1.4.1.1. Ex 11:9.

When Moses, after announcing to Pharaoh the death penalty, burning with anger came out from Pharaoh, God revealed to him (11:9):

NAB The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh refuses to listen to you that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

We should emphasize that it was not in the previous revelations but only now when God revealed that the death of the firstborns of Egypt would be necessary for the release of the people by the Pharaoh.

For one should note that:

• In the revelation at Horeb, God did not give Moses all the details of the plan but announced only generally that the Pharaoh would not want to let the people go, and so God would force him with His strong hand through numerous miracles (cf. 3:19-20),
• In the revelation in Midian, God showed that after a series of miracles Moses was to announce the imminent death of the firstborn son of the Pharaoh (cf. 4:22-23), but there God did not reveal whether after this warning the Pharaoh would listen to Moses and release the people or just the death of his son would force him to do so,
• In the dialogue crowning the first two stages of the plan, God has announced that the time is coming when Pharaoh, forced by His strong hand, will release the people (cf. 6:1),
• Then, in His first revelation in Egypt, God only generally announced that He would free the people from the power of Pharaoh by stretching out His arm, by severe punishments (cf. 6:6),
• In the third revelation in Egypt, God did not reveal whether, after the warning (which he did not mention here), the Pharaoh will release the people. One can only conclude from the words of God that just as after each of the miracles so after the completion of the full series of miracles Pharaoh will not listen to Moses (cf. 7:1-4),
• Only now, after the series of miracles, that is, the third stage, and after the closing of the fourth stage, which was the warning to the Pharaoh about the coming death penalty, God revealed to Moses that Pharaoh would not listen to him now. Only now does Moses know that the time of judgment over Egypt is the time of death of the firstborns!

This conclusion shows that in the Ex 11:9-10 revelation, crowning the third and fourth stages, God, for the third time, revealed the details of the plan given at Horeb (6:2ff) partly in general outlines and partly in details. What God revealed there without details, He shows with details in subsequent revelations (cf. revelation in Midian and on the way to Egypt: 4:21-26).

One should note that God’s knowledge of future human decisions does not deprive their ability to make such decisions. God, the patient father of all people, including Pharaoh and other Egyptians, acts to give them time to think, to change their hearts [206]. However, the hour of irrevocable punishment has finally come.

1.4.1.2. Ex 11:10.

Ex 11:10 – this is the next verse indicated by S. Łach:

Thus, although Moses and Aaron performed these various wonders in Pharaoh’s presence, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites leave his land.

וּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַמֹּפְתִים הָאֵלֶּה לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וַיְחַזֵּק יְהוָה אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא־שִׁלַּח אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצוֹ׃ פ

In the literal translation, verse 11:10 is, “And Moses and Aaron did all these miracles, just these [207], before Pharaoh, and then the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not send the sons of Israel out of his land.”

One should pay attention to the beginning of the second part of the sentence: וַַיְחַזֵּק – it is a verb חזק in the imperfect tense, preceded by ו consecutive. Therefore the whole construction expresses a past action performed after the action of the previous sentence [208]. In the analyzed fragment, therefore, the biblical writer showed that Moses and Aaron had already accomplished all these announcements of miracles and their realizations, which he presented in 7:8-11:8, including the death penalty announcement. Then God hardened the Pharaoh’s heart, according to the details of His plan, presented in the just discussed verse 11:9.

1.4.1.3. Final analyses. Summary of analyses.

The performed analysis shows that text 11:9-10 presents two further events – a revelation adding details of the plan and the realization of these details, and its relevant circumstances. These two verses are the final closing of the time of grace for the Pharaoh, the time of God’s withholding of the death penalty. They summarize the entire stage of the miraculous signs, the stage which began with the first revelation of God to Moses in Egypt: text 6:2-11:10 is a thematically homogeneous literary unit. We will discuss it more thoroughly a little further after the completion of analysis leading to the discovery of next pericopes in Ex 11-18.

Now, however, one should pay attention to the second editorial technique which emphasizes the affiliation of chapter 11 to the pericope which begins in 6:2: the revelation of God to Moses, which begins chapter 11, was not preceded by information about whether Moses left the Pharaoh after the conversation with him after the last plague (cf. 10:24-29).

One should conclude that God appeared to Moses while he was still at Pharaoh [209].

Namely, when the Pharaoh finally refused to let Israel go, and threatened to kill Moses if he would once again stand before him with this request (cf. 10:28), God revealed to Moses that the time of waiting had finished now; He revealed it in a way that was invisible to Pharaoh (cf. 11:1-2). Moses, while still at Pharaoh, immediately uttered this warning of the death of the firstborns of Egypt, which God had revealed to him on the way from Jethro (cf. 4:21-23) as the next stage in His plan. At the end of the description of the meeting of Moses with the Pharaoh, the editor pointed out that after saying the last words of warning, Moses went out from the Pharaoh in the heat of anger (cf. 11:4-8).

In the frame of literary description, this behavior of Moses is extraordinary, contrasting with the previous attitude of diplomatic calm. Therefore, one sees the editorial technique in the description, introducing a contrast between:

• the lack of information about Moses’ exit from the Pharaoh at the end of chapter 10,
• information about Moses’ evident anger at the time of his exit from the Pharaoh after the announcement of the death penalty in the final part of chapter 11.

The editor thus pointed out that one should not see the end of Moses’ encounter with the Pharaoh in the narration of chapter 10 but only 11. In this way, he finally pointed out the integral connection between chapters 10 and 11, and so the belongingness of chapter 11 to the plagues’ pericope.

