When was the Passover Sacrifice Brought

The Torah commands us: "In the First Month on the fourteenth day of the month, between the two evenings [Hebrew: "Bein Ha'arabayim"], is the Passover [Sacrifice] to Yehovah." In biblical Hebrew, the word "evening" (Ayin-Resh-Bet) indicates both the "early part of the night", as well as the actual "onset of evening". In the expression "between the two evenings" the first "onset of evening" is sunset (when the disk of the sun disappears) while the second "onset of evening" is the disappearance of the last rays of the sun and the onset of total darkness. The expression "between the two evenings" is used interchangeably with the term "Ba-Erev" (literally: "at evening") which itself refers to the "onset of the evening".

For example, in the incident of the Manna it is written (Exodus 16:11-13):

"I have heard the complaints of the Children of Israel; speak to them saying 'Between the two evenings you shall eat meat'... And it was at evening that the quail rose up and covered the camp.'

We see in this passage that an event predicted as happening "between the two evenings" is said to have happened "at evening". The meaning of "at evening" itself can be learned from the verse "... you shall slaughter the Passover [sacrifice] at evening, at sunset" (Deuteronomy 16:6). We see in this verse that "at evening" and "at sunset" are interchangeable expressions (used in "apposition").

To summarize, the Torah describes the time of the Passover Sacrifice with three different expressions: "At Sunset", "At Evening", "Between the Two Evenings". All three of these terms refer to the early evening, shortly after sunset.

Beginning or End of the 14th?

The Torah commands that the Passover sacrifice be brought "In the First Month on the Fourteenth Day of the Month between the two evenings" (Leviticus 23:5). It is unclear from this verse whether what is being referred to is the period of dusk at the beginning of the 14th or the period of dusk at the end of the 14th. Leviticus 23:6 continues that the Feast of Unleavened Bread is "on the Fifteenth Day of this month". From this verse it appears that the Passover Sacrifice is to be brought at sunset at the end of the 14th, and eaten that same evening, on the night of the 15th. This is confirmed by Deuteronomy 16:4, which commands us regarding the Passover Sacrifice: "and there shall not remain of the meat that you slaughter at evening on the first day until the morning." We see that the entire Paschal lamb must be consumed on the following night it is slaughtered and none of it may be left over until the morning (see also Exodus 12:10, 22). For our purposes what is significant is that the verse describes the Passover sacrifice as being slaughtered "at evening on the first day".

The passage in Deuteronomy 16:1-8 is talking about the Feast of Unleavened Bread and there can be no doubt that "the first day" in v.4 refers to the first day of Unleavened Bread. We have already seen in Leviticus 23:6 that the First Day of Unleavened Bread falls out on the 15th of the First Month. When we look at Leviticus 23:5-6 and Deuteronomy 16:4 together it becomes clear that the Passover Sacrifice is brought at the end of the 14th of the First Month between the two evenings and eaten that same evening on the 15th of the First Month. The period of "between the two evenings" is reckoned as both the end of the 14th (Leviticus 23:5) and the beginning of the 15th (Deuteronomy 16:4)!

It is not unusual for the Torah to refer to "such and such a date at evening" and to mean the evening that ends that day. In Leviticus 23:27 we learn that the Day of Atonement occurs on the 10th day of the Seventh Month. A few verses later the Torah makes clear what is meant by the 10th day: "and you shall afflict your souls on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall observe your Sabbath" (Leviticus 23:32). So we see that to fast on the 10th day means to fast from sunset on the 9th until the following sunset. In this verse "the ninth at evening" refers to the onset of evening at the end of the 9th, not the beginning! So the fast of the Day of Atonement on the 10th of the month runs from sunset ending the 9th until sunset ending the 10th (see also Exodus 12:18). Similarly, the 14th between the two evenings in verse 5 of the same chapter refers to the end of the 14th, not the beginning, as confirmed by Deuteronomy 16:4.

