Exodus 12:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

In the tenth day of this month— It appears from Exodus 12:6 that the passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month. In after-times they did not begin their preparation till the thirteenth, or the day before the passover: but now, they are ordered to prepare on the tenth day of the month; not only because this being the first time of the celebration of the passover, they might require more time to prepare for a ceremony entirely new; but because, being to depart from Egypt suddenly, and in great haste, they might be perfectly ready, and have no hindrance from a neglect of any part of the duty enjoined. It is plain, from Exodus 12:5 that the animal to be sacrificed might either be a lamb or a kid: accordingly, the word rendered lamb, signifies either, as you may observe it rendered in the margin of our Bibles. Lambs were, however, more generally chosen than kids. Some have observed, that this appointment of a lamb or kid to sacrifice, was partly in opposition to the Egyptian worship of the ram; which they began this day (the tenth of the month Abib) with a sacrifice to a real ram, the representative of the constellation Aries. The Egyptians worshipped Jupiter Ammon in the likeness of a ram or a goat; therefore they never sacrifice these creatures: and, consequently, the Israelites' sacrifice of them was an abomination to the Egyptians. A lamb for an house, signifies a lamb for each family, Genesis 7:1. The Jewish writers tell us, that there were not to be fewer than ten, nor more than twenty persons to the eating of one lamb. Men, women, and children, masters, and servants, (all but uncircumcised males,) were, without discrimination, entertained at this sacred repast.