In light of this observation, one can see even better the correctness of understanding verses 11:9-10 as a summary of the pericope of plagues (6:2-11:10).

The text beginning with 12:1 should belong to a new pericope, and therefore its main theme should differ from that of pericope 6:2-11:10. The next point in the work will verify this.

1.4.2.1. Introduction.

In editions of Hebrew Bible [210], after the end of verse 13:16, there is lettering ססס, followed by a transition to a new line. In it, in turn, there is the word בשלח, which is the title of the text that follows it. ססס and the change of line are the closing sign of highly important pericope, while the title is the text from verse 13:17:

Many biblical scholars drew attention to the unique significance of the boundary line between verses 13:16 and 13:17, which was reflected in the elaborated editions of the Book of Exodus, in the editorial titles given to the pericope beginning from 13:17.

The following problem which arises while reading the text 12:1-13:16 (which seems to be the description of the Passover of Israel in Egypt and the killing of the firstborns in the Passover time by the Lord) is of great importance:

How to interpret the fragment 12:29-42 contained within this text, which:

• describes God’s realization of the death penalty on the firstborns of Egypt at the time when Israelites were eating Passover in His honor in their homes.
• simultaneously shows the departure from Egypt and thus Israelites’ release by Pharaoh – so it is the first text about such the crucial moment of release; the text beginning from 13:17, which also tells about it, is only the second one!

For this reason, many biblical scholars ignore the importance of verse 13:17 in favor of verse 12:37, which contains the statement:

וַיִּסְעוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס סֻכֹּתָה כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הַגְּבָרִים לְבַד מִטָּף

NAB The Israelites set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children.

It is essential to consider whether this text is a thematically consistent whole according to the thought of the biblical writer. To correctly answer this question, one should note that:

The entire text 12:1-13:16, except 12:29-42, concerns the laws of the annual celebration of the Passover in honor of the Lord on the 14th/15th of Abib [211], a day which commemorates the exodus from Egyptian captivity.

Text 12:29-42 in a reading aimed at learning about the course of events, gives information about highly essential events (God fulfilled the promise of the death penalty. Pharaoh, deeply moved by this, finally allowed His people to leave. The cast out Israel left in large numbers Egypt precisely 430 years after the time when the Fathers entered Egypt. The Israelites went out with many foreigners, took all their movable possessions, and borrowed from the Egyptians at God’s command and by His grace precious vessels and robes.).

However, this text also was crowned by a verse 12:42 of a strictly legal character:

לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַיהוָה לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם הוּא־הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיהוָה שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם פ

NAB This was a night of vigil for the Lord, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the Israelites must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

Literal translation:

It is/was the night of vigil for the Lord (לַיהוָה) to bring them out of the land of Egypt. It is / will be this night, this very night, for the Lord (לַיהוָה) as a vigil of all sons of Israel through their generations.

The term לַיהוָה which appears here twice is very eloquent: because that night was the vigil for the Lord (the Lord watched that night) to lead the Israelites out, therefore for all generations the same night of the year must be devoted for the Lord – the Israelites will keep vigil for the Lord at that very night of the year.

The biblical writer gave not historical but the liturgical-legal significance for the description of the moment of getting out of captivity. The double use of the expression לַיהוָה, whose presence one can see in the text 12:1-13:16 as many as ten times, proves it. What is the meaning of the other eight texts, the next section of the work will show.

Before this happens, one should pay attention to the second element indicating the primary intention of the biblical writer:

the emphatic expression הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה (this night, this very one) used in the summary of the description emphasizes that the narrative describing the exit of the Israelites is about this night – a night, this very night, not another night, not a day, not anything different.

The study of the meaning of this emphasis will be the second main topic of analysis.

1.4.2.2. Analysis of sentences with לַיהוָה

♦ Ex 12:11: God’s order concerning the Passover lamb to be eaten in Egypt (cf. 12:1-13):

וְכָכָה תֹּאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ מָתְנֵיכֶם חֲגֻרִים נַעֲלֵיכֶם בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם וּמַקֶּלְכֶם בְּיֶדְכֶם וַאֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בְּחִפָּזוֹן פֶּסַח הוּא לַיהוָה

This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover for the Lord.

♦ Ex 12:14: God’s order to celebrate the day (and night!) 14/15 Abib and entire holy week for all generations of Israel (cf. 12:12-20):

וְהָיָה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ חַג לַיהוָה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ׃

This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast for the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever.

♦ Ex 12:27a: Moses’ order for all generations to explain on that holy night to children the meaning of the Passover lamb (cf. 12:21-27):

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם זֶבַח־פֶּסַח הוּא לַיהוָה אֲשֶׁר פָּסַח עַל־בָּתֵּי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּנָגְפּוֹ אֶת־מִצְרַיִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּינוּ הִצִּיל וַיִּקֹּד הָעָם

You shall reply, ‘This is the Passover sacrifice for the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt; when he struck down the Egyptians, he spared our houses.’

♦ Ex 12:42: An example of the biblical haggadah given by the biblical writer, explaining the significance of the rites of this holy night; the obligation to celebrate it, imposed on all generations (cf. 12:29-42):

לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַיהוָה לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם הוּא־הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיהוָה שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם׃ פ

This was a night of vigil for the Lord, as He led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the Israelites must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

♦ Ex 12:48: God’s command, establishing the Law of Passover forever (cf. 12:43-49):

וְכִי־יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַיהוָה הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל־זָכָר וְאָז יִקְרַב לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ וְכָל־עָרֵל לֹא־יֹאכַל בּוֹ׃

If any aliens living among you wish to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, all the males among them must first be circumcised, and then they may join in its observance just like the natives. But no man who is uncircumcised may partake of it.