"and there shall not remain of the meat that you slaughter at evening on the first day until morning"

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  • TheDailyWarrior says:

    The evening, “between the evenings” and the night are 3 distinct periods of time – each having their own separate governing covenants.

    The evening is the period between sunset and night; and it belongs to the day/light.

    “Between the evenings” is that short period of DARKNESS between the last of the sun’s light in the west and the first of the full moon’s light in the east. (This is why there was miraculous DARKNESS at Yeshua’s death.)

    The night/darkness is the time when starlight is the only light in the sky.

    So what exactly happened, and when, in Exodus 16? At the ending of the 15th DAY, the QUAIL COVERED the camp in the EVENING. So they gathered the quail, cooked and then ATE them about an hour later BETWEEN THE EVENINGS.

    So what exactly happened, and when, at the first Passover? The lamb was SLAIN “between the evenings” (about an hour AFTER SUNSET) and they were eaten a couple of hours after that – just before midnight.

  • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

    If you ever slaughtered a bird for food, you wouldn’t wait until the sun is about down. You wouldn’t be able to see perfectly. I had to kill a rooster who was guilty of nearly causing the death of a hen. He got the death penalty so to speak. I got there just in time to save her life. She was trying to get away and got caught in a precarious way and was dangerously stuck. Spring time is not good if you’re a hen and there are too many rooster’s. The person who swings the ax or uses a knife must be sure to be swift and exact, to prevent the critter from suffering, and to prevent the person from cutting off a finger. Vision is important. I would not wait until I had to use a torch, or even to have to squint too see the small target. Even if it was a lamb, I would not wait that long. Precision would be even more important.
    I’ve been keeping Shabbat a long time. I’ve raised bird’s for a long time.
    In “my opinion” evening in this case would mean afternoon until you can no longer see clearly to do the job safely and effectively.

  • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

    Birds like the pheasant begin to roost while the sky is still bright, even up to 3 hours before sunset. They can’t see well and must roost before predator’s come out. I would say, the sun’s position is about 1/2 way between noon and dark, what ever time of year it is. This has been my experience, my observance.

  • William says:

    That was a miracle then. Because the scriptures say He ate the Passover with his disciples and the Passover is always eaten at the beginning of the 15th. This is one miracle that nobody talks about.

  • Jim Stokes says:

    He died on the 14th and was buried on the 15th. Passover is on the 14th. The feast of Flat Bread (a pilgrim feast) and a sabbath is on the 15th. Please read again.

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      Sorry, although he did die on the 14th, on this we agree, but it is apparent that his body be placed in the tomb before dark because it began the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, so as not to defile it. Therefore, his body was placed in the tomb before sunset the same day. This also goes along with the time it took to get the lamb cooked. He would have already been in the tomb before the lamb was eaten. It takes time to clean the lamb and roast it.

  • William says:

    The Scriptures clearly say that Yeshua ate the Passover. According to the Torah, the Pesach is always offered at the beginning of the 15th and this offering is synonymous with eating it. This means that he had to have died on the 15th which is the Feast day; a sabbath. You will never understand what happened if you are believing he died on the 14th.

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      That doesn’t jive with the fact His body had to be placed in the tomb before dark, because that began the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, so it would not be defiled.

    • Nikki says:

      where does it clearly say that Yeshua ate the Passover? Reference please.

  • Richard Peterson says:

    Since Yeshua repeatedly told his disciples to make ready the Passover and since Josephus comments that during the time of Christ the priests started offering blood from the pascal lambs 24 hours in advance of the evening if the 14th. Is it not probable that Yeshua actually ate a paschal lamb the night of the 13th? The Passover is the only Festival that could be moved for special circumstances. Since Yeshua would be on the stake and due at the prescribed time of sacrificing the Lamb isn’t it possible He moved the actual last Passover meal to the 13th. If He was indeed the Son of the Living God He had the authority to do just that. He did say I three of the gospel accounts, I have desired with great desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. The symbols of the bread as His body and the wine as His blood were introduced after they ate the traditional Passover lamb. This is the New Covenant Yeshua instituted on the night He was betrayed. He said specifically This do in remembrance of Me. A Memorial!

