“And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”
Exodus 12:6 is part of the narrative describing the institution of the Passover, a significant event in the history of the Israelites. The context of this verse is the final plague that God sent upon Egypt, the plague of the firstborn, which resulted in the death of all the firstborn males in the land.
In preparation for this event, God commanded the Israelites to observe the Passover. They were to select a male lamb or goat on the tenth day of the month and keep it until the fourteenth day. On the evening of the fourteenth day, the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel was to slaughter the animal.
This act of slaughtering the lamb or goat had deep symbolic and practical significance. Symbolically, it represented the Israelites’ identification with the animal’s sacrifice, which would later be a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross for the redemption of humanity. The shedding of the animal’s blood symbolized atonement and deliverance from judgment.
Practically, the blood of the lamb or goat was to be applied to the doorposts and lintels of the Israelites’ houses, serving as a sign for the Lord to pass over their homes and spare their firstborn from the plague. It was a way for the Israelites to demonstrate their faith and obedience to God’s instructions.
This verse emphasizes the communal aspect of the Passover observance. The “whole assembly of the congregation of Israel” was to participate in the killing of the animal. This collective action highlighted the unity and solidarity of the Israelites as they stood together in faith and obedience to God’s command.
In summary, Exodus 12:6 speaks about the preparations for the Passover and the communal participation in the killing of the sacrificial lamb or goat. It holds both symbolic and practical significance in terms of identifying with the animal’s sacrifice and applying its blood for deliverance and protection.