♦ Ex 13:6: Moses handed the Lord’s command over to the people regarding unleavened food; this order applies to all generations from the first to seventh day of Abib, with the first day being the day of departure from Egypt, 14/15 Abib; on the seventh day, there is to be a feast for the Lord (cf. 13:3-10):

שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצֹּת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי חַג לַיהוָה׃

For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall also be a festival for the Lord.

♦ Ex 13:12: Moses handed the people the Lord’s command regarding the consecration of each firstborn for the Lord (cf. 13:11-16):

וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ כָל־פֶּטֶר־רֶחֶם לַיהָֹוה וְכָל־פֶּטֶר שֶׁגֶר בְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ הַזְּכָרִים לַיהוָה׃

You shall dedicate for the Lord every son that opens the womb; and all the male firstlings of your animals shall be for the Lord.

♦ Ex 13:15: Explanation which Israelite is to give to the son regarding the connection between the consecration of all the firstborns for the Lord and the act of the Lord to lead Israel out of Egypt (cf. 13:14-16):

וַיְהִי כִּי־הִקְשָׁה פַרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ וַיַּהֲרֹג יְהֹוָה כָּל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר אָדָם וְעַד־בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה עַל־כֵּן אֲנִי זֹבֵחַ לַיהוָה כָּל־פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם הַזְּכָרִים וְכָל־בְּכוֹר בָּנַי אֶפְדֶּה׃

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, every firstborn of man and of beast. That is why I sacrifice for the Lord everything of the male sex that opens the womb, and why I redeem every firstborn of my sons.

The following table shows all that is and should be for the Lord:

A particular day and a particular night are dedicated to the Lord because it was on that day/night when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. Similarly, the eaten lamb-Passover commemorates this time of salvation. For the same purpose, all firstborn animals are consecrated to the Lord; however, firstborn sons are redeemed with a lamb. All this serves to remember the Lord, his faithfulness to Israel, which should be reciprocated by all generations.

1.4.2.3. Analysis of the words-predecessors in the emphatic sequence of the הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה type.

It is now necessary to examine, on which words the biblical writer places particular emphasis in text 12:1-13:16. The following research scheme in BibleWorks 6.0 is the basis for the analysis:

Scheme 3.

where one gave ‘suppress highlighting’ in all boxes except the box with *@* (the one at the top).

One searched for words that immediately precede the pronoun with an article in the sentence. One took into account either personal pronouns of the third person or the demonstrative pronouns [212]. Thus they were either הַהוּא, הַהִיא, הָהֵם, הָהֵמָּה, הָהֵנָּה (visible in the Inclusion list on the right) or הַזֶּה, הַזֹּאת, הָאֵלֶּה (visible in the Inclusion list on the left); the article in all boxes is ה@Pa*.

After one gave out the command Go, the program performed search. Then one gave the command:

Options»Send highlighted words to Word List Manager.

In Word List Manager one obtained the following words and the number of their occurrences:

Comparison of the results for the 12:1-13:16 pericope with the results for the text surrounding it at 1:1-18:27 shows that in the analyzed pericope – differently than in the rest of the text – the biblical writer emphasizes the date in which Israel should celebrate the liturgy: day, month, and night determine the time of celebration, while the other words – the law of liturgy.

The number of occurrences of words referring to time/date of celebration is 14:

7 times day + 4 times month + 3 times night,

so numerically it is equal to the date of the beginning of the holiday

(14th day of Abib in the evening).

Conclusion:

1.4.2.4. Analysis of sentences containing legislative vocabulary.

The legal character of the orders concerning night, day, Passover, firstborns – is emphasized in the text by the following means:

♦ Words: חֻקָּה (law) and תּוֹרָה (law), עוֹלָם (eternal/forever), לְדֹר (for generation / generations), לְבֵן (for son/sons), לְזִכָּרוֹן (in remembrance), שָׁמַר (to guard):

♦ The phrase: שָׁמַר … לְדֹר (to keep … for generations) is highly important for reminders concerning the laws of the covenant [213]:

Gen 17:9

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־אַבְרָהָם וְאַתָּה אֶת־בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם׃

And God said to Abraham, ‘And you must keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you, to their generations.’

Ex 12:17

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת כִּי בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הוֹצֵאתִי אֶת־צִבְאוֹתֵיכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם׃

Keep this custom of the unleavened bread. Since it was on this very day that I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt, you must celebrate this day throughout your generations as a perpetual institution.

Ex 31:13

וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אַךְ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם לָדַעַת כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם׃

You must also tell the Israelites: Take care to keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the token between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the Lord, who make you holy.

Ex 31:16

וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם

The sons of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.

Ex 13:9

וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל־יָדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ

It shall be as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes.

Ex 13:16

וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל־יָדְכָה וּלְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ

It shall be as a sign on your hand or signs between your eyes.

One should note that these expressions are also in the Book of Deuteronomy:

Deut 6:8

וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל־יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ

Bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as signs between your eyes.

Deut 11:18

וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת־דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה עַל־לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל־נַפְשְׁכֶם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל־יֶדְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם׃

Lay up these My words on your heart and your soul, bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as signs between your eyes.