    • David Johnson says:

      Richard, do you have a reference for the Josephus comments?

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      If you were YAHSHUA and knew this was your time to die as the Passover to be fulfilled, I believe He was referring to Himself. Stay with me, dine with me, comfort me, I do not want to spend my last night alone.

  • Alf says:

    On this matter, I cannot agree with Nehemiah. I have studied this for more than 20 years and agree with those who hold that beyn haarbayim is between noon and sundown.
    Read the following:
    There is really no need to debate this issue, for the Bible clearly tells us when “between the evenings” is. In Exodus 29:38-41, God gives Israel instructions regarding the daily sacrifice:
    EXODUS 29:38 And this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs daily, sons of a year; 39 the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the second [hasheni] lamb you shall offer between the evenings [beyn ha’arbayim]. 40 And a tenth of fine flour anointed with beaten oil, a fourth of a hin, and a drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine, for the one lamb. 41 And you shall offer the second [hasheni] lamb between the evenings [beyn ha’arbayim]; you shall do it like the morning food offering and its drink offering, for a soothing fragrance, a fire offering to Jehovah. (LTB)
    To be the second offering of that day, the lamb sacrificed “between the evenings” had to be slain before sunset! And that was at 3pm.

    Another argument is that in order for Elijah to do all the things that he did in the following chapter, there is simply not enough time before the darkness arrived, if the grain offering was after 6pm.
    “1Kn 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. “
    Remember that they gathered on the top of Mount Carmel and had to go down to the Kishon brook to get water and to slay the baal priests.

    • Tully Williams says:

      A further point supporting between the evenings being the afternoon, which I believe seals the question inequivocably, is the time that the TRUE passover died – Jesus died about 3pm in the afternoon – therefore this MUST be what “between the evenings” refers to.

  • Manuel says:

    A careful reading of Exodus chapter 12 shows that the lamb must be kept until Nisan 14 and slaughtered thereafter “between the two evenings.” (Verse 6) Further, Israel was to eat meat “on this night.” (Verse 8) Jehovah will execute judgement against Egypt that night. ( Verse 12)
    Verse 18 clarifies: “In the first month (Nisan/Abib), on the 14th day of the month, in the evening, you are to eat unleavened bread until the 21st day of the month, in the evening.” Thus, it is safe to conclude that the Passover lamb was to be eaten on the 14th, not 15th.
    Regarding the “two evenings”: the first evening is the time when the sun sinks below the horizon, and the second the time of total darkness. (Commentary on the Old Testament, 1973, Vol. I, The Second Book of Moses, p. 12)

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      Never assume.

    • Scott says:

      The commentary on the Old Testament you have is incorrect on this point.

      See the explanation from Sarna, JPS Commentary on Exodus.

      The interpretation of the “settings” or “going down” of the sun is that the 1st setting happens at 12 noon. The second setting happens at sunset. Hence, “in between the settings” is 3PM.

      This is attested in Rabbinic commentary as well as Josephus, Wars 6.422–423.

      the meal eaten after sundown kicks off the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The sacrifice for this meal takes place on the afternoon of the 14th day (which ends 3 hours later).

      The translation into “twilight” in our English bibles is a mistake and as we can see here, creates a significant amount of confusion when read literally.

  • Owen Murphy says:

    Hi Nehemia, this is so well done. Some Christians contend that Jesus sacrificial death occurred at about 3 pm on the 14th. of Nisan and thus all lambs killed on that day should be sacrificed at the same time of day on the 14th. At that time 31 AD, I understand that the lambs were killed at the temple rather than in each homes back yard. The logistics fit better with the lambs being slain at individual homes rather than the temple. What do you think? Great memories of sharing the One God seminars with you and Ken Westby. Were you aware that our mutual friend Noel Rude (linguist) crossed Jordan a few months ago shortly after his wife Joan had. Owen

  • Charlie S says:

    Why are all of you trying to reconcile a Christian doctrine into a Jewish document? You all do realize Nehemiah is Jewish, right? His lessons are not to strengthen the Christian myths, but to help understand Jewish practice. Stop trying to fit your square peg (Jesus/Yeshua/Yahoo) into a round hole (Torah).

