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King James Version

Exodus 12:4

And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel;   Month;   Passover;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Egypt;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abib;   Exodus;   Passover;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Lamb;   Plague;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Animals;   Celebrate, Celebration;   Lamb, Lamb of God;   Remember, Remembrance;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Passover;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Frontlets;   Sacrifice;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Numbers, the Book of;   Passover;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Salvation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Moses;   Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Boyhood of Jesus;   Passover (I.);   Samaria, Samaritans;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Passover, the;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Passover;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Plagues of egypt;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Pass'over,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Plagues of Egypt;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Exodus, the;   On to Sinai;   Hebrew Calendar;   Sabbath and Feasts;   Priesthood, the;   Moses, the Man of God;   Conquest of Canaan;   Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Count;   Lord's Supper (Eucharist);   Moses;   Passover;   Sacrifice;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Festivals;   Hafṭarah;   Job;   Law, Reading from the;   Midrash Halakah;   Parashiyyot, the Four;   Passover Sacrifice;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
Lexham English Bible
And if the household is too small for a lamb, he and the neighbor nearest to his house will take one according to the number of persons; you will count out portions of the lamb according to how much each one can eat.
New Century Version
If there are not enough people in his house to eat a whole lamb, he must share it with his closest neighbor, considering the number of people. There must be enough lamb for everyone to eat.
New English Translation
If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people—you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat.
Amplified Bible
'Now if the household is too small for a lamb [to be consumed], let him and his next door neighbor take one according to the number of people [in the households]; according to what each man can eat, you are to divide the lamb.
New American Standard Bible
'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; in proportion to what each one should eat, you are to divide the lamb.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And if the housholde be too litle for the lambe, he shall take his neighbour, which is next vnto his house, according to the nomber of the persons: euery one of you, according to his eating shall make your count for the lambes,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to apportion the lamb.
Contemporary English Version
If any family is too small to eat the whole animal, they must share it with their next-door neighbors. Choose either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a one-year-old male that has nothing wrong with it. And it must be large enough for everyone to have some of the meat.
Complete Jewish Bible
except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it.
Darby Translation
And if the household be too small for a lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take [it] according to the number of the souls; each according to [the measure] of his eating shall ye count for the lamb.
Easy-to-Read Version
If there are not enough people in his house to eat a whole lamb, then he should invite some of his neighbors to share the meal. There must be enough lamb for everyone to eat.
English Standard Version
And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
George Lamsa Translation
And if the household is too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; every man according to the portion of his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Good News Translation
If his family is too small to eat a whole animal, he and his next-door neighbor may share an animal, in proportion to the number of people and the amount that each person can eat.
Christian Standard Bible®
If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat.
Literal Translation
And if the house is too small for a flock animal, he and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of souls, each one according to the mouth of his eating, you shall count concerning the flock animal.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf the housholde be to few for a lambe, the let him & his neghbor yt is next vnto his house, take it acordinge to the nombre of ye soules, and counte to the lambe, what euery man maye eate.
American Standard Version
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb.
Bible in Basic English
And if the lamb is more than enough for the family, let that family and its nearest neighbour have a lamb between them, taking into account the number of persons and how much food is needed for every man.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If the houshold be to litle for ye lambe, let hym take his neyghbour whiche is next vnto his house, accordyng to the number of the soules, euery one of you accordyng to his eatyng shal make your compt for a lambe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb.
King James Version (1611)
And if the houshold be too little for the lambe, let him and his neighbour next vnto his house, take it according to the number of the soules: euery man according to his eating shall make your count for the lambe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if they be few in a household, so that there are not enough for the lamb, he shall take with himself his neighbour that lives near to him, —as to the number of souls, every one according to that which suffices him shall make a reckoning for the lamb.
English Revised Version
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb.
Berean Standard Bible
If the household is too small for a whole lamb, they are to share with the nearest neighbor, based on the number of people, and apportion the lamb accordingly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but if the noumbre is lesse, that it may not suffice to ete the lomb, he schal take his neiybore, which is ioyned to his hows, bi the noumbre of soulis, that moun suffice to the etyng of the lomb.
Young's Literal Translation
`(And if the household be too few for a lamb, then hath he taken, he and his neighbour who is near unto his house, for the number of persons, each according to his eating ye do count for the lamb,)
Update Bible Version
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating you shall make your count for the lamb.
Webster's Bible Translation
And if the household shall be too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take [it] according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
World English Bible
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
New King James Version
And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb.
New Living Translation
If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat.
New Life Bible
If those in the house are too few to eat a lamb, let him and his nearest neighbor take the right amount for the number of people. Divide the lamb by how much each can eat.
New Revised Standard
If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But if the household be too small for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour that is near unto his house take one, according to the number of souls, - each man according to his eating, shall ye number for the lamb.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if the number be less than may suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his neighbour that joineth to his house, according to the number of souls which may be enough to eat the lamb.
Revised Standard Version
and if the household is too small for a lamb, then a man and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb.

Contextual Overview

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:35 - I hear Matthew 26:19 - and they

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if the household be too little for the lamb,.... That they cannot eat it up at once;

let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; which Josephus e says were never fewer than ten, and were often twenty, but no man might feast alone; with which agrees the Jewish canon f,

"they do not kill the passover lamb for a single person, nor even for a society consisting of one hundred, that cannot eat the quantity of an olive:''

every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb: that is, a man must reckon up how many he has in his own house to eat of the lamb, and what their appetites be, by which he will he able to judge whether he can dispense with a lamb himself, or whether he must take in some of his neighbours, and how many, so as to eat up the whole lamb, for, for such persons the lamb was to be slain. The rule is,

"if a man slays it for those that do not eat of it, or for those that are not counted, for the uncircumcised, and the unclean, it was wrong, and not allowed of g.''

The taking in his neighbours may respect the call of the Gentiles to partake of Christ with the Jews, see Ephesians 3:5.

e De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 3. f Misn. Pesach. c. 8. sect. 7. g lbid. c. 5. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Tradition specifies ten as the least number; but the matter was probably left altogether to the discretion of the heads of families.

The last clause should be rendered: “each man, according to his eating, ye shall count for the lamb.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 12:4. If the household be too little — That is, if there be not persons enough in one family to eat a whole lamb, then two families must join together. The rabbins allow that there should be at least ten persons to one paschal lamb, and not more than twenty.

Take it, according to the number of the souls — The persons who were to eat of it were to be first ascertained, and then the lamb was to be slain and dressed for that number.


 
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