The texts quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy are part of speeches of Moses, pointing out to the Israelites the fundamental importance of the constant remembrance of the laws of the covenant concluded by God with them: remembering and observing the covenant laws is the condition for their successful life in the Promised Land.

♦ A set of words that define the identity of God’s law for Israelites and foreigners living among them [215]:

Ex 12:49

תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם׃

One law shall be for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.

Lev 16:29

וְהָיְתָה לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ תְּעַנּוּ אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם וְכָל־מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם׃

This shall be an everlasting ordinance for you: on the tenth day of the seventh month, every one of you, whether a native or the stranger who sojourns among you, shall mortify himself and shall do no work.

Lev 18:26

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אַתֶּם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מִכֹּל הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵלֶּה הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם׃

And you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you.

Num 15:29

הָאֶזְרָח בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָכֶם לָעֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁגָגָה׃

For the native among the sons of Israel, and for the sojourner who is sojourning in their midst one law is for him who is doing anything through ignorance.

Ezek 47:22

וְהָיָה תַּפִּלוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּנַחֲלָה לָכֶם וּלְהַגֵּרִים הַגָּרִים בְּתוֹכְכֶם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹלִדוּ בָנִים בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְהָיוּ לָכֶם כְּאֶזְרָח בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּכֶם יִפְּלוּ בְנַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

You shall allot it as inheritances for yourselves and for the sojourners resident in your midst who have bred children among you. The latter shall be to you like native Israelites; along with you they shall receive inheritances among the tribes of Israel.

♦ Phrase: וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא – “and the person (literally: soul) will be cut off,” and after it follows the term ‘from Israel’ / ‘from the congregation’ / ‘from her people’.

This whole phrase means that everybody who does not keep some important covenant command must be removed from the Lord’s people.

The following texts contain this phrase [216]:

NAB Gen 17:14 If a male is uncircumcised, that is, if the flesh of his foreskin has not been cut away, such a one shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.

NAB Ex 12:15 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. From the very first day you shall have your houses clear of all leaven. Whoever eats leavened bread from the first day to the seventh shall be cut off from Israel.

NAB Ex 12:19 For seven days no leaven may be found in your houses. Anyone, be he a resident alien or a native, who eats leavened food shall be cut off from the community of Israel.

NAB Ex 31:14 Therefore, you must keep the sabbath as something sacred. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, he must be rooted out of his people.

NAB Lev 7:20 If, however, someone while in a state of uncleanness eats any of the flesh of a peace offering belonging to the Lord, that person shall be cut off from his people.

NAB Lev 7:21 Likewise, if someone touches anything unclean, whether the uncleanness be of human or of animal origin or from some loathsome crawling creature, and then eats of a peace offering belonging to the Lord, that person, too, shall be cut off from his people.

NAB Lev 7:27 Every person who partakes of any blood shall be cut off from his people.

NAB Lev 19:8 whoever eats of it then shall pay the penalty for having profaned what is sacred to the Lord. Such a one shall be cut off from his people.

NAB Lev 22:3 Tell them: If any one of you, or of your descendants in any future generation, dares, while he is in a state of uncleanness, to draw near the sacred offerings which the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, such a one shall be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.

NAB Num 9:13 However, anyone who is clean and not away on a journey, who yet fails to keep the Passover, shall be cut off from his people, because he did not present the Lord’s offering at the prescribed time. That man shall bear the consequences of his sin.

NAB Num 15:30 “But anyone who sins defiantly, whether he be a native or an alien, insults the Lord, and shall be cut off from among his people (this injunction concerns breaking the laws given by the Lord).

NAB Num 19:13 Everyone who fails to purify himself after touching the body of any deceased person, defiles the Dwelling of the Lord and shall be cut off from Israel. Since the lustral water has not been splashed over him, he remains unclean: his uncleanness still clings to him.

NAB Num 19:20 Any unclean man who fails to have himself purified shall be cut off from the community, because he defiles the sanctuary of the Lord. As long as the lustral water has not been splashed over him, he remains unclean.

In light of the listed sentences containing the phrase וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ ההִוא, one can see the great importance of the order to refrain from eating sour food during the seven days of the holiday commemorating the moment when the Lord led Israel out of Egypt: whoever does not observe this law will be removed (literally: cut out!) from Israel!

The analyses carried out in this point of the work have shown how important is the legislative dimension of the pericope 12:1-13:16 for understanding it. One should consider this dimension as the element making the whole pericope cohesive, which is a phenomenon entirely differentiating it from other pericopes in Ex 1-18. In this way, the biblical writer separated this pericope from the preceding and following pericopes in Ex 1-18, enabling the reader to discover his editorial concept:

1.4.2.5. The structure and fundamental vocabulary of the haggadah about starting the way out (12:29-42) in light of the vocabulary of the pericope 12:1-13:16.

In light of the above-performed analysis, one should read the description of the moment of Israel’s departure from Egypt (12:29-42):

NAB Ex 12:29 At midnight the Lord slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the first-born of the animals. 30 Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, for there was not a house without its dead. 31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Leave my people at once, you and the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you said. 32 Take your flocks, too, and your herds, as you demanded, and be gone; and you will be doing me a favor.” 33 The Egyptians likewise urged the people on, to hasten their departure from the land; they thought that otherwise they would all die.

34 The people, therefore, took their dough before it was leavened, in their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks on their shoulders.