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      A: Because Easter is Pagan. Because Yahshua was Jewish. He said follow him.

  • Steve A says:

    I don’t know who else noticed, but on the Passover that Yeshua was crucified on, there were literally 2 evenings. The first evening started at the sixth hour (noon) when there was darkness until the ninth hour (3 pm). The second evening was the normal evening which started the next day. So, Yeshua was literally killed “between the two evenings.” (Luke 23:44-46)

    Deut. 16:6 says, “you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight [or between the two evenings], at the going down of the sun.” The sun is at its lowest point in the sky either at sunrise or sunset. It is at its highest point in the sky at noon. Any time after 12 noon, the sun is going down. According to this verse they were to start sacrificing the Passover lambs after 12 noon when the sun is going down. This would continue until 3 pm to give enough time to prepare the meat for the evening meal on the 15th.

  • jamelisrael says:

    I will leave another nugget of truth that supports that between the evenings is talking about the afternoon and NOT sunset..

    The during the evening sacrifices the Levites burnt incense..

    => 2 Chronicles 13:11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and >>every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense:< Psalm 141:2 >>Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.< Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and >>golden vials full of odours,<>which are the prayers of saints.< Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the >>smoke of the incense,<>came with the prayers of the saints,<>priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.<>at the time of incense.<>at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.<<

    The hour of prayer was done at the time of incense which occurred when the 1st evening began which is at the ninth hour. This would be equivalent to 3pm our time.

    .. the same time Jesus our Passover gave up the ghost (Mark 15:34-37)!

    .. the same time the Passover lamb was sacrificed!

  • Marie Schryver says:

    So, if they don’t kill the lamb until the end of the 14th/beginning of the 15, how can the meat be cooked and eaten in that short amount of time? According to research, depending on the size of the lamb, it can take 4-5 hours to cook. So, if sunset is at 7:13 pm in Israel and the lamb takes 4-5 hours to cook, they won’t be able to eat it until sometime after 11pm! That gives them an hour or less to consume what they can and then destroy the rest. (don’t leave any after midnight?) Is this how it’s supposed to be done?

    • John says:

      Tradition is irrelevant. The Torah says the lamb must be killed between the evenings therefore anytime during the fourteenth was acceptable but the evening before day was inconvenient for the obvious reason and you didn’t want to tarry the next day either because you’d run into the problem you’re describing. The Torah states that the Pesach was to be boiled and to get the flavour and tenderness one would slow cook it. I always slow cook the meat for Chag haMatzot and it’s out of this world. Then when the 15th arrives it’s eaten or offered on the covenant table. Then at midnight Yeshua was unjustly arrest in the garden in our stead and that next morning of the 15th they began the crucifixion. Blessings to all who read and verify.

      • David Johnson says:

        John, you say, “The Torah states that the Pesach was to be boiled” but here is what the Torah says

        Exo_12:8-9 “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs.
        Do not eat of it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire…”

        Please explain the difference.

  • John says:

    Dear Brothers and Sisters,
    If you are understanding that Messiah Yeshua DIED on the 15th of Aviv, everything in the Scriptures both in the Tanach and Renewed Covenant writings WILL make sense. The mystery of Passover clears up and becomes very simple.

    • jamelisrael says:

      John 13 verse 30 clearly tells us that when Judas left it was definitely not the 15th of Abib. Here’s why…

      John 13:
      26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

      27 And >>>after the sop Satan entered into him<<>>do quickly.<<>>He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.<<<

      Jesus told him to go quickly and Judas immediately went out and it was night!

