Exodus 12:5

Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Ver. 5. Without blemish.] Christ, that immaculate Lamb of God, was hereby typified, {1Pe 1:19} {See Trapp on "1Pe 1:19"}

From the sheep, or from the goats.] A lamb; to show Christ’s innocency, meekness, patience, profitableness. Or a kid; to show that he was a sinner; (1.) By imputation, for "the Lord made our sins to meet upon him"; {Isa 53:6} (2.) By reputation, for "he made his grave with the wicked." {Isa 53:9}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 12:5. Your lamb shall be without blemish — Shall be perfect, as the Hebrew is, that is, in all its parts. This was a qualification indispensably requisite in all sacrifices: Lev 22:20-24. Even the heathen, in the worship of their false gods, were particular in this circumstance. A male — Because the males were accounted more excellent, and their flesh better than that of females. Of the first year — Under a year old, not above: for the lamb, as also a kid and calf, was fit for sacrifice at eight days old, but not before, Exo 22:30. And the same law was observed in the daily sacrifice, Exo 29:38. They were not to be offered before the eighth day, “because,” says Bochart, “till then they have hardly attained to the perfection of animal life, and are not sufficiently purified.” He adds, “they were not to be offered after the first year, because then they begin to feel the heat of libidinous appetite, and consequently are not fit emblems of purity and innocence.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12:5 with no defects: We must give God our best, just as he gave us his best: “the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Pet 1:19).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

lamb . . . without blemish--The smallest deformity or defect made a lamb unfit for sacrifice--a type of Christ (Heb 7:26; Pe1 1:19).

a male of the first year--Christ in the prime of life.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. Without blemish] Having no natural imperfection, no disease, no deficiency or redundancy of parts. On this point the rabbins have trifled most egregiously, reckoning fifty blemishes that render a lamb or kid, or any animal, improper to be sacrificed: five in the ear, three in the eyelid, eight in the eye, three in the nose, six in the mouth, c., &c.

A male of the first year] That is, any age in the first year between eight days and twelve months.

From the sheep, or from the goats] The שה seh means either and either was equally proper if without blemish. The Hebrews however in general preferred the lamb to the kid.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) Without blemish.—Natural piety teaches that we must not “offer the blind, the lame, or the sick for sacrifice” (Mal_1:8). We must give to (God of our best. The Law emphasized this teaching, and here, on the first occasion when a sacrifice was formally appointed, required it to be absolutely without blemish of any kind. Afterwards the requirement was made general (Lev_22:19-25). It was peculiarly fitting that the Paschal offering should be without defect of any kind, as especially typifying “the Lamb of God,” who is “holy, harmless, undefiled”—a “lamb without spot.”

A male.—Males were reckoned superior to females, and were especially appropriate here, since the victim represented the firstborn male in each house.

Of the first year—i.e., not above a year old. As children are most innocent when young, so even animals were thought to be.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. Characteristics of the animal chosen: it is to be (1) without blemish (like sacrificial animals in general, Deu_17:1, Lev_22:19; Lev_22:21 [H]); (2) a male, as superior to a female, and therefore more appropriate as an offering to Jehovah (so for burnt-offerings, in H and P, Lev_1:3; Lev_1:10; Lev_22:19 : for peace- and sin-offerings females were allowed); (3) one year old (cf. the same regulation Exo_29:38, Lev_9:3, and elsewhere); (4) either a lamb or a kid (cf. on v. 3); later usage declared in favour of a lamb.

of the first year] Heb. ‘the son of a year.’ The meaning is disputed. The Rabbis interpret of the first year, i.e. from 8 days old (Lev_22:27 H) to a full year; modern commentators generally, a year old (LXX. ἐνιαύσιος). The Hebrew idiom (of human beings as well as of animals) occurs constantly (Gen_21:4-5; Gen_25:26, &c.): the same age as here is appointed for sacrifices, esp. for burnt-offerings, Lev_9:3; Lev_12:6 (‘a son of its year’), Exo_23:12; Exo_23:18-19, and elsewhere.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Your lamb shall be without blemish,.... Without any spot or defect in it. Maimonides (h) reckons no less than fifty blemishes in a creature, anyone of which makes it unfit for sacrifice, see Lev 21:21. This lamb was a type of Christ, who is therefore said to be our passover sacrificed for us, Co1 5:7 comparable to a lamb for his innocence and harmlessness, for his meekness, humility, and patience, for usefulness both for food and raiment, as well as for being fit for sacrifice; and who is a lamb without spot and blemish, either of original sin, or actual transgression, holy in his nature, harmless in his life:

a male of the first year; anyone within that time, but not beyond it; denoting the strength and vigour of Christ, in the flower of his age, his short continuance among men, and his being tender and savoury food for the faith of his people:

ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats; it might be either a lamb, or a kid of the goats; for the most part, or generally, it was a lamb that was taken; so the Jewish canon runs (i),"he that says to his servant, go and slay for me the passover, if he slays a kid he may eat it; if he slays a lamb he may eat of it; if he slays a kid and a lamb, he may eat of the first.''The goat being of an ill smell may denote Christ being made sin, and a sin offering for his people; and the taking of a lamb from these may signify the choice of Christ from among the people in the council and covenant of God; the preordination of him to be the lamb slain from the foundation of the world; the preservation of him from the infection of sin in his incarnation, and the separation of him from sinners in his conversation.

