In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.
The Lord's passover - (see Exodus 12:2; Exodus 12:14; Exodus 12:18.) The institution of the Passover was intended to be a perpetual memorial of the circumstances attending the redemption of the Israelites, while it had a typical reference to a greater redemption to be effected for God's spiritual people. The distinctions here marked deserve attention - "the Lord's Passover," the Passover of the lamb, the paschal day, was celebrated on the 14th day of Abib (see the note at Leviticus 13:4); the festival, "the feast of unleavened bread, was held on the 15th day; and the whole solemnity, which commenced on the 14th, terminated on the 21st day of that month. On the first and last days of this feast the people were forbidden to work; but while on the Sabbath they were not to do any work, on feast days they were permitted to dress meat; and hence, the prohibition is restricted to "no servile work." At the same time, those two days were devoted to "holy convocation" - special seasons of social devotion. In addition to the ordinary sacrifices of every day, there were to be "offerings by fire." on the altar (see the note at Numbers 28:19), while unleavened bread was to be eaten in families all the seven days (see 1 Corinthians 5:8).