### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **peçach**, represented by `{{H6453}}`, is a technical term meaning a pretermission or exemption, used specifically for the Jewish **Passover**. Appearing 49 times in 46 unique verses, it refers to the festival itself, the sacrificial victim, or the offering. The word is derived from the verb `{{H6452}}`, meaning to pass over or spare.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H6453}}` is instituted as a foundational ordinance from the LORD `{{H3068}}`. It commemorates the event where God passed over the houses of the children of Israel `{{H3478}}` in Egypt `{{H4714}}` [[Exodus 12:27]]. It is observed at an appointed season `{{H4150}}`, on the fourteenth day of the first month at even ([[Leviticus 23:5]], [[Numbers 28:16]]). The observance requires killing the **passover** [[Exodus 12:21]] and eating it in haste `{{H2649}}` with loins girded `{{H2296}}` and staff in hand `{{H4731}}` [[Exodus 12:11]]. The term also refers to **passover offerings**, which could include animals from the flock `{{H6629}}` and the herd `{{H1241}}` sacrificed at the place the LORD chooses [[Deuteronomy 16:2]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller context for the meaning of **passover**:
* `{{H6452}}` **pâçach**: The root verb meaning to hop, skip over, spare, or **pass over**. This describes the divine action of the LORD during the original event in Egypt [[Exodus 12:27]].
* `{{H2077}}` **zebach**: This word means a sacrifice, referring to either the victim or the act. The Passover is explicitly called "the **sacrifice** of the LORD'S passover" [[Exodus 12:27]].
* `{{H2282}}` **chag**: A festival or solemn feast. The **passover** is a central feast day, kept alongside the feast `{{H2282}}` of unleavened bread `{{H4682}}` [[2 Chronicles 35:17]].
* `{{H4682}}` **matstsâh**: Meaning unleavened bread, its consumption is a key part of the **passover** celebration, which is a feast of seven days where unleavened bread shall be eaten [[Ezekiel 45:21]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6453}}` is significant and multifaceted.
* **Divine Deliverance:** The core concept is God's act of sparing His people from judgment. It is the "LORD'S **passover**" [[Exodus 12:11]], a powerful demonstration of His exemption of Israel from the plague that struck the Egyptians `{{H4714}}`.
* **A Mandated Ordinance:** Keeping the **passover** is a strict command `{{H6680}}` from God [[Numbers 9:2]]. Forbearing to keep it without a valid reason, such as being unclean `{{H2931}}` or on a journey `{{H1870}}`, results in being cut off `{{H3772}}` from the people [[Numbers 9:13]].
* **Inclusion of the Stranger:** The ordinance of the **passover** extends beyond native-born Israelites. A stranger `{{H1616}}` who sojourns among them may keep it, provided their males are circumcised `{{H4135}}`. The law establishes one `{{H259}}` ordinance `{{H2708}}` for both the stranger and the one born in the land `{{H776}}` [[Numbers 9:14]].
* **Provision for Purification:** For those who are defiled `{{H2931}}` or on a long journey `{{H7350}}`, God provides a way to observe the **passover** in the second `{{H8145}}` month `{{H2320}}` ([[Numbers 9:10]], [[2 Chronicles 30:2]]), ensuring inclusion in this vital act of remembrance.
### Summary
In summary, **peçach** `{{H6453}}` is more than a simple festival; it is a foundational memorial of divine exemption and redemption. It signifies God's act of "passing over" His people to deliver them from judgment in Egypt. As both a sacrifice `{{H2077}}` and a solemn feast `{{H2282}}`, its observance is governed by specific ordinances that underscore obedience, purity, and unity. The **passover** serves as a perpetual reminder of God's power to save, establishing a covenant practice for all of Israel's generations `{{H1755}}` and for the strangers who join them.
TRV