      Some of them thought that Jesus told Judas to buy things for the feast and it was night when Judas left… Clearly that night could not have been the 15th because buying and selling is forbidden on that day.

      That would be like Jesus telling him to break the commandments… we know that's not the case.

  • John says:

    The reason why there is much confusion regarding Passover is because most people enter this Torah subject with the FALSE presumption that the Lamb of Elohim Yeshua died on the 14th. This is completely wrong. Yeshua died on the15th AFTER He had offered or eaten (zebach) Pesach. The Scriptures testify to this fact over and over again. The lamb was always killed on the 14th BUT it was always OFFERED on the 15th. Yeshua was never killed BUT He certainly offered Himself. Shalom.

    • David Johnson says:

      John, please explain/clarify this stance…”The lamb was always killed on the 14th BUT it was always OFFERED on the 15th”

  • Andrew Hodkinson says:

    Hi all, appreciating what I’m reading here

    1) If the torah says the Passover is to be kept (which surely includes the night’s eating not just the killing) on the 14th (Num 9 and in Ezra’s day), then why is it kept on the 15th? (When there is not a single passage in Torah that says the 15th has anything to do with Passover).

    2) We are only told to ‘shamar’ (keep) and ‘asar’ (do) the Passover, and the term ‘chagag’ (celebrate) is reserved purely for the 3 Feasts and no other appointments. Passover is a festal offering -chag, but it is never elevated in title to Chag of Passover, most probably because of titled Feasts having connotations of celebration?? Here it would seem the joining of the two moedim could cause a conflict of moods? The Passover is unique among offerings in that it is to be eaten with bitter herbs – hence I believe not celebrated, but kept.

    3) Concerning the use of first (rishon) day in Deuteronomy – Can context not make it the ‘head day’ or the ‘foremost day’ before the feast or day 1 in a sequence and hence only context can help?

    4) If the night of Passover is on the Feast, then why is the Unleavened Bread of the Feast related only to the haste of leaving and not to the unleavened bread that was with the Passover?

    Of course I’m pushing for an early Beyn Ha Arbayim and the 14th night to be kept. I see some Karaites avoid this conclusion because of Num 33:3 because they say the only way the morrow after the Passover can be the 15th is if it is kept at the end of the 14th. Yet the word for ‘on the morrow’ I see can mean ‘the following day’?

    • John says:

      Very much confusion about Passover because most people believe Yeshua died on the 14th though there is not ONE single proof in the entire Scriptures. Yeshua died on the 15th which is the High Day of Passover Feast. This day is also a Shabbat. Why? Because only Messiah’s work is valid for redemption; not man’s work so all men rest on that day of redemption.
      May all be blessed today on this High Shabbat of Passover.

      • David Johnson says:

        John help me to understand the following scriptures from your point of view that Yeshua did not die on the 14th.

        Joh 19:14 And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, Behold your king!
        Joh_19:31 Then the Jews, because it was Preparation, begged Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the sabbath. For that sabbath was a high day.

        as far as I understand these verses are “preparing the Passover” thus the 14th not the 15th.
        Also what does “high Sabbath” mean?

      • You are right . The Apostle John said he had to be buried BEFORE the First day of UB started(which is the 15th)…because they could not be left on the cross during a Holy Day. Yeshua told his Apostles to “go and prepare the Passover” in the upper room. Apparently he knew when the Passover was to be eaten? Whether the Jews were keeping it correctly or not here is what we know for certain: Yeshua washed the Disciples feet, Blessed the bread, and wine sometime after sundown on the 14th. was taken by the Soldiers during the night, crucified around 9:00am(the 14th), died at 3:00pm(the 14th) and put in the tomb at the end of the 14th. Before the High Sabbath of UB began. Then was raised 3 days and 3 nights later.

    • WatchWOmanOntheWall2015 says:

      Israel did not leave in the dark of night. They left after the meal which took place in the dark. Passover 14th, 1st Day of Unleavened Bread eaten with the lamb, 15th the same day they left Egypt.

