They are to take some of the bloodThe blood of the lamb is central to the Passover ritual, symbolizing life and atonement. In the ancient Near Eastern context, blood was often associated with covenant and purification. This act prefigures the sacrificial system established later in the Mosaic Law and ultimately points to the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood brings redemption (
John 1:29,
Hebrews 9:22).
and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes
The application of blood on the doorframes served as a sign of protection and obedience. The doorframe, being the entrance to the home, symbolized the threshold between life and death. This act of marking the doorposts with blood was a public declaration of faith and trust in God's promise of deliverance. It parallels the concept of being marked or sealed by God, as seen inEzekiel 9:4 andRevelation 7:3.
of the houses
The house represents the family unit, which was central to Israelite society. The communal aspect of the Passover meal highlights the importance of family and community in worship and obedience to God. This also foreshadows the New Testament concept of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).
where they eat the lambs
Eating the lamb was an integral part of the Passover celebration, signifying participation in the covenant and the sustenance provided by God. The lamb, without blemish, is a type of Christ, who is sinless and provides spiritual nourishment to believers (1 Corinthians 5:7,John 6:53-56). The communal meal underscores the unity and fellowship among God's people, a theme that is echoed in the Lord's Supper.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The IsraelitesGod's chosen people, who are in bondage in Egypt and are about to be delivered through the Passover event.
2.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites, who conveys God's instructions for the Passover to the people.
3.
EgyptThe land where the Israelites are enslaved, and where the events of the Passover take place.
4.
The PassoverA pivotal event in Israelite history where God delivers His people from Egyptian slavery, marked by the sacrifice of a lamb and the application of its blood.
5.
The LambA symbol of sacrifice, representing the means by which the Israelites are spared from the final plague.
Teaching Points
The Significance of BloodThe application of the lamb's blood on the doorposts signifies protection and deliverance. In the New Testament, Christ's blood offers eternal salvation.
Obedience to God's InstructionsThe Israelites' obedience in applying the blood is crucial for their deliverance. Similarly, believers are called to obey God's Word for spiritual protection and blessing.
Symbolism of the LambThe lamb represents innocence and sacrifice. Jesus, the ultimate Lamb, embodies these qualities, offering Himself for the sins of the world.
Faith in ActionThe act of applying the blood required faith in God's promise. Believers today are called to live out their faith through actions that reflect trust in God's promises.
Community and Family WorshipThe Passover was celebrated within households, emphasizing the importance of family and community in worship and spiritual practices.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 12:7?
2.How does Exodus 12:7 foreshadow Christ's sacrifice as the Lamb of God?
3.What significance does the blood on the doorposts hold for believers today?
4.How can we apply the principle of obedience from Exodus 12:7 in our lives?
5.What connections exist between Exodus 12:7 and the concept of salvation in the New Testament?
6.How does the act of marking doorposts relate to our faith and testimony?
7.Why was the blood on the doorposts necessary in Exodus 12:7 for protection?
8.How does Exodus 12:7 foreshadow the concept of salvation in Christianity?
9.What is the significance of using lamb's blood in Exodus 12:7?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 12?
11.What does Passover commemorate?
12.What is the Berisheet Passover Prophecy?
13.Is blood essential for life?
14.What is the Berisheet Passover Prophecy?What Does Exodus 12:7 Mean
They are to take some of the bloodExodus 12:7 begins with a tangible directive: “They are to take some of the blood.”
• Blood is God’s chosen sign of life and atonement (Leviticus 17:11;Hebrews 9:22).
• It emphasizes substitution—an innocent victim’s life given so the firstborn may live, foreshadowing Christ, “the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8;1 Peter 1:18-19).
• By instructing each family to handle the blood personally, the text highlights individual responsibility; salvation is applied, not assumed (Romans 10:9-10).
and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes• The blood marked both vertical posts and horizontal lintel—forming a complete covering that surrounded anyone who passed through (Isaiah 26:20-21).
