The Meaning of Exodus 12:42 Explained

Exodus 12:42

KJV: It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

YLT: A night of watchings it is to Jehovah, to bring them out from the land of Egypt; it is this night to Jehovah of watchings to all the sons of Israel to their generations.

Darby: It is a night of observance to Jehovah, because of their being brought out from the land of Egypt: that same night is an observance to Jehovah for all the children of Israel in their generations.

ASV: It is a night to be much observed unto Jehovah for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of Jehovah, to be much observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

It [is] a night  to be much observed  unto the LORD  for bringing  them out from the land  of Egypt:  this [is] that night  of the LORD  to be observed  of all the children  of Israel  in their generations. 

What does Exodus 12:42 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 12:37-51 - Israel Led Out Of Egypt
The 600,000 were males above 20 years of age, Numbers 1:3-43. This would make the entire body not less than 2,000,000 of people of all ages. Succoth was the first rallying point on which the various bands converged. It stood in open country, over which their flocks and herds spread themselves. It was, indeed, a night to be observed, when the Exodus took place, because, as Bunsen says, it was the beginning of history; and we may almost say further that it was the hour when Israel was born as a nation. God called His son out of Egypt. At that moment also the period of which Abraham had been apprised ran out. See Genesis 15:13; Galatians 3:17; and Exodus 12:40 here.
Notice the stress laid on circumcision, which was the type of putting away the sins of the flesh. See Colossians 2:11. We must be separated from sin, before we can claim our portion in the Paschal Lamb, or join the Exodus. [source]

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 12:42 mean?

A night of solemn observance it [is] to Yahweh for bringing them out of the land of Egypt that [is] night this of Yahweh a solemn observance for all the sons of Israel throughout their generations -
לֵ֣יל שִׁמֻּרִ֥ים הוּא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הֽוּא־ הַלַּ֤יְלָה הַזֶּה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה שִׁמֻּרִ֛ים לְכָל־ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְדֹרֹתָֽם פ

לֵ֣יל  A  night 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
שִׁמֻּרִ֥ים  of  solemn  observance 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שִׁמֻּרִים  
Sense: night watch, watching, vigil.
הוּא֙  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם  for  bringing  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
הֽוּא־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הַלַּ֤יְלָה  [is]  night 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שִׁמֻּרִ֛ים  a  solemn  observance 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שִׁמֻּרִים  
Sense: night watch, watching, vigil.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
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.
לְדֹרֹתָֽם  throughout  their  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 12:42?

Loading Information...