  • Eric says:

    First let me say thank you for all you do to help folks understand and interpret Torah!

    Deuteronomy 16:4 is compelling. But I can’t seem to reconcile the post with the commandment in Numbers 9:3.

    ““On the fourteenth day of this new moon, between the evenings, perform it at its appointed time. According to all its laws and right-rulings you perform it.””
    ‭‭Bemiḏbar (Numbers)‬ ‭9:3‬

    This commandment seems to me to say that all the laws and right-rulings pertaining to the Passover must be completed ON the 14. Not the 15th???

    If how I’m interpreting Numbers 9:3 correctly, it would be impossible to sacrifice all the lambs, eat the meal, burn the remains, etc. all on the 14th if the sacrifice is made at the end of the 14th. No?

    (On a side note, a quick study shows that there is approximately 13 minutes “between the evenings.” Not very much time to do the Passover on the 14 “according to all its laws and right-rulings…” Burning the remains takes much longer than 13 minutes just by itself.)

    Am I missing something in my interpretation of Numbers 9:3?

    Berakhot,

    Eric

    • Eric says:

      I might add as well. Perhaps Deuteronomy 16:1 is referring to the 1st day of “the Passover”. In this case, “The Passover” would be 8 days. Throughout the New Testament, this thought seems to abound. Josephus acknowledges this as well. So all this would make the 1st day in 16:1 the 14th?

      “We keep a Feast for 8 days, of Unleavened Bread.” – Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews 2:15:1

  • Steve S says:

    I saved what you wrote to keep me from further confusion on the subject.

  • Gary Robison says:

    I wonder, Nehemia, when the lambs were slaughtered, if the priests went out to the throngs of people and killed the lambs, or if they stood in lines to approach the alter. I don’t recall Passover being a sacrifice that requires the blood to be sprinkled at the alter.

    I also assume, possibly in correctly, That on the night in Egypt, each family slaughtered their own lamb.

  • This article stands as a witness to my own study and prayers concerning the timing of the Passover and Unleavened bread.

  • James Stokes says:

    The verse from Exodus 34:25 seems, to me, to say that the Passover lamb was not consumed on the evening of the 15th. “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leaven, nor shall the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover be left until morning.”

  • Edward Jones says:

    If I follow you correctly you are saying they killed the lamb late on the 14th, placed the blood on the posts, and then went inside to prepare the lamb for roasting and eating on the 15th just after sunset. Later at midnight (Exodus 11:4) death passed over still on the night of the 15th.

    We know they did not leave their homes till after midnight because of death passing over and also they had to wait to hear from Moses and Arron. Recall they were summoned from Succoth where the Israelites lived back to Rammeses by Pharaoh and then told to leave. (Exodus 12:31)

    Next, 600,000 men, not counting women, children and the mixed multitude, so approximately 2.5 million people in total, spent time that night spoiling the Egyptians for jeweler, silver, gold and clothes. Then they began to pack for their departure leaving the same night of the 15th before sunrise but after midnight.

    Are you saying they did all of this before sunrise? Because scripture says they left the night of the 15th. (Deut 16:1)

    Here is the order of events as I see them from scripture.

    Passover is the night of the 14th: door on the post, prepping and roasting and eating the lamb and they were inside until after midnight.

    So they had from midnight on the 14th to start preparing to leave, spent the day of the 14th spoiling the Egyptians and preparing to depart the coming night of the 15th.

    Num 33:3
    And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

    ** Note: ** Numbers 33:3 says that they Israel departed Egypt on the 15th the day after Passover. Deuteronomy 16:1 adds even more detail and lets us know that this next day was the night of the 15th.

    Deu 16:1
    Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

    ** Note: ** This last verse does not say that Passover was to be observed on the 15th but that it was to be observed in the month of Abib, which we all agree on,. What is does clearer say is that Israel departed Egypt at night.

