Exodus 12:15 - 13:16
15
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall
remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from
the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from
Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on
the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of
work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat--that only
may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the
land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your
generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the
fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread,
until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days
no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is
leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of
Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall
eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened
bread."'
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of
Israel and said to them, "Pick out and take lambs for yourselves
according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 And you
shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin,
and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in
the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until
morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and
when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD
will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your
houses to strike you. 24 And you shall observe this thing as an
ordinance for you and your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when
you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised,
that you shall keep this service. 26 And it shall be, when your
children say to you, "What do you mean by this service?' 27 that you
shall say, "It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over
the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the
Egyptians and delivered our households."' So the people bowed their
heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did
so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat
on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon,
and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night,
he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry
in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
The Exodus
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, "Rise, go out
from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go,
serve the LORD as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your
herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also."
33
And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of
the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead." 34 So the
people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading
bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children
of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked
from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.
36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the
Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they
plundered the Egyptians.
37 Then the children of Israel journeyed
from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot,
besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and
flocks and herds--a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked
unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for
it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could
not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.
40
Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four
hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four
hundred and thirty years--on that very same day--it came to pass that
all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a
night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the
land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for
all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
Passover Regulations
43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the
Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man's servant who is
bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In one house it
shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house,
nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel
shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep
the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then
let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land.
For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 One law shall be for the
native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you."
50
Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and
Aaron, so they did. 51 And it came to pass, on that very same day, that
the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt
according to their armies.
Exodus 13
The Firstborn Consecrated
How Israel Remembered the Exodus
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Consecrate to Me all the
firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both
of man and beast; it is Mine."
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 And Moses said to the people: "Remember this day in which you went
out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the
LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4
On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be,
when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the
Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He
swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey,
that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall
eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to
the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened
bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in
all your quarters. 8 And you shall tell your son in that day, saying,
"This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came up from
Egypt.' 9 It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial
between your eyes, that the LORD's law may be in your mouth; for with a
strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall
therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
The Law of the Firstborn
11 "And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the
Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,
12that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is,
every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males
shall be the LORD's. 13But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem
with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its
neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.
14So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What
is this?' that you shall say to him, "By strength of hand the LORD
brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 15And it came to
pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD
killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of
man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all
males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'
16It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your
eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."
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Leviticus 12
The Ritual After Childbirth
The Purification of Women
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of
Israel, saying: "If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then
she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary
impurity she shall be unclean. 3And on the eighth day the flesh of his
foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 She shall then continue in the blood
of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed
thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification
are fulfilled.
5
"But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks,
as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of
her purification sixty-six days.
6 "When the days of
her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she
shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering,
and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of
the tabernacle of meeting. 7 Then he shall offer it before the LORD,
and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her
blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.
8
"And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two
turtledoves or two young pigeons--one as a burnt offering and the other
as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she
will be clean."'
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Numbers 8
Arrangement of the Lamps
The Cleansing of the Levites
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Speak to Aaron, and say to
him, "When you arrange the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in
front of the lampstand."' 3 And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to
face toward the front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4
Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft
to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the
LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.
Cleansing and Dedication of the Levites
5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6 "Take the Levites from among
the children of Israel and cleanse them ceremonially. 7 Thus you shall
do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purification on them, and
let them shave all their body, and let them wash their clothes, and so
make themselves clean. 8 Then let them take a young bull with its grain
offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young
bull as a sin offering. 9 And you shall bring the Levites before the
tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole
congregation of the children of Israel. 10 So you shall bring the
Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their
hands on the Levites; 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the
LORD like a wave offering from the children of Israel, that they may
perform the work of the LORD. 12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands
on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer one as a sin
offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make
atonement for the Levites.
13
"And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then
offer them like a wave offering to the LORD. 14 Thus you shall separate
the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be
Mine. 15 After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle
of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave
offering. 16 For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of
Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb,
the firstborn of all the children of Israel. 17 For all the firstborn
among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day
that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them
to Myself. 18 I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of
the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to
Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work
for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make
atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the
children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary."
20
Thus Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel
did to the Levites; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses
concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them. 21 And
the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron
presented them like a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made
atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 After that the Levites went in
to do their work in the tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and his
sons; as the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did
to them.
23 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24
"This is what pertains to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and
above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of
meeting; 25 and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing
this work, and shall work no more. 26 They may minister with their
brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they
themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding
their duties."
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Isaiah 6: 1-12
Isaiah Called to Be a Prophet
Isaiah's Vision and Commission
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a
throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the
temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he
covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3
And one cried to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!"
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
"Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts."
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal
which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my
mouth with it, and said:
"Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged."
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
"Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?"
Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people:
"Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
10"Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed."
11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?"
And He answered:
"Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant,
The houses are without a man,
The land is utterly desolate,
12 The LORD has removed men far away,
And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
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Isaiah 19:1,3-5,12,16,19-21
Proclamation Against Egypt
Prophecy Against Egypt
1 The burden against Egypt.
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.
3 The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst;
I will destroy their counsel,
And they will consult the idols and the charmers,
The mediums and the sorcerers.
4 And the Egyptians I will give
Into the hand of a cruel master,
And a fierce king will rule over them,"
Says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5 The waters will fail from the sea,
And the river will be wasted and dried up.
12 Where are they?
Where are your wise men?
Let them tell you now,
And let them know what the LORD of hosts
has purposed against Egypt.
16In
that day Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because
of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He waves over it.
19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the
land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20And it will be
for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt;
for they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will
send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. 21Then
the LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD
in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make
a vow to the LORD and perform it.
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Luke 2: 22-40
Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses
were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the
Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens
the womb shall be called holy to the LORD"), 24and to offer a sacrifice
according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Simeon Sees God's Salvation
25
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and
this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by
the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ. 27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the
parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the
custom of the law, 28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and
said:
29"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel."
33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken
of Him. 34Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother,
"Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in
Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35(yes, a sword
will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed."
Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer
36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of
the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a
husband seven years from her virginity; 37and this woman was a widow of
about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served
God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And coming in that
instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who
looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
The Family Returns to Nazareth
39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the
Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the
Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the
grace of God was upon Him.
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Hebrews 7
7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8
Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it
is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid
tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10for he was still in the loins of
his father when Melchizedek met him.
Need for a New Priesthood
11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for
under it the people received the law), what further need was there that
another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and
not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood
being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For
He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which
no man has officiated at the altar.
14
For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses
spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident
if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16who
has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but
according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies:
"You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek."
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