Exodus 12:27 · Bible study
Exodus 12:27 Commentary: Passover as Sacrifice and the People's Worship
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the Passover is called a sacrifice to Yahweh, and what the people's bowing and worship means in response to deliverance from Egypt.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Passover is a sacrifice to Yahweh that commemorates God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt; the people respond with humble worship.
- Key words: zevach (sacrifice), pesach (passover), shachah (bow in worship). The interlinear shows the phrase “sacrifice of Yahweh’s passover” as a single designation.
- Main debate: Whether the Passover sacrifice is primarily propitiatory (atoning for sin, as Gill and typological readings hold) or eucharistic (thanksgiving for deliverance, as some Reformed traditions emphasize). Most agree it has both dimensions.
- Theological theme: Redemption and remembrance. God saves, and his people are commanded to remember and teach.
- Best use: A key passage for explaining the meaning of Passover and for teaching parents how to pass on the story of salvation to the next generation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck down the Egyptians and spared our homes.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
WEB World English Bible 2000
that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’” The people bowed their heads and worshiped.
KJV King James Version 1769
That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
that ye have said, A sacrifice of passover it is to Jehovah, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, in His smiting the Egyptians, and our houses He delivered.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
that ye shall say, It is a sacrifice of passover to Jehovah, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses. And the people bowed their heads and worshipped.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
You shall say to them: It is the victim of the passage of the Lord, when he passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, striking the Egyptians, and saving our houses. And the people bowing themselves, adored.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Vosotros responderéis: Es la víctima de la Pascua de Jehová, el cual pasó las casas de los hijos de Israel en Egipto, cuando hirió á los Egipcios, y libró nuestras casas. Entonces el pueblo se inclinó y adoró.
Respondereis: É o sacrifício da Páscoa do SENHOR, que passou nas casas dos filhos de Israel no Egito, quando feriu os egípcios, e livrou nossas casas. Então o povo se inclinou e adorou.
vous répondrez: C’ est le sacrifice de Pâque en l’honneur de l’ Éternel, qui a passé par-dessus les maisons des enfants d’ Israël en Égypte, lorsqu’ il frappa l’ Égypte et qu’ il sauva nos maisons. Le peuple s’ inclina et se prosterna.
sollt ihr sagen: Es ist das Passahopfer des HERRN, der an den Kindern Israel vorüberging in Ägypten, da er die Ägypter plagte und unsere Häuser errettete. Da neigte sich das Volk und betete an.
Zo zult gij zeggen: Dit is den HEERE een paasoffer, Die voor de huizen der kinderen Israels voorbijging in Egypte, toen Hij de Egyptenaren sloeg, en onze huizen bevrijdde! Toen boog zich het volk en neigde zich.
risponderete: Questo è il sacrifizio della Pasqua in onore dell’Eterno il quale passò oltre le case dei figliuoli d’Israele in Egitto, quando colpì gli Egiziani e salvò le nostre case”.
Tedy rzeczecie: Ofiara to przejścia Pańskiego, który przestępował domy synów Izraelskich w Egipcie, gdy zabijał Egipt, a domy nasze wyzwalał. Zatem schylił się lud, i pokłonił się.
скажите [им]: это пасхальная жертва Господу, Который прошел мимо домов сынов Израилевых в Египте, когда поражал Египтян, и домы наши избавил. И преклонился народ и поклонился.
