Exodus 12:19
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.
Original Language Analysis
שִׁבְעַ֣ת
Seven
H7651
שִׁבְעַ֣ת
Seven
Strong's:
H7651
Word #:
1 of 18
seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
יָמִ֔ים
days
H3117
יָמִ֔ים
days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 18
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
שְׂאֹ֕ר
shall there be no leaven
H7603
שְׂאֹ֕ר
shall there be no leaven
Strong's:
H7603
Word #:
3 of 18
barm or yeast-cake (as swelling by fermentation)
לֹ֥א
H3808
לֹ֥א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
4 of 18
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יִמָּצֵ֖א
found
H4672
יִמָּצֵ֖א
found
Strong's:
H4672
Word #:
5 of 18
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם
in your houses
H1004
בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם
in your houses
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
6 of 18
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
כִּ֣י׀
H3588
כִּ֣י׀
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
7 of 18
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
8 of 18
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה
shall be cut off
H3772
וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה
shall be cut off
Strong's:
H3772
Word #:
11 of 18
to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e., make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutt
הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ
even that soul
H5315
הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ
even that soul
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
12 of 18
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
הַהִוא֙
H1931
הַהִוא֙
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
13 of 18
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
מֵֽעֲדַ֣ת
from the congregation
H5712
מֵֽעֲדַ֣ת
from the congregation
Strong's:
H5712
Word #:
14 of 18
a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd)
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
15 of 18
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
בַּגֵּ֖ר
whether he be a stranger
H1616
בַּגֵּ֖ר
whether he be a stranger
Strong's:
H1616
Word #:
16 of 18
properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner
Cross References
Exodus 12:15Seven 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.Exodus 23:15Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)Deuteronomy 16:3Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.Exodus 12:48And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will 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 one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.Exodus 34:18The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.Numbers 9:13But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.Exodus 12:43And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Historical Context
Being 'cut off' meant exclusion from the covenant community, possibly including capital punishment. This severe penalty for such a seemingly minor offense indicates leaven's symbolic importance.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the severity of punishment for leaven illustrate God's intolerance for sin mixed with salvation?
- What does the equal application to native and foreigner teach about salvation by grace through faith rather than ethnicity?
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Analysis & Commentary
The severity of the leaven prohibition—'that soul shall be cut off' (Hebrew 'karat,' כָּרַת—covenantal cutting off, excommunication or death)—shows the seriousness of mixing corruption with redemption. This applies to 'stranger' (ger, גֵּר—foreigner dwelling with Israel) and 'born in the land' equally, showing that covenant membership, not ethnicity, determines standing before God.