PASSOVER (pfts'o-v6r), (Heb. r17z;, fielesakh; rdaxa, fias'-khah), a passing over, sparing or protection.
(1) Twofold Reference. The Passover, like the Sabbath and other institutions, had a twofold reference—historical and typical. As a commem orative institution it was designed to preserve amongst the IIebrews a grateful sense of their re demption from Egyptian bondage, and of the pro tection granted to their firstborn on the night when all the firstborn of the Egyptians were de strayed (Exod. xii :27) ; as a typical institute its object was to shadow forth the great facts anc: consequences of the Christian Sacrifice (1 Cor v :7).
(2) Three Acceptations. The word Passover has three general acceptations in Scripture. (I) It denotes the yearly solemnity celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan or Abib, which was strictly the Passover of the Lamb, for on that day the Israel ites were commanded to roast the lamb and eat it in their own houses. (2) It signifies that yearly festivity, celebrated on the 15th of Nisan, which may be called the Fcast of the Passover (Deut. xvi:2; Num. xxviii:16, 17. (3) It denotes the whole solemnity, commencing on the 14th, and ending on the 21st day of Nisan (Luke xxii:1), though, in strictness of speech, the Passover and the feast of unfermented things, are distinct in stitutions. The paschal lamb, in the age follow ing the first institution of the Passover in Egypt, and after the settlement of the Hebrews in Pal estine, could only be killed by the priests in the court of the temple (Deut. xvi:5-7; 2 Chron. xxxv:1-11; Lev. xvii:3-6), whence the owner of the lamb received it from the priests and 'brought it to his house in Jerusalem. and roasted it, and ate it in the evening' (Alaimonides, Corban Pesach, c. i. sec. 6); and it was thus that Christ kept the Passover, eating it in a chamber within Jerusalem (Luke xxii:7-11) ; but the feast of unfermented things (Exod. xii :15) the Jews thought themselves bound to keep in every place in which they might dwell, if they could not visit Jerusalem; 'the eating of it,' says Maimonides, 'depended not upon the Passover, for it was a commandment by itself' (Chonzeta Vematzah, sec. 6). As, however, from the evening of the 14th to the 2Ist day of Abib or Nisan (April), all fer ment was banished from the habitations of the Hebrews, both institutions thus received a com mon name 0 Cor. v:5, 7, 8, 13).
(3) How and When Prepared. On the loth of the month Abib, the master of a family sepa rated a ram or a goat of a year old, without blem ish (Exod. xii:1-6; I Pet. i:19), which was slain on the 14th day, between the two evenings, before the altar (Deut. xvi). The Jewish day had twelve hours (John xi:9), counting from sunrise, about six of the clock of our time. The ninth hour (or three in the afternoon) was the hour of prayer, when they went into the temple, at the daily evening sacrifice (Acts iii :1). This was the
ordinary time for the Passover, as appears from the Babylonian Talmud. 'The daily evening sac rifice was killed at the eighth hour and a half, and it was offered up at the ninth hour and a half. In the evening of the Passover it was killed at the seventh hour and a half. and offered at the eighth hour and a half' (Pesachim, c. 5). The reason of this obviously is, because the priests had first to kill the daily sacrifice, and then to slay the Passover and eat it ; and also to rest on the evening prior to the Sabbath. Thus in the evening of time (Heb. i:2; I Pet. i:19-2o). or last days, about the same hour of the day when the paschal lamb was offered in the temple, did Christ die on Calvary, so that the substance and the shadow corresponded (Mark xv :25-33).
(4) How Observed. Originally the blood was sprinkled on the posts of the door (Exod. xii:7), but afterwards the priests sprinkled the blood upon the bottom of the altar (comp. Deut. vi: 9; r Pct. i:2; Heb. viii:to; ix:i3. I4)• (5) Animal Roasted with Fire. The ram or kid was roasted in an oven whole, with two spits made of pomegranate wood thrust through it, the one lengthwise, the other transversely (crossing the longitudinal one near the fore legs). thus forming a cross (Pcsachim, ch. 3). Thus roasted with fire, as an emblem of purifica tion, it was served up with a bitter salad (Me rorim) unpickled. indicative of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt, and with the flesh of the other sacrifices (Deut. xvi:2-6). What of the flesh remained uneaten was to be consumed with fire, lest it should sec corruption (comp. Exod. xii :to; Ps. xvi:to; Acts ii:27). Not fewer than ten, nor more than twenty persons, were admitted to this sacred solemnity. At its first observance the Hebrews ate the Passover with loins girt about, sandals on their feet, staves in their hands, and in haste, like travelers equipped and prepared for immediate departure (Exod. xii I) ; but sub sequently the usual mode of reclining was adopted, in token of rest and security (John xiii: 23). Several of these rites are therefore omitted by Moses in repeating the laws of the Passover (Lev. xxiii:5-8; Num. ix:2-11; xxviii:16, 17; Deut. xvi).
(6) Particulars by Rabbins. The Rabbins enumerate the following particulars as peculiar to its original observance: (1)The eating of it in their houses dispersed in Egypt ; (2) the taking up of the paschal Iamb from the. tenth day; (3) the charge to strike the blood on the doorposts; (4) the eating of it in haste (Bab. Talmud, Pesachint, ch. 9; Maim. Carbon Pesach. ch. to, sec. 15). But the command not to break a bone of the offering was always observed (John xix: 36). F. R. L.