Exodus 12:46 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. In one house shall it be eaten - In one family, if that be large enough; if not, a neighboring family might be invited, Exodus 12:4.

Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh - Every family must abide within doors because of the destroying angel, none being permitted to go out of his house till the next day, Exodus 12:22.

Neither shall ye break a bone thereof - As it was to be eaten in haste, (Exodus 12:11), there was no time either to separate the bones, or to break them in order to extract the marrow; and lest they should be tempted to consume time in this way, therefore this ordinance was given. It is very likely that, when the whole lamb was brought to table, they cut off the flesh without even separating any of the large joints, leaving the skeleton, with whatever flesh they could not eat, to be consumed with fire, Exodus 12:10. This precept was also given to point out a most remarkable circumstance which 1500 years after was to take place in the crucifixion of the Savior of mankind, who was the true Paschal Lamb, that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world; who, though he was crucified as a common malefactor, and it was a universal custom to break the legs of such on the cross, yet so did the providence of God order it that a bone of Him was not broken. See the fulfillment of this wondrously expressive type, John 19:33, John 19:36.

Exodus 12:46

46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.