    Exo 12:42
    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.

    We are told to eat the 14th Passover in bitterness, the KJV says bitter herbs but herbs is not in the original Hebrew only bitter and there are Hebrew words for herb. Bitterness: to be mournful or sorrowful.

    We are told to celebrate the 15th Unleavend Bread because this is the night of Freedom from Israel.

    If they both take place on the same night how can we be both sorrowful and joyful at the same time. God is not a God of confusion.

    Keep in mind that the holydays foreshadow things to come. And those who believe Yeshua to be the Messiah believe this foreshadowed his sacrifice on Passover which was something to be mournful and sorrowful about but the next night when he was put into the grave, joy at his pending resurrection, because as He said, “it is finished” and we joyfully await our resurrection as well.

    Thanks for your input. It is nice to have conversation with those who believe Torah. I look forward to your reply.

    • John Lloyd says:

      Mr. Jones:

      I enjoyed your insightful comments and exegesis. “You are not far from the Truth!”

      To add to your argument, I would cite Exodus 12:22 where the Israelites were commanded to not leave their houses until morning. That precludes leaving Egypt in addition to celebrating the Passover.

      Also, it states in Exodus 12:31 that Pharaoh called for (summoned) Moses and Aaron but it doesn’t say they went to see him (for they would defy verse 22). A better rendering would be “sent a message to” (see Bullinger’s Companion Bible, note on vs.22). After all, Moses had told Pharaoh that “I will see your face again no more!” in Exodus 10:29.

      I agree with your conclusions that the Passover was a separate event on the evening of the 14th and that they left Egypt on the night of the 15th.

      It appears that by the time of Josiah (and later Ezra/Nehemia), the Passover became a corporate holiday instead of a personal one which, it appears, the Scriptures intended. The lambs ended up being killed late on the 14th and the two events merged into one.

      This helps explain the apparent contradiction between the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John wherein it is clear that Yeshua kept the Passover with the disciples on the evening of the 14th. When John refers to the “Jews Passover”, he is referring to the custom then to eat the Passover lamb on the evening of the 15th.

      We know Yeshua died on the 14th at 3:00 PM and was buried prior to the beginning of the 15th for John states that “Sabbath was a high day” (John 19:31). This would have corresponded to the end of our Wednesday since He had to be entombed “3 days and 3 nights” being resurrected at the end of the weekly Sabbath.

      May Yehovah continue to bless you with understanding!

      • Lisa says:

        It also states in Exodus 12 after they killed the Lamb they were to stay in their houses until the morning…Deuteronomy it also states this command again to kill passover and roast then go to thy tents in the morning

      • Dustin J Carmichael says:

        Mr. Jones, Mr. Lloyd, Bob, Mrs. Ladd: As one who has studied this very matter in great detail, I agree with you all. The Passover Lambs were to be killed between Sunset and darkness at the beginning of the 14th. It is important (and correct) that the Karaite position specifies that “between the two evenings” is between Sunset and darkness. Unfortunately, they believe this refers to the end of the 14th instead. I suspect the reason for this disconnect is not recognizing that sunset is the dividing line between days, therefore, by definition, “between the two evenings” can only occur at the beginning of a Biblical day. You have all touched upon many of the key points in properly determining how to reckon this. I’d love to talk with any/all of you further on this matter if you’re interested. Dustin.carmichael”AT”gmail”DOT”com. Happy Sabbath to you all.

        • delialo says:

          As Passover is/ was the 14th if your lamb was not dead and no blood was on your door posts during the dark hours of the 14th your firstborn is dead. They left Egypt during the dark hours of the 15th following a pillar of fire. It appears the newer Karaites still follow a takenot. Yashua was a Karaite.

        • Edward Jones says:

          his is the only time – I know of that “between the two evenings” is referring to the end of a day as opposed to every other biblical instance it is the beginning of a day. I’ve asked but no one has been able to point out in scripture or give an example from scripture why this is so.

