Exodus 12:15
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 12:15
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.
Chapter Context
Exodus 12 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of sacrifice, righteousness, mercy. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-51: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides guidance for worship and spiritual devotion. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 12:15
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.
Analysis
The seven-day 'Feast of Unleavened Bread' (chag hamatzot) immediately follows Passover, extending the celebration. 'Unleavened bread' (matzot) symbolizes purity and haste—no time for dough to rise, no leaven (corruption) allowed. Paul explicitly applies this: 'Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast...with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth' (1 Cor 5:7-8).
Historical Context
Seven days of eating unleavened bread recalled the hurried departure from Egypt (Exodus 12:39). The feast begins on the fifteenth of Abib, immediately after Passover's fourteenth.
Reflection
- How does removing leaven from your home picture the Christian's call to purge sin from your life?
- What does the seven-day duration teach about sanctification as an extended process following initial redemption?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Exodus 12:8, 23:15, 34:18, 34:25, Genesis 17:14, Numbers 9:13