你們就說：『這是 獻給耶和華 逾越節 的祭。 當以色列人在埃及的時候，他擊殺 埃及人，越 過 以色列 人 的房屋，救了 我們各家。』」於是百姓 低頭 下拜。
Then you will say, This is the offering of the Lord's Passover; for he went over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he sent death on the Egyptians, and kept our families safe. And the people gave worship with bent heads.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 12:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Passover is a sacrifice offered to Yahweh, not merely a family meal. Barnes states plainly that the lamb was “a sacrifice offered to Yahweh by His ordinance.” Gill adds that the lamb is both eucharistic (thanksgiving for safety) and propitiatory (the blood making atonement for those in the house), and he sees it as typical of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Clarke similarly reads the whole account as a type of redemption from sin through Christ. The Cambridge Bible notes that this verse is part of a parenetic passage instructing future generations, and that the people's response of bowing and worship acknowledges God's promise of protection and deliverance (see Exodus 4:31). Wesley says the people's worship signified both submission to the institution and thankfulness for the privilege. The core meaning is that the Passover is God's appointed sacrifice, and the proper response is humble worship.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Passover is a sacrifice to Yahweh that commemorates God's deliverance of Israel, and the people respond with worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of the Passover as a sacrifice | All traditions agree that the lamb is a sacrifice offered to Yahweh by divine command, not merely a family dinner. | Some commentators emphasize the propitiatory aspect (the blood atones and protects from judgment), while others stress its eucharistic character (a thank offering for deliverance). Both aspects appear in the text. |
| Typology of Christ | Christian interpreters across traditions see the Passover lamb as a type of Christ, the Lamb of God (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29). | The extent of the typology varies: some read every detail (the unblemished lamb, the bones not broken) as directly foreshadowing Jesus, while others focus on the broader pattern of redemption by blood. |
| The people's worship | The people bowed their heads and worshipped, showing reverence, submission and gratitude. | Gill and Wesley stress submission to the ordinance, while Cambridge and others highlight recognition of God's promise and deliverance. Both are present. |
| Instruction of children | This verse establishes a pattern for parents to teach children the meaning of the Passover. | Some traditions see this as a model for formal catechesis; others see it as a prompt for informal storytelling. The method is left flexible. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse stands at a pivotal moment in the Passover narrative. The instructions for the first Passover have just been given through Moses and Aaron (Exodus 12:1-20). In verses 21-23, Moses tells the elders to select a lamb, apply its blood to the doorposts, and remain inside until morning. Yahweh will “pass through” to strike Egypt, but when he sees the blood, he will “pass over” the door and not allow the destroyer to enter.
Verses 24-27a then look forward to life in the Promised Land. When children ask, “What do you mean by this service?” parents are to answer with the verse we are studying. The answer names the festival: “It is the sacrifice of Yahweh's Passover,” and gives the reason: God passed over Israelite houses when he struck Egypt and delivered them. This anticipates the ongoing Passover celebration, in which each generation retells the story of redemption. The Cambridge Bible notes that this type of parental instruction is found elsewhere (Exodus 13:14-16; Deuteronomy 6:20-25) and is still observed in the Haggadah of the Jewish Seder.
After hearing these instructions, the people respond immediately: they bow their heads and worship (v. 27b). This echoes their earlier response when they first believed God had seen their affliction (Exodus 4:31). The actions of bowing (Hebrew qadad and shachah) convey both physical prostration and reverence for God. This is corporate worship in direct response to God's promise of deliverance, showing that the proper posture before such grace is humble gratitude.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 12:27. The verse is stable across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The Masoretic Text reads uniformly, and the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate correspond closely. The phrase “sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover” appears consistently.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse became part of the Haggadah recited at the Seder, the formal answer to a child's question about the meaning of the festival. The rabbis expanded on the instruction, requiring parents to explain according to the child's capacity (as Gill cites Maimonides). Early Christian writers such as Origen and Augustine read the Passover as a type of Christ's sacrifice, seeing the blood on the doorposts as a sign of salvation through the cross. The Reformation emphasis returned to the literal historical event and its role in the covenant community. Wesley and the Methodist tradition stressed the people's worship as a model of heartfelt response to grace. Today both Jewish and Christian traditions continue to teach this verse as a foundation for family faith and liturgical remembrance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Passover is a sacrifice to Yahweh. The lamb is not just a meal; it is an offering ordained by God, with blood that protects and atones. Christians have seen in this a type of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away sin (John 1:29).
- Parents must teach this to their children. The instruction is designed to spark questions and to pass the story of redemption from one generation to the next. The answer is always the same: God delivered us.
- The proper response is worship. The people bowed and worshipped. This shows that the right reaction to God's saving work is humble, grateful reverence, not merely intellectual agreement.
Five-point outline
- God commands a sacrificial meal. The lamb is to be killed and its blood applied, marking the house for deliverance.
- God passes through but passes over. The destroyer strikes Egypt but spares Israel. The blood is the sign.
