The Second Passover

9 In the first month of the second year after their departure from the land of Egypt, the Lord told Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai,^{(A) 2} “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time.^{(B) 3} You must observe it at its appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances.”^{(C) 4} So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, ⁵ and they observed it in the first month on the fourteenth day at twilight in the Wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁶ But there were some men who were unclean because of a human corpse, so they could not observe the Passover on that day.^(D) These men came before Moses and Aaron the same day ⁷ and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites?”

⁸ Moses replied to them, “Wait here until I hear what the Lord commands for you.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ¹⁰ “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a corpse^(E) or is on a distant journey, he may still observe the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹ Such people are to observe it in the second month, on the fourteenth day at twilight. They are to eat the animal with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;^{(F) 12} they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones.^(G) They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.

¹³ “But the man who is ceremonially clean, is not on a journey, and yet fails to observe the Passover is to be cut off from his people, because he did not present the Lord’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.

¹⁴ “If an alien resides with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord,^(H) he is to do it according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the resident alien and the native of the land.”^(I)

The Festival of Passover

16 “Set aside the month of Abib^[a](A) and observe the Passover to the Lord your God, because the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night in the month of Abib.^{(B) 2} Sacrifice to the Lord your God a Passover animal from the herd or flock in the place where the Lord chooses to have his name dwell.^{(C) 3} Do not eat leavened bread with it.^(D) For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of hardship—because you left the land of Egypt in a hurry^(E)—so that you may remember for the rest of your life the day you left the land of Egypt. ⁴ No yeast is to be found anywhere in your territory for seven days,^(F) and none of the meat you sacrifice in the evening of the first day is to remain until morning.^{(G) 5} You are not to sacrifice the Passover animal in any of the towns the Lord your God is giving you. ⁶ Sacrifice the Passover animal only at the place where the Lord your God chooses to have his name dwell. Do this in the evening as the sun sets at the same time of day you departed from Egypt. ⁷ You are to cook and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses, and you are to return to your tents in the morning. ⁸ Eat unleavened bread for six days. On the seventh day there is to be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God; do not do any work.

Josiah’s Passover Observance

35 Josiah observed the Lord’s Passover^(A) and slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.^{(B) 2} He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in the Lord’s temple.^{(C) 3} He said to the Levites who taught all Israel^(D) the holy things of the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders,^(E) now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.

⁴ “Organize your ancestral families^[a] by your divisions^(F) according to the written instruction of King David of Israel and that of his son Solomon.^{(G) 5} Serve in the holy place by the groupings of the ancestral families^[b] for your brothers, the lay people,^[c] and according to the division of the Levites by family.^{(H) 6} Slaughter the Passover lambs,^(I) consecrate yourselves,^(J) and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of the Lord through Moses.”