The Meaning of Exodus 12:23 Explained

Exodus 12:23

KJV: For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

YLT: 'And Jehovah hath passed on to smite the Egyptians, and hath seen the blood on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, and Jehovah hath passed over the opening, and doth not permit the destruction to come into your houses to smite.

Darby: And Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.

ASV: For Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  will pass through  to smite  the Egyptians;  and when he seeth  the blood  upon the lintel,  and on the two  side posts,  the LORD  will pass over  the door,  and will not suffer  the destroyer  to come  in unto your houses  to smite  [you]. 

What does Exodus 12:23 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 12:23 mean?

For will pass through Yahweh to strike - Egypt and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on two the doorposts and will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike [you]
וְעָבַ֣ר יְהוָה֮ לִנְגֹּ֣ף אֶת־ מִצְרַיִם֒ וְרָאָ֤ה הַדָּם֙ עַל־ הַמַּשְׁק֔וֹף וְעַ֖ל שְׁתֵּ֣י הַמְּזוּזֹ֑ת וּפָסַ֤ח עַל־ הַפֶּ֔תַח וְלֹ֤א יִתֵּן֙ הַמַּשְׁחִ֔ית לָבֹ֥א אֶל־ בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם לִנְגֹּֽף

וְעָבַ֣ר  For  will  pass  through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִנְגֹּ֣ף  to  strike 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַף  
Sense: to strike, smite.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִצְרַיִם֒  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
וְרָאָ֤ה  and  when  He  sees 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הַדָּם֙  the  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
הַמַּשְׁק֔וֹף  the  lintel 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשְׁקֹוף  
Sense: lintel (of door).
וְעַ֖ל  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שְׁתֵּ֣י  two 
Parse: Number, fdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
הַמְּזוּזֹ֑ת  the  doorposts 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מְזוּזָה  
Sense: doorpost, gatepost.
וּפָסַ֤ח  and  will  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּסַח 
Sense: to pass over, spring over.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַפֶּ֔תַח  the  door 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
וְלֹ֤א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִתֵּן֙  allow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַמַּשְׁחִ֔ית  the  destroyer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
לָבֹ֥א  to  come 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם  your  houses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
לִנְגֹּֽף  to  strike  [you] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַף  
Sense: to strike, smite.