- This is to be a perpetual ordinance. The Passover is not a one-time event; it becomes an annual celebration for generations.
- Children will ask, and parents must answer. The faith of the next generation depends on faithful storytelling. The answer centers on God's action.
- The people respond with worship. Bowing and prostrating themselves, they show both submission and gratitude.
Illustration hooks
- A family tradition: Think of how a family explains a cherished holiday or anniversary. The Passover is the ultimate family tradition, built on God's rescue.
- A rescue story: When someone is saved from danger, the story is told and retold. The Passover is the rescue story of Israel, and it becomes the template for understanding salvation.
- Parenting moments: A child's simple question “Why do we do this?” can become a profound teaching opportunity. The parents in Exodus are given a script that points to God's grace.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why is the Passover called a sacrifice? Doesn't sacrifice mean an offering for sin? (Yes, and the blood of the lamb shielded the household from judgment.)
- What does it mean to worship God in response to salvation? (The people bowed and worshipped; it was an immediate, wholehearted response.)
- How can I pass on the meaning of salvation to my children? (The model is clear: answer their questions with the story of what God has done.)
Leading a Discussion
The Passover story is foundational for understanding both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this verse, God gives Israel a way to remember and explain the night he saved them. The instructions are practical for family faith, and the people show us how to respond.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 12:1-27 as a group. What do you notice about the level of detail in God's instructions for the Passover?
- Why do you think the Passover is called “the sacrifice of Yahweh's Passover” rather than just a meal or a ritual? What does the word “sacrifice” imply?
- What connection do you see between the blood on the doorposts and the deliverance of the firstborn? How does this point forward to Christ?
- Look at verse 26. Why does God want children to ask about the meaning of the service? What does this teach us about passing on faith?
- How did the people respond when they heard the instructions (verse 27b)? What does their worship tell us about their attitude?
- Compare this response to their earlier response in Exodus 4:31. What changed, and what remained the same?
- How can we apply the principle of answering our own children's questions about our faith practices? What traditions in your church or family serve a similar purpose?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 4:31 | The people believed, and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. |
| Exodus 12:11 | This is how you shall eat it: with your belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh’s Passover. |
| Exodus 12:23 | For Yahweh will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. |
| Exodus 34:8 | Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. |
| Exodus 34:25 | “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread. The sacrifice of the feast of the Passover shall not be left to the morning. |
| Deuteronomy 16:2 | You shall sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which Yahweh shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. |
| Deuteronomy 16:5 | You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you; |
| I Chronicles 29:20 | Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless Yahweh your God!” All the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights how every detail of the Passover lamb is a type pointing to Christ. He finds it remarkable that Christ died on the cross at the very hour the paschal lamb was annually offered, and notes that after Jerusalem’s destruction Jews stopped offering the lamb yet still keep the anniversary.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "the Lord's Passover" refers specifically to the sacrificed lamb, not merely to God's act of sparing Israel. He stresses that the Passover lamb was a formal sacrifice offered to Yahweh by divine ordinance.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible note highlights that the people's immediate response to understanding the Passover's meaning was to bow and worship. Their reverence flows directly from grasping how the Lord spared their homes while striking Egypt, making worship the fitting reply to God's deliverance.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the Passover lamb was a true sacrifice, both a thanksgiving for deliverance and a propitiation securing atonement for those sheltered by its blood. He also draws on Maimonides to show that parents must explain this to children in a way suited to their age and understanding.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the Israelites' worship and prompt obedience arose from being deeply moved by both past events and what was about to happen. The directions came through the elders, and the people responded faithfully because of this solemn influence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange defends the last plague as both a real historical miracle and a religious narrative that uses symbolic generalization. He rejects naturalistic explanations like Knobel's, but also avoids a strictly literal reading. For Lange, the event's perfect fulfillment of its purpose lifts it above legend even as the text idealizes and generalizes.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that Moses, as a faithful steward, delivered God's commands fully and added the instruction that no Israelite was to leave the house until morning on the night of the plague. This detail underscores that safety came from staying inside under the blood's protection, not from venturing out.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the people's bowing and worship expressed two things at once: their willing submission to the Passover as a divine command, and their heartfelt gratitude for it as a gracious privilege.