Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 12:17
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 forever.
17. selfsame day ] A peculiar expression, lit. the bone (i.e. the substance) of the day, the day itself, the very day (cf. Exo 24:10 ‘the heaven itself,’ and Job 21:23 Heb.), found only in P ( vv. 41, 47, 51, Gen 7:13; Gen 17:23; Gen 17:26 al.) and Ezek. (Eze 2:3, Eze 24:2, Eze 40:1).
have I brought forth, &c. The pilgrimage is to be observed in commemoration of the day of the Exodus from Egypt. Cf. v. 14a.
your hosts ] P pictures the Israel of the Exodus as a vast army: see on Exo 6:26.
throughout, &c.] as v. 14b.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
17 20. The essential parts of the institution repeated and insisted on again, in P’s manner; see on Exo 6:27.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Self – same day] beetsem, in the body of this day, or in the strength of this day; probably they began their march about day-break, called here the body or strength of the day, and in De 16:1, by night – sometime before the sun rose.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Your armies, so called, not from their military force or courage, but from their numbers, and the order and manner in which they came forth. See Exo 13:18.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. ye shall observe, c.Theseven days of this feast were to commence the day after the passover.It was a distinct festival following that feast but although thisfeast was instituted like the passover before the departure,the observance of it did not take place till after.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread,…. Which was a distinct feast from the passover feast; for though at that unleavened bread was eaten, it was kept but one night, this seven days; and it is repeated that it might be taken notice of, and the rather, as it was to be observed in all ages as long as the Jewish economy lasted; the reason of which follows:
for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt; which, though not already done, was just on doing, and was certain; and besides, it respects the day when it should come about another year: by their “armies” are meant the tribes of Israel, not so much for their military force, for as yet they were an unarmed people, but for their numbers, which were sufficient to make several considerable armies, and for their order and ease, and their being without any fear of the enemy, in which they marched out of Egypt:
therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever; according to the rules given, with the same exactness, strictness, and constancy, as the first of the passover, and as long as that continued; [See comments on Ex 12:14].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) In this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt.On the application of the word armies to the people of Israel, see above (Exo. 6:26). The expression have I brought indicates either that these directions were not given until after the Exodus, or at any rate that they were not reduced to writing until then.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. In this selfsame day have I brought your armies out This was said before the deliverance was effected, and it is spoken of in the past as if already made sure . Thus the Hebrew preterit is often used in prophecy for an emphatic future . (Nordh . , Gram . , 966, 1, a . )
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 12:17. I have brought out This translation may be proper, as God may truly be said to have done what he has fully proposed and decreed to do. But perhaps it might have been as well rendered, in agreement with several of the versions, I will bring out, or I am about to bring out.
REFLECTIONS.The deliverance of Israel advances. Orders are issued out concerning their departure, and the preparations for it. As they are now to begin new lives, they are to count from this day the new year. Note; That is emphatically our birth-day, and the beginning of years, in which we begin to escape from sin, and live to God.
1. The passover is instituted, with particular directions for present and future use; and the days of unleavened bread are to follow, in memory of this great event, their escape from the house of their prison. We must begin with God, whatever haste of business is upon our hands.
2. Observe God’s visitation upon Egypt and her idols. All the vain confidence of sinners must perish with them
3. The respect these ordinances have to us in these gospel-times. (1.) Christ is our Passover; a lamb without blemish, appointed and set apart by God to be slain; enduring the fiercest fire of Divine wrath, and sacrificed for all his spiritual Israel. (2.) His blood must by faith be sprinkled on our consciences. Wherever it is found, there is no condemnation; and we must never be ashamed to profess our open dependance upon him. (3.) The Lamb of God is to be fed upon as our spiritual strength and nourishment. As the time is short, we must make haste to draw near to him. The bitter herbs of repentance should attend the feast, and give a greater relish to the food; and, as those who remember how near their departure is, we should be ready, not only to leave our sins behind, but our bodies in the dust, whenever he calls us away to his blessed Self. (4.) With these dispositions, we shall keep the feast with holy joy, as pardoned sinners; with fervent affection, as those who are going to possess the same land; with sincerity and truth, renouncing the leaven of malice and wickedness; and thus persevering, till we come to sit down in the true Canaan, the kingdom of eternal glory.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
As the feast of the passover prefigured a deliverance from sin by the death of Christ who hath thereby delivered his people from the wrath to come: so the feast of unleavened bread typified his holy life; by which in the unleavened purity of a perfect righteousness, he hath, by doing as well as by dying, obtained eternal redemption for his people. Dan 9:24 ; Isa 53:11 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 12:17 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.
Ver. 17. In this selfsame day. ] Heb., In the body, or strength, of this day: so the midday is called. Art thou delivered, helped? write up the time and place.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
in this selfsame: Exo 7:5, Exo 13:8, Num 20:16
an ordinance: Exo 12:14
Reciprocal: Exo 6:26 – armies Lev 23:21 – a statute Num 1:3 – by their Est 9:28 – remembered