• The visible placement declared faith publicly, much like the scarlet cord at Jericho (Joshua 2:18-21) and the believer’s open confession of Christ (Matthew 10:32).
•Hebrews 11:28 notes that Moses kept the Passover “and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer… would not touch their firstborn,” underscoring protective power.
of the houses• Judgment was coming throughout Egypt, but every marked house became a sanctuary (Psalm 91:1-3).
• Salvation was household-wide (Acts 16:31): parents applied the sign, children benefited. Family leadership in spiritual matters is affirmed (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
• The command shows God’s care for ordinary dwellings; He meets people where they live (John 14:23).
where they eat the lambs• The same lamb whose blood saved them also nourished them (Exodus 12:8-11). Deliverance and fellowship go together (John 6:53-55).
• This meal looked forward to “Christ, our Passover lamb, who has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
• Sharing the lamb within the blood-marked door pictures the believer’s communion with Christ inside the safety of His sacrifice (John 10:9;Revelation 19:9).
summaryExodus 12:7 instructs each Israelite household to apply the Passover lamb’s blood visibly to their own doorframes, turning every home into a refuge from judgment. The act combines faith, obedience, public witness, and communion: the blood spares, the lamb sustains. In doing so, the verse prophetically points to Jesus—the true Lamb—whose shed blood, personally received and openly confessed, still secures eternal protection and fellowship for all who trust Him.
(7)
Strike it.--With a bunch of hyssop. (See
Exodus 12:22.)
The two side posts and on the upper door post.--The idea seems to have been that the destroying influence, whatever it was, would enter the house by the door. The sight of the bloody stains above the door and on either side would prevent its entering. The word translated "upper door post" appears to be derived fromshacaph, "to look out," and to signify properly the latticed window above the door, through which persons reconnoitred those who knocked before admitting them. Such windows are frequently represented in the early Egyptian monuments. The blood thus rendered conspicuous would show that atonement had been made for the house,i.e., for its inmates.
Verse 7. -
They shall take of the blood. The blood, which, according to Hebrew ideas, "is the life," and so the very essence of the sacrifice, was always regarded as the special symbol of that expiation and atonement, with a view to which sacrifice was instituted. As by the Paschal sacrifice atonement was made for the
house, which was therefore to escape unscathed, the sign of atonement was to be conspicuously placed upon it.
And strike. The "striking" was to be by means of a bunch of hyssop dipped in the blood (ver. 22). The selection of the doorway as the part of the house to receive the stains of blood is probably to be connected with the idea that the secondary agency producing death, whatever it was, would enter by the door - and if the door showed the house to have been atoned for, would not enter.
Theupper door-past. The word used is elsewhere translated "lintel" (
Exodus 12:22, 23); but it seems properly to mean the latticed window which was commonly placed over a doorway in Egyptian houses, and which is often represented in the facades of tombs. (See Lepsius,
Denkmaler, pt. 2. pls. 16,17, 147, etc.) It is derived from a root signifying "to look out."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
They are to takeוְלָֽקְחוּ֙(wə·lā·qə·ḥū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3947:To takesome ofמִן־(min-)Preposition
Strong's 4480:A part of, from, out ofthe bloodהַדָּ֔ם(had·dām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818:Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshedand putוְנָֽתְנ֛וּ(wə·nā·ṯə·nū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414:To give, put, setit onעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthe twoשְׁתֵּ֥י(šə·tê)Number - fdc
Strong's 8147:Two (a cardinal number)sidepostsהַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת(ham·mə·zū·zōṯ)Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4201:A doorpost, gatepostandוְעַל־(wə·‘al-)Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againsttops of the doorframesהַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף(ham·maš·qō·wp̄)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4947:Probably lintel (of a door)of the housesהַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים(hab·bāt·tîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1004:A housein whichאֲשֶׁר־(’ă·šer-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatthey eat [the lambs].יֹאכְל֥וּ(yō·ḵə·lū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 398:To eat
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OT Law: Exodus 12:7 They shall take some of the blood (Exo. Ex) 
