The Meaning of Exodus 12:21 Explained

Exodus 12:21

KJV: Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

YLT: And Moses calleth for all the elders of Israel, and saith unto them, 'Draw out and take for yourselves from the flock, for your families, and slaughter the passover-sacrifice;

Darby: And Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Seize and take yourselves lambs for your families, and kill the passover.

ASV: Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Moses  called  for all the elders  of Israel,  and said  unto them, Draw out  and take  you a lamb  according to your families,  and kill  the passover. 

What does Exodus 12:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 12:15-28 - The Feast Of Unleavened Bread
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Chapter Summary: Exodus 12

1  The beginning of the year is changed
3  The Passover is instituted
11  The import of the rite of the Passover
15  Unleavened bread
29  The firstborn are slain
31  The Israelites are driven out of the land
37  They come to Succoth
41  The time of their sojourning
43  The ordinance of the Passover

What do the individual words in Exodus 12:21 mean?

And called Moses for all the elders of Israel and said to them Pick out and take for yourselves lambs according to your families and kill the Passover [lamb]
וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְכָל־ זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם מִֽשְׁכ֗וּ וּקְח֨וּ לָכֶ֥ם צֹ֛אן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ הַפָּֽסַח

וַיִּקְרָ֥א  And  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
מֹשֶׁ֛ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זִקְנֵ֥י  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מִֽשְׁכ֗וּ  Pick  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
וּקְח֨וּ  and  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לָכֶ֥ם  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
צֹ֛אן  lambs 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם  according  to  your  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ  and  kill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
הַפָּֽסַח  the  Passover  [lamb] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּסַח  
Sense: passover.