(h) Hilchot Biath Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 1. (i) Misn. Pesach. c. 8. sect. 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Without blemish - This is in accordance with the general rule (margin reference): although in this case there is a special reason, since the lamb was in place of the firstborn male in each household. The restriction to the first year is unique, and refers apparently to the condition of perfect innocence in the antitype, the Lamb of God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lamb. Hebrew se, which denotes the young of either sheep or goats. (Kimchi.) He who had not a lamb, was to sacrifice a kid. (Theodoret) --- A kid. The Phase might be performed, either with a lamb or with a kid; and all the same rites and ceremonies were to be used with the one as with the other. (Challoner) --- Many have asserted, that both were to be sacrificed. But custom decides against them. All was to be perfect, Momim, as even the pagans required; (Grotius) and God (Leviticus xxii. 22,) orders the victims in general must have no fault. The Egyptians rejected them, if they were even spotted, or twins. --- A male, as all holocausts were to be. Pagans gave the preference to females. (Calmet) --- One year, not older, though it would do if above eight days old. (Menochius) --- The paschal lamb prefigured Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by his death, being holy, set apart, and condescending to feed us with his sacred person, in the blessed Eucharist. Here we eat the lamb without breaking a bone, though we take the whole victim. (John xix. 36; 1 Corinthians v. 7.) (Calmet) --- To fulfil this figure, Christ substituted his own body, and, making his apostles priests, ordered them to continue this sacrifice for ever. He came to Jerusalem on the 10th day of Nisan, on Sunday. He gave himself to his disciples on the evening of the 14th, and died at noon on the 15th. The unleavened bread, and the cup, (Luke xxii. 17,) clearly denoted the blessed Sacrament, which was ordered to be eaten in the house or church of God. (St. Cyprian, Unit.) See St. Gregory, hom. 22, in Evang.; Tertullian, contra Marc. iv, "The bread he made his own body." If, therefore, the truth must surpass the figure, surely the blessed Sacrament must be more than bread and wine; otherwise it would yield in excellence and signification to the paschal lamb. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Without blemish; without any deformity or distemper of body. Heb. perfect. Of which see Lev 22:21, &c.; Deu 15:21; 17:1. And this the very light of nature taught the heathens to observe in their sacrifices. This property was required both to typify Christ, a Lamb without spot or blemish, Heb 9:14; 1Pe 1:19, and to instruct us that all our services to God must be as perfect as possibly may be.

A male, partly because that was better and more perfect than the female, whence a male is opposed to a corrupt thing, Mal 1:14; and partly to typify the man Christ Jesus.

Of the first year, i.e. a year old, when it is in its rigour and perfection, and the fittest type of Christ. Most explain it thus, That it was not to be more than a year old, but it might be much less, seeing it might be offered to God any time after it was eight days old, Exo 22:30; Lev 22:27. But though it was then fit to be offered to God, it was not very fit to be eaten by men. And the Hebrew phrase, the son of a year, seems to require a year’s age, as Saul is called the son of one year, 1Sa 13:1, when he had reigned one whole year. And it is remarkable, that he doth not say the son of this or that year, which might agree to one brought forth that year, though it was much younger than a year, but the son of a year, without any restrictive article.

Or from the goats; Heb. and from the goats: if you want a lamb, you shall take a kid of or from the goats. But the particle and is here well rendered or, as it is used Gen 13:8; Exo 21:17, compared with Mat 15:4; Psa 8:4, compared with Heb 2:6.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Without blemish, a male of the first year — A faultless male, at least a year old. Only perfect gifts could be offered to God, as the heathens also felt. So Homer teaches us, (Iliad, 1:66,) αγνων… αιγων τε τελειων, “perfect lambs and goats.” The letter of the law allowed a kid, but a lamb was almost always chosen.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Your lamb shall be without blemish. Natural piety would teach that "the blind, the lame, and the sick" should not be selected for sacrifice. (Mal_1:8) The Law afterwards expressly forbade any blemished animals or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed to be offered for any of the stated sacrifices, though they might be given as free-will offerings. (Lev_22:20-25) The absence of blemish was especially important in a victim which was to typify One "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." A male. As standing in place of and redeeming the first-born of the males in each family. Of the first year. Perhaps as then more approaching to the ideal of perfect innocence. The requirement was not a usual one. Or from the goats. Theodoret says the proviso was made for the relief of the poorer class of persons; but practically it seems not to have taken effect. When people were poor, their richer neighbours supplied them with lambs (Kalisch).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

twilight

This refers to the time of evening after the sun has set but while there is still some light.

on the two side doorposts and on the tops of the doorframes of the houses

"on the sides and top of the way into the house"

Eat it with bread made without yeast

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Eat it with bread which you have made without yeast" (See: Active or Passive)

bitter herbs

These are small plants that have a strong and usually bad taste.

translationWords

blemish

blood

doorpost

fire

yeast

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

תמים PERFECT i. e. without blemish (Mekhilta).

בן שנה OF THE FIRST YEAR — the whole of its first year it is termed שנה בן, as much as to say, that it was born during this year (it does not mean that it is one year old — in its second year) (cf.Mekhilta).

מן הכבשים ומן העזים — i. e. either from these (a lamb) or from these (a goat) (i. e. the ו of ומן does not signify “and”, but “or”); for a goat, also, is called שה, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 14:4) “the שה of the goats” (שה means the young animal, either of the sheep or of the goats) (cf. Mekhilta).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.