35 The Israelites did as Moses had commanded: they asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord indeed had made the Egyptians so well-disposed toward the people that they let them have whatever they asked for. Thus did they despoil the Egyptians. 37 The Israelites set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children. 38 A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them, besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds.

39 Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened, they baked it into unleavened loaves. They had been rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity even to prepare food for the journey.

40 The time the Israelites had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the Lord left the land of Egypt on this very date [217]. 42 This was a night of vigil for the Lord, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the Israelites must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

This description consists of three parts:

• 12:29-33: The Lord killed the firstborns of Egypt; Pharaoh ordered the Israelites to leave his country.
• 12:34-39: The moment of departure from Egypt inseparably connects itself with the taking the unleavened dough out, which turned out to be the only food during the first stage of the escape (cf. 12:39b).
• 12:40-42: Summary of the description of departure, indicating its non-accidental date – the Lord has planned and fulfilled everything; He is the one about whom one should remember through an annual seven-day holiday, beginning at night of vigil.

The biblical writer indicated the significance of this relationship (departure – dough not acidified) through the literary inclusion: verses 34 and 39 surround the statement of verse 37, long-awaited by everyone: And they set off! (וַיִּסְעוּ) [218]:

The text contained within the literary inclusion consists of two parts:

• In the first part (verses 35-36) the biblical writer presented what had preceded the moment of departure, described in the first verse of the inclusion (v. 34): the Lord gave the Israelites the grace of pillaging the Egyptians,
• in the second part (verses 37-38), the reader is given a very dynamic picture of people and animals who climb upwards [219] in a huge number going out from the humiliation of the Egyptian slavery.

In this second part, the biblical writer showed, therefore, what happened after the exit moment, described in the first verse of inclusion. In the first part, however, he backed the narration backward into the time before the exit! Moreover, the second verse of inclusion (verse 39) has a similar structure. It first narrates about baking cakes on the way after leaving and then returns to the moment of leaving (it was so sudden that the Israelites did not manage to prepare food for the escape route). Such a thought-out construction indicates to the reader that he should realize he reads not only the story but something different and more deep; he must pay attention not so much to a story about Israel’s exit, but the purpose of the fragment contained between verses of inclusion. If it were a story, it would present the exact sequence of events (For example, it would present: When exactly did Egyptians lend their valuable things – before the death penalty or after it? Was the lending done before departure or rather while they were marching near Egyptians’ houses?):

It is worth noting that:

• the text between verses 34-39 of inclusion is the story about Lord’s grace enabling to take the precious vessels and robes away from Egypt; it is precisely to serve to the memorization of the moment of going out as an extraordinary moment in the history of the nation (remembering about the loot is easier than about the obligations towards God)
• The term נסע, which in verse 37 describes the departure (וַיִּסְעוּ – qal imperfect of the verb נסע with ו consecutivum), occurs in the text 12:1-13:16 only here, and outside this pericope – in 12:37; 13:20; 14:10. 15. 19ab. 22; 16:1; 17:1; it appears in the narrations of the successive stages of the march up to the Mount Horeb [220]
• The term יצא, which in verse 39 serves to describe bringing out the dough by Israelites (הוֹצִיאוּ – hifil perfect of the verb יצא), occurs 62 times in Ex 1-18, while in the pericope 12:1-13:16 it occurs 15 times, so it numerically corresponds to the date of departure: the Israelites set out on 15th Abib. The order to set out, given to the Israelites by Pharaoh (12:31), was written by the biblical writer with the same verb יצא in qal. Moreover, the output of Israelites, and, above all, the act of leading them out by God with a strong hand, also represents the verb יצא, in qal and hifil, respectively.

In the religious customs, however, the moment of departure connects with eating unleavened bread for seven days and, at the same time, with the ban on eating anything with leaven. The following overview shows all the sentences that contain at least one of the three terms: unleavened, leaven, exit [221].

NAB 12:15 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread (מַצּוֹת). From the very first day you shall have your houses clear of all leaven (שְּׂאֹר). Whoever eats leavened bread (חָמֵץ) from the first day to the seventh shall be cut off from Israel.

NAB 12:17 Keep, then, this custom of the unleavened bread (הַמַּצּוֹת). Since it was on this very day that I brought (הוֹצֵאתִי) your ranks out of the land of Egypt, you must celebrate this day throughout your generations as a perpetual institution.

NAB 12:18 From the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day of this month you shall eat unleavened bread (מַצֹּת).

NAB Ex 12:19 For seven days no leaven (שְׂאֹר) may be found in your houses. Anyone, be he a resident alien or a native, who eats leavened food (מַחְמֶצֶת) shall be cut off from the community of Israel.

NAB 12:20 Nothing leavened (מַחְמֶצֶת) may you eat; wherever you dwell you may eat only unleavened bread (מַצּוֹת).

NAU 12:31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, Rise up, get out (צְּאוּ) from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.

NAB 12:34 The people, therefore, took their dough before it was leavened (יֶחְמָץ), in their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks on their shoulders.

12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes (מַצּוֹת) of the dough which they have brought out (הוֹצִיאוּ) from Egypt, for it was not leavened (לֹא חָמֵץ). Because they were cast out of Egypt and were not able to delay, and also had not prepared food for themselves.

KJV 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out (יָצְאוּ) from the land of Egypt.

KJV 12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out (לְהוֹצִיאָם) from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

KJV 12:51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out (הוֹצִיא) of the land of Egypt by their armies.

