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Exodus 12:15-20

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

15. 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. 16. And in the first day [there shall be] an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save [that] which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17. And ye shall observe [the feast of] unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18. In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Exodus 12:15-20 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Exodus 12:15

Theological / Devotional

Seven days. The first of these seven days was the 15th of the first month (Lev. 23:6; Num. 28:17), or from the evening following the 14th day to the evening following the 21st day of the first month (Ex. 12:18).

Cutoff. There are 36 instances in which an individual who had neglected some particular religious duty, is threatened with being “cut off” from the chosen people. What actually happened in such a case is not known, for no specific instance of such an occurrence is on record, nor were instructions given as to how the threat was to be carried out. Some have thought it meant a violent death, a premature death, or perhaps eternal death. In all probability it simply meant separation from the rights and privileges belonging to an Israelite. After being “cut off” the man was considered a stranger, with no share whatever in the blessings of the covenant.

Though perhaps unknown to others, a man’s misdeed would be known to God, and future compliance with the provisions of ceremonial and moral law would not of itself atone for past sins of omission or commission. The person was disfellowshiped, but whether the act was to be performed by man or by God is not clear. This “cutting off” is probably what Paul makes reference to in Rom. 9:3 (see on Gen. 17:14).

By SdaBc