: aze
Description: from עָזַז; a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair); (she) goat, kid.