13:3 Moses said to the people, Remember this day on which you came out (יְצָאתֶם) of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. It was with a strong hand that the Lord brought you away (הוֹצִיא). And nothing leavened (חָמֵץ) shall be eaten.

13:4 Today you are going out (יֹצְאִים) in the month Abib.

13:6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast for the Lord.

13:7 Unleavened bread (מַצּוֹת) shall be eaten seven days, and there shall no leaven bread (חָמֵץ) be seen with you, neither shall there be leaven (שְׂאֹר) seen among you in all your borders.

13:8 You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me in my going out (בְּצֵאתִי) from Egypt.’

13:9 And it shall be for a sign on your hand and a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth: for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out (הוֹצִאֲךָ) of Egypt.

♦ sentences concerning the offering of the firstborns to the Lord:

13:14 If your son should ask you later on, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall tell him, ‘With a strong hand the Lord brought us out (הוֹצִיאָנוּ) of Egypt, from the house of bondage.’

13:16 It shall be as a sign on your hand or signs between your eyes, for with a strong hand the Lord brought us out (הוֹצִיאָנוּ) of Egypt.

♦ sentences concerning the lamb offered to the Lord:

12:8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread (מַצּוֹת) and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

NAB 12:22 Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, sprinkle the lintel and the two doorposts with this blood. But none of you shall go (תֵצְאוּ) outdoors until morning.

NAB 12:46 It must be eaten in one house; you may not bring out (לֹא־תוֹצִיא) any of its flesh outside the house. You shall not break any of its bones.

The presented overview revealed the existence of an identical leading idea in the sentences belonging to the first two groups: the eating of unleavened bread and the offering of the firstborns are to commemorate the work of the Lord, God of Israel, who with ‘a strong hand’ led His people out through intervention in the night of the 15th day of Abib.

At the same time, one can see how the last group connects itself with the first two:

• on the principle of contrast: the ban on leaving the house and the ban on bringing lamb meat out of the house is in opposition to leaving Egypt and bringing out the dough not acidified (connected with this leaving)
• on the principal of similarity: just as in the night preceding the moment of departure, one should eat a lamb with unleavened bread, so on the next days of departure everything should be eaten without leaven.

Summarizing the researches of this point of the dissertation, one should state that the pericope 12:1-13:16 is cohesive thanks to the concentration on the primary purpose to commemorate a particular night of Passover and the moment of going out from captivity. It is a compact thematic whole because also its part – the haggadah about starting the way out (12:29-42) – serves this purpose above all. This haggadah is the story of the hasty exit of people, who were carrying out in bowls on their shoulders the dough not yet acidified. So it gives the Israelites a good illustration of their fathers’ situation, in which they have the opportunity to participate through the liturgical celebration of Passover every year on the 15th of Abib.

At the same time, one can see the other elements which consolidate the discussed pericope 12:1-13:16 and occur in a literal or nonliteral way, namely:

• the word describing the act of eating: אכל (binds the orders to eat a lamb, i.e., texts 12:3-11 and 12:43-49, with the orders to eat unleavened bread, i.e., texts 12:15-20 and 13:3-10); it appears in the following places: 12:4. 7. 8ab. 9. 11ab. 15ab. 16. 18. 18. 19. 20ab. 43. 20ab. 44. 44. 45. 46. 48. 13:3. 6. 6. 7,

  whereby it is worth noting that in the pericope 12:1-13:16 this word occurs 22 times, which numerically equals the date ending the time of seven days of eating unleavened food (from day 14 in the evening to 21st day in the evening, and so when day 22 begins). Thus the biblical writer pointed out how important it is to remember not to consume acid, so to honor the Lord who brought them out of captivity. This word refers to the following successive elements in this pericope: eating of lamb-Passover (12:4. 7. 8ab. 9. 11ab), unleavened food (12:15ab. 16. 18. 19. 20ab), Passover (12:43. 44. 45. 46. 48), unleavened food (13:3. 6. 7).

• words describing the sacrificed firstborns: בכור, רחם, פטר, שׁגר. They bind (a) the announcement that the Lord will punish Egypt by killing its firstborns, while not the firstborns of Israel, i.e., texts 12:12-14 and 12:21-27, (b) the description of the implementation of this announcement and its effects, i.e., text 12:29-42, (c) orders concerning sacrifice of firstborns, i.e., texts 13:1-3 and 13:11-16. These words appear in the following places: 12:12.29abcd, 13:2abc. 12abcd. 13ab. 15abcdef,
• phrases which describe the mighty hand of the Lord: בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיא יְהֹוָה – 13:3.9.14.16 (they bind together the orders about unleavened bread, i.e., text 13:3-10, with orders about firstborns, i.e., text 13:11-16); they appear in the following places: Ex 13, 3. 9. 14. 16.
• dialogues expressing the necessity of explaining to the sons the meaning of the laws commanded by the Lord:

One should finally conclude that the haggadah about starting the way out (12:29-42) belongs integrally to the pericope 12:1-13:16 by the identity of the goals that both, the haggadah and the pericope containing it, are to fulfill in Ex 1-18.

1.4.2.6. Structure of the pericope 12:1-13:16.

The previous points of the work have shown that the text 12:1-13:16 is startlingly cohesive thanks to the legal regulations of the annual commemoration of Lord’s intervention for His people and in particular day/night of that intervention and time and circumstances of going out from captivity.

The research on the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, carried out at the beginning of the first chapter of this paper (point 1.2.1.), showed that the following smaller literary units occur in the 12:1-13:16 pericope:

At present, one can make a tabular overview showing the distribution of the leading themes of the pericope in the speeches of God, Moses, the haggadah about the death penalty and the exit from Egypt after it.

