Exodus 13:10

Exo 13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

Ver. 10. From year to year.] The Chaldee hath it, From time to time. We have the Lord’s Supper, that sweet ordinance wherein Christ "kisseth us with the kisses of his lips," and giveth us a privy seal of his love, much oftener: yet not so oft as the primitive Christians, who had it weekly: whence it was called Panis hebdomadarias. Yea, Basil tells us, that they ate the Lord’s Supper three or four times a week - viz., on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Lord’s-days: but that was a time of persecution.

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.

10. Thou shalt therefore keep] Heb. And thou shalt keep.

in its season] in the month of Abib (v. 4); cf. Exo_23:15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered ‘in the time appointed of the month of Abib.’

from year to year] מימים ימימה: so Jdg_11:40; Jdg_21:19, 1Sa_Exo_1:3; 1Sa_2:19†.

(b) 11–16. Firstborn males, both of man and beast, to belong to Jehovah. The firstling of an ass is to be either redeemed by a lamb or killed; the firstborn of men are also to be redeemed: other firstling were sacrificed to Jehovah. Like vv. 3–10, an older law of J (v. 12f., cf. Exo_34:19 f.) in a parenetic setting. ‘The passage is related to v. 1f. (P) as vv. 3–10 (J) are related to Exo_12:14-20 (P), and Exo_12:21-27 (J) to Exo_12:2-13 (P)’ (Di.).

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.

Thou shall therefore keep the ordinance in his season,.... Not the ordinance of the phylacteries, as the Targum of Jonathan, but the ordinance of unleavened bread:

from year to year; every year successively, so long as in force, even unto the coming of the Messiah. It is in the Hebrew text, "from days to days" (c); that is, either year after year, as we understand it; or else the sense is, that the feast of unleavened bread, when the season was come for keeping it, was to be observed every day for seven days running.

(c) "a diebus in dies", V. L. Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius.

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

Heb. From days to days. But days in the Hebrew tongue are oft put for a complete year. Of which see Gen 4:3; Lev 25:29; Amo 4:4.

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

This ordinance. The ordinance of unleavened bread. See Exo_12:14, Exo_12:24.

HOMILIES BY G.A. GOODHART Ver. 10-12:42. Remember.

Utmost pains taken that the day should be honoured and remembered.

(1) The month in which it occurred became the beginning of months.

(2) A special ordinance as to the first-born pointed back continually to the event celebrated (vers. 11-13).

(3) The annual feast was specially devised to keep it in memory (vers. 14, etc.). Why all this?

I REASON OF OBSERVANCE. It commemorated:

1. A great judgment. Nine plagues had passed; the members of each successive trial following one another at shorter intervals and with increasing severity. Illustration, siege of town. Besiegers draw parallels closer and closer, each time sounding summons to surrender. Every summons disregarded; at length word given for the assault. God laying siege to Egypt, now preparing for the assault (cf. generally Am 4). "Therefore, prepare to meet thy God". (Exo_11:4) "I will go out;" the representatives stand aside that the arm of Jehovah may be recognised. Fourteenth of month; midnight. God accompanied by the angel of vengeance. Picture result palace, dungeon, stables, fields, temples, streets. The judgment was upon Egypt and her gods.

2. A great deliverance.

(1) From death. God the judge is impartial. If Egypt has sinned, so also Israel. Three plagues shared by both, both now threatened by self-same danger. Israel, however, trusting God, may escape by obedience. Lamb chosen four days earlier. Slain that afternoon at sundown. Light of full moon shows blood streaks on lintels and doorposts of houses in Goshen; inside, people prepared for departure, feeding on lamb. Midnight: Is it imagination that rush and quiver of unseen wings? The shadow of the wings of God shelter each blood-stained door, whilst the angel of vengeance passes over, sparing those whom God protects.

(2) From slavery. Wailing throughout Egypt. Midnight message, "Go, get ye gone." At once families gather to standards of their tribes. Soon one great army, harnessed and equipped, laden with spoils of Egypt, the Israelites march forth from the land of their captivity. The time fulfilled to the day, (Exo_12:41) when their hour is come their God is ready.

3. A great exhibition of Divine power. Not a mere judgment or a mere deliverance, but judgment by a personal judge, deliverance by a personal deliverer.

(1) The Egyptians needed to learn who Jehovah was. The Israelites had not done much to make him respected; rather had brought his name into disrepute as the patron of a slavish multitude. Must cause his own name to be hallowed. (cf. Eze_36:20-23)

(2) Israel needed to learn that Jehovah was the deliverer a God faithful to his promises, yet who could not endure sin. Moses and Aaron his instruments, but the victory due only to his right hand and his holy arm.

II USE OF THE OBSERVANCE. By communicating the judgment and the deliverance, it was calculated to keep men mindful of the judge and the deliverer, and to prompt respect for his law. (Exo_13:9) Commemorations are an aid to memory, reminding of past events, and recalling associations connected with them. Mere observance as an end in itself, bondage; (cf. Gal_4:9, Gal_4:10) as a means to an end, helpful and necessary. The Pharisee makes a virtue of observance; the right thing is to draw virtue from it. See what this observance taught:

1. God is long-suffering, but the day of vengeance comes at length. The help to memory, as to what he had done, was a help to conviction as to what he might do.

2. God will not clear the guilty, yet his mercy doth endure for ever. Evenwith the help, how often were these truths forgotten; (cf. Psa_106:7-13, etc.) would any have remembered them without it?

Apply. Life, which forms the memory of the future, grows out of memory of the past. A good memory is a help to good living. What helps do you use to prompt memory? The marked bill, the birthday text-book, the diary all these helpful; above all, the day, the anniversary, if we use it rightly.Commemorations are but sign-posts pointing to that which is commemorated; use them as such, follow out their indications. So, remembering past mercies, faith will be strengthened and hope sustained. G.

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

מימים ימימה means FROM YEAR TO YEAR (ימים frequently signifies a year) (Menachot 36b).

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.