      • Anita Tadeuszow says:

        Thank-you Edward Jones and John Lloyd for your clarity of thought expressed in accordance with what we read in the Scriptures.

    • Locksley says:

      Very well stated brother Ed.

      Yeshua kept the Passover at the right time. Then he and his disciples left the house before midnight and the “death angel” came but was not allowed to touch the disciples because they were now under the “New Covenant”… Yeshua remained under the old covenant – the law of sin and death – so he could bring it to fulfillment.

      Glory to Yehova, thank you Yeshua.

      • Edward Jones says:

        The coming of the death angel was a one time occurrence that is not implied or repeated during every Passover.

  • David says:

    The RAW meat of a lamb is brought at the end of the 14th of the First Month between the two evenings and eaten that same evening on the 15th of the First Month. Not only do I agree with that, I also think good sense dictates that when one butchers an animal to either get in the freezer or on a grill as soon as possible, left unpreserved raw meat has a tendancy spoil rather quickly.

  • Bob says:

    According to Exodus 12:27 the Passover is the event when the Angel passed-over the children of Israel. Exodus 12:29 says it occurred at midnight. This is the midnight of the 14th. The sacrificial lamb was prior to this. That would put the Passover lamb at the beginning of the 14th just as the 13th was ending.

  • Miri~ says:

    This is what my father always called ” first dark”… 🙂 just starting to get dark…
    He also had a lot of other wonderful sayings… how far it was to a place,
    “about a cow low down the road” 🙂 For those of you who don’t know what a cow low is- from Merriam-Webster: the deep sustained sound characteristic especially of a cow

  • John Pretorius says:

    NeHemiah
    Shalom
    Thanks for the report. I made a long and very thorough study of Ben ha’arabaiym. I agree with you.

    • L says:

      I am of the thought that between the evenings is between the evening of the 14th until the evening of the 15th. Between the evenings

  • Annette Cohen says:

    Shalom,

    I have read about this controversy for decades and realize this may sound simplistic and to some minds, WRONG — not worth their consideration.

    Yet, I will be brave and ask ~ Nehemiah, could the Hebrew be understood as telling us the phrase “between the evenings’ is simply referring to the Day between the evenings of 13/14th or 14/15th? The DayLight part of that day period. “It was evening and it was morning”, one day. Could the ‘day’ of Pesach occur between the two evenings that constitute a “day” rather than between the sun setting and the sun disappearing of the same evening?

    Why would our Creator ’cause’ or ‘allow’ this seeming confusion of a day He asks us to keep as a perpetual Memorial? Could it be ancient interpreters have caused this confusion? And possibly on purpose? Just asking… 🙂 Annette

    • scott says:

      Unfortunately, the Hebrew in the Old Testament is far more ambiguous than we would like to imagine.

      The Hebrew phrase translated in English as “twilight” was interpreted by Jews – in practice – to be 3 PM. Which is why Jesus died at 3 PM or the ninth hour.

      See Exodus 29:39 which commands the daily sacrifices. It uses the same phrase and is translated in the NIV as “twilight.”

      But in practice during the second temple period the daily sacrifices were at 9 AM (3rd hour) and 3 PM (9th hour). the 3 PM sacrifice is called the Tamid and is a very important daily sacrifice.

      Even more confusing for us moderns is that in the first century not all religious Jews celebrated the Passover on the same day.

      The Essenes, who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, rejected the Temple authority as corrupt and had their own calendar which was different than the Temple in Jerusalem.

      If you look on a map in the back of your bible to where the Last Supper took place and you will likely see that part of Jerusalem labeled as the “Essene quarter.”

      Many scholars believe that Jesus celebrated the Essene Passover with his disciples and then was on the cross – starting at 9 AM (third hour) and died at 3 PM (the ninth hour) – as the Temple sacrifice.

      Either way, ALL of the New Testament writers see Jesus as the Passover Lamb. I have faith that he is too – even if I can’t quite figure it out all the time.