The table shows the relationship (hidden in Ex 4:24-25 and Ex 12:22) [222] between circumcision and lamb blood, an efficacious sign of salvation from death. The biblical writer marked this connection by using in 12:22 the verb נגע, which occurs in 4:25. As Sephora touched (נגע) with the foreskin of the circumcised son Moses’ feet and thus obtained the salvation for him from immediate death through the Lord’s hand, one should precisely in the same manner do. He should touch (נגע) [223] with the lamb blood the door of the house where the lamb-Passover is to be eaten. One must do it in order to obtain salvation from the death of Israel’s firstborn sons. It is remarkable in Ex 1-18 that words of the same stem נגע appear only three times: once again in 11:1, where God announces to Moses that He will send one more plague (נֶגַע) on Egypt – the death penalty.

The particularly important verses contained in the table should be summarized once again:

These verses show that according to the thought of the biblical writer:

• just as verses 27b-28b are the finalizing of the block of the first two speeches, viz the first speech of God, and the first speech of Moses, immediately following it,

  so the verses 40-42 are the finalizing of the haggadah about starting the way out;

• verses 50-51 are the finalizing of the second speech of God,
• and verse 13:16 summarizes the last block (consisting of the third speech of God and, immediately after it, the second speech of Moses), at the same time crowning the entire pericope 12:1-13:16.

One should also note that although in speeches the emphasis on remembering about the time of celebration for the Lord is mainly connected with requirements concerning eating of matzah, the theme of the lamb closely connects itself with remembering the time of celebration: the mere separation from the herd and guarding the lamb-Passover from 10th Abib until 14th Abib in the evening sets the time of direct preparation of Israel for the holiday.

Also, the structure of individual speeches indicates such a relationship:

• in the first speech of God (12:1-20), verse 14, which describes the time of the feast, is centrally located between the theme of the lamb and the theme of matzah, showing both the integral linkage between the two themes and also their connection with the commemoration of the time of God’s intervention,
• in the second speech of God (12:43-50), central verse 46, giving orders concerning the lamb, indicates: You shall not break any of its bones.

וְעֶצֶם לֹא תִשְׁבְּרוּ־בוֹ Ex 12:46

This speech has a specific structure: the initial and final verses (43 and 49) together with the contiguous verses (43-45 and 47-49) constitute an inclusion because they express such a holistic thought: here is the law of Passover, the law that obliges all:

זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח Ex 12:43    and    תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה Ex 12:49

Outside of verse 46, the content of the speech concerns the participants of the Passover, and not the lamb-Passover itself. The central verse 46 is, therefore, particularly emphasized and thus highly significant.

It is not a coincidence but a deliberate decision of the biblical writer that the word bone (עֶצֶם) in this central verse is identical to the word exactly, occurring in sequences 12:17. 41. 51, emphasizing the time – the date of the feast: בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה – on that very same day, just on that, God led Israel out of Egypt. Verse 17 is central (→ highlighted!) in the text 12:15-20, concerning the matzah, in the first speech of God. Verse 41 is the central verse of the second summary (the summary of the set-off). Finally, verse 51 is a verse of the summary of the second speech of God – the one in which the central verse 46 forbids breaking the bones of the lamb-Passover. The relationship of the lamb, whose bones cannot be broken, with the date of the feast precisely on the day when the Lord brought His people out of captivity, should be well remembered by the Israelites thanks to this word convergence.

In turn, for those of them who thirst to go more deeply into the holy text, the word עֶצֶם, which occurs precisely four times in Ex 1-18, is to remind about the four successive pericopes which constitute the record of the covenant-making ceremony between the Lord and Israel, and about the four consecutive cups of wine the people used to drink during the Passover liturgy. About it, however, the next pages of this work will tell.

1.4.2.7. Conclusions. Summary of the study of the pericope 12:1-13:16.

Based on the analyses carried out, one should state that:

The text 12:1-13:16 consists of four blocks crowned with summaries.

This text consists mainly of speeches showing the significance of the laws concerning the celebration of the Passover year after year at the night when Israel ate the Passover lamb in honor of the Lord, and the Lord punished Egypt and led Israel out of captivity. Also, as for the form, the narrative text 12:39-49 is a haggadah intended above all to explain the meaning of legal orders concerning matzah, commemorating the work of the Lord leading the people out of Egypt.

The analyses have shown that there are two main themes in this text: lamb-Passover and matzah, which serve to remember the exact time of the feast.

In speeches, the lamb-Passover theme integrally links itself to that of the firstborns and circumcision. These three themes have the linking element – the shedding of the blood – of the lamb, the deads, the circumcised.

In the speeches, the theme of matzah integrally connects itself with the going out from Egyptian captivity, whereby it is easy to notice the emphasis on the memory about the time of this intervention of the Lord. This time (15th Abib) is to be the date of the feast for the Lord, year after year.

The two main themes-symbols present in the speeches – lamb and matzo – which as food items both belong to the same kind of things, represent two different historical events that integrally connect themselves: the rescuing of the circumcised participants of the Passover feast from death (lamb), the coming out of captivity (matzah). Both these themes correspond to the command to remember the time of the Lord’s intervention, although they have different accents. The theme of matzah always openly connects itself with the memory of time. The theme of lamb has such open dependence only in the first speech of God. The second speech of God expresses this relationship only in a hidden way through its structure and meaning of the central עֶצֶם. In God’s third speech, its memorative character fully appears only thanks to Moses’ speech, where the firstborn animals dedicated to God are defined by the term male (זָכָר), which has an identical stem as the word remember [224].

The main themes of the speeches – lamb and matzah – are combined in the following situations:

• The eating of lamb-Passover, according to the religious requirement, connects itself with the eating of only non-acidified food – matzah (cf. 12:8 in the first speech of God in part concerning the lamb). Moreover, Israelites are to remove all acid from their houses in the evening of 14. Abib (cf. 12:18-20 in the first speech of God, in part concerning matzah, and 13:6-9 in the second speech of Moses, which also belongs to the part concerning matzah),
• Immediately after the penalty of death of firstborns of Egypt, and the salvation of firstborns of Israel through the blood of the lamb, there was a hasty departure of the Israelites, carrying vessels full of unleavened dough (see the meaning of blood in the first speech of God in 12:12-13 and in the first speech of Moses: 12:23-27a; cf. in the haggadah about starting the way out, Israelites’ departure (with the dough!) as a direct result of the death of the Egyptians: 12:29-39).

Based on the table drawn up above (point 1.4.2.6.), one can see in which speeches of God and Moses both the main themes-symbols and the theme of time occur:

The first speech of God deals with the subject of time, lamb, and matzah, while the first speech of Moses deals only with the lamb. Moses talks about time and matzah in his second speech, crowning the whole pericope. Moses talks first in his second speech about matzah and then about the sacrifice of firstborns (and here about the role of the lamb), by which he fulfills the requirement contained in the third speech of God. Although Moses’ second speech follows immediately God’s third speech, which contains only the requirement to sacrifice firstborns, Moses does not first take up in this speech the requirement he has just heard to sacrifice firstborns, but first takes up the issue of time and matzah, about which God spoke in the first speech, and about which Moses did not mention in his first speech, which immediately followed God’s first speech.

Such an arrangement of the presentation of laws concerning lamb and laws concerning matzah cannot be a work of chance but a deliberate decision of the last editor of the Book of Exodus, a way to inform a reader that text 12:1-13:16 is a coherent whole. Since God’s orders from one legislative speech (the first), Moses divided into two non-consecutive legislative speeches, the first of which belongs to the part preceding the haggadah about starting the way out and the second to part preceded by this haggadah, it means a lot. Namely, the reader must understand this central haggadah about starting the way out as a kind of legislative speech/message, as the proclamation of laws concerning lamb and laws concerning matzah. It belongs to a broader part of the legislative whole – to pericope 12:1-13:16.

According to the biblical writer’s thought, the text 12:1-13:16 is a compact whole.

The conducted researches have shown the existence of yet another kind of editorial signs indicating the necessity of such an understanding of the text 12:1-13:16:

• The expression לַיהוָה – for the Lord – appears in this pericope 10 times, which is numerically [225] equal to the number of the commandments given on Sinai; it is a discreet way of expressing the legislative character of this pericope,
• The word יצא – to go out, bring out, to be led out, lead out – occurs in this pericope 15 times, which numerically equals the date of going out of Egypt,
• The word אכל – eat – occurs here 22 times, which numerically equals to the end date of 7 days of eating unleavened bread (from 14th Abib in the evening to 21st Abib in the evening, i.e., until the beginning of 22nd Abib). This word appears 14 times in the first paschal speech of God (12:1-20), in this: 7 times in part concerning lamb (12:3-13) and 7 times in part concerning matzah (12:15-20). This speech of God is highly important, because it is the basis for the first and second paschal speech of Moses, and together with the second speech of Moses constitutes the literary inclusion for the whole pericope,
• The number of words related to the time/date of the feast, appearing in the emphatic syntax of type הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה is equal to 14 (7 times day + 4 times month + 3 times night), thus numerically equal to the date of the beginning of the feast (14th Abib in the evening).

Based on the analyses, we can conclude that the 12:1-13:16 pericope is to show in various ways one integrally connected group of acts of God and the people obedient to Him, accomplished during one night of 15th Abib. In terms of form, this pericope is a set of speeches explaining the Law of Passover and Unleavened Bread (matzah) based on the historically one-off salvation event leading to bring Israel out from Egypt.

It is the dynamic of action that distinguishes this pericope from that which precedes it. There, one can experience multiple miraculous signs of God, each time crowned by the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and, as a result, non-release of Israel from captivity. However, here, one experiences one act but so powerful that takes place not only the expected departure but also the praising of God by voices from every place of this pericope, which glorifying this one act of God. There, the description focused on the development of action towards coming out and presentation of many days of God’s intervention. Here it focuses on the presentation of various ways of liturgical commemoration by all generations of what the Lord has accomplished during one night: He killed the firstborns of Egypt, saved and led out Israel!

This change of action dynamics is an editorial technique to distinguish between the 12:1-13:16 pericope and the 6:2-11:10 pericope. It is, therefore, the same way which we previously discovered: the 6:2-11:10 pericope was separated from the 1:1-6:1 pericope by a change in action dynamics!

However, one should note that there is another way, no less important, in which the editor marked the separation of the 12:1-13:16 pericope from the preceding one – the differentiation of the literary genre: the 12:1-13:16 pericope is a set of speeches (precepts, prohibitions, explanations about the historical origins of these laws), while the previous one is a narrative.

Therefore, another crucial issue arises: what distinguishes the pericope 12:1-13:16 from the subsequent one? The answer to this question will be the subject of analysis of the next work point.