Hebrews 11:28

King James Version

Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was a heapin' of faith that helped Moses command all the cowboys and cowgirls of Israel to put blood on the doorposts so the assassin angel wouldn't get their firstborn boys.

Bible in Basic English
By faith he kept the Passover, and put the sign of the blood on the houses, so that the angel of destruction might not put their oldest sons to death.

Darby Translation
By faith he celebrated the passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

World English Bible
By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first born should touch them.

Weymouth's New Testament
Through faith he instituted the Passover, and the sprinkling with blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.

King James Version (1611)
Through faith he kept the Passeouer, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first borne, should touch them.

Literal Translation
By faith he made the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, that the one destroying the first-born might not touch them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
By faith he helde Easter, and the effusion of bloude, lest he which slewe the firstborne, shulde touche them.

Mace New Testament (1729)
through faith he celebrated the passover, and sprinkled blood, that the destroying angel might pass by the first-born.

Amplified Bible
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel).

American Standard Version
By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

Revised Standard Version
By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the first-born might not touch them.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Thorow fayth he ordeyned the ester lambe and the effusion of bloud lest he that destroyed the fyrst borne shuld touche them.

Update Bible Version
By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them.

Young's Literal Translation
by faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that He who is destroying the first-born might not touch them.

New Century Version
It was by faith that Moses prepared the Passover and spread the blood on the doors so the one who brings death would not kill the firstborn sons of Israel.

New English Translation
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Berean Standard Bible
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel's own firstborn.

Contemporary English Version
His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.

Complete Jewish Bible
By trusting, he obeyed the requirements for the Pesach, including the smearing of the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Isra'el.

English Standard Version
By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Through faith he ordeined the Passeouer and the effusion of blood, least he that destroyed the first borne, should touche them.

George Lamsa Translation
Through faith he instituted the passover, and sprinkled the blood, lest he who destroyed the first-born should touch them.

Christian Standard Bible®
By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.

Hebrew Names Version
By faith, he kept the Pesach, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

International Standard Version
By faith he established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people.them">[fn]Exodus 12:21;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
By faith they performed the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that he might not come near,-he, who was destroying the first-born.

Murdock Translation
By faith, they kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, that he who destroyed the first-born might not approach them.

New King James Version
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

New Living Translation
It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

New Life Bible
Because Moses had faith, he told all the Jews to put blood over their doors. Then the angel of death would pass over their houses and not kill their oldest sons.

English Revised Version
By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

New Revised Standard
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
By faith, he hath kept the passover and the besmearing of the blood, lest, he that was destroying the first-born, should be touching them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith he celebrated the pasch and the shedding of the blood: that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.

Lexham English Bible
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, in order that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Through fayth, he ordeyned the Passouer and the effusion of blood, lest he that destroyed the first borne, shoulde touche them.

Easy-to-Read Version
Moses prepared the Passover and spread the blood on the doorways of the people of Israel, so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. Moses did this because he had faith.

New American Standard Bible
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the first-born sons of the Israelites.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Bi feith he halewide pask, and the scheding out of blood, that he that distriede the firste thingis of Egipcians, schulde not touche hem.

Contextual Overview

⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. ⁷ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 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. ⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: ¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹¹ Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. ¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he kept: Exodus 12:3-14, Exodus 12:21-30

the sprinkling: Hebrews 9:19, Hebrews 12:24, Exodus 12:7, Exodus 12:13, Exodus 12:23, 1 Peter 1:2

Reciprocal: Exodus 11:5 - the firstborn Exodus 12:22 - a bunch Exodus 12:28 - General Exodus 12:29 - the Lord smote Leviticus 7:2 - and the Numbers 8:17 - on the day 2 Chronicles 30:16 - the priests Psalms 35:5 - and Psalms 78:51 - smote Psalms 105:36 - He smote Psalms 136:10 - General Isaiah 52:15 - sprinkle 1 Corinthians 10:10 - destroyer Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled

Cross-References

Genesis 11:2
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

Genesis 11:4
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

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.

Genesis 15:7
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

Nehemiah 9:7
Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Through faith he kept the passover,.... Which Moses made, or appointed by divine direction; he kept it, with all its rites and ceremonies, and caused the people of Israel to observe it; and which he did, in faith of the speedy deliverance of the children of Israel, from the house of bondage; and in the faith of the Messiah, of whom the passover was a type; :-. The Syriac version reads, "through faith they kept the passover"; that is, the Israelites:

and the sprinkling of blood; of the paschal lamb; which was received into a basin, and was sprinkled upon the lintel, and two side posts of the doors of the houses, in which the Israelites dwelt; which was done with a bunch of hyssop dipped into it:

lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them; for the Lord, seeing the blood sprinkled, as above, when he smote the firstborn of Egypt, passed by the houses of the Israelites, so distinguished; and they were all safe within, and not one of them touched: this was typical of the blood of Christ being sprinkled upon the hearts and consciences of his people; whereby they are purified through faith; which blood is looked upon by Jehovah, so that justice passes by them; and they are all safe and secure, and will be, when others are destroyed; nor can they be hurt by the second death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Through faith he kept the passover - Greek, “he made - πεποίηκε pepoiēke - the passover,” which means more, it seems to me, than that he merely kept or celebrated it. It implies that he instituted this rite, and made the arrangements for its observance. There is reference to the special agency, and the special faith which he had in its institution. The faith in the case was confidence that this would be the means of preserving the first-born of the Israelites, when the angel should destroy the first-born of the Egyptians, and also that it would be celebrated as a perpetual memorial of this great deliverance. On the passover, see the notes on Matthew 26:2.

And the sprinkling of blood - The blood of the paschal lamb on the lintels and door-posts of the houses; Exodus 12:22.

Lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them - The first-born of the Egyptians; Exodus 12:23. The apostle has thus enumerated some of the things which illustrated the faith of Moses. The strength of his faith may be seen by a reference to some of the circumstances which characterized it.

(1) It was such confidence in God as to lead him to forsake the most flattering prospects of worldly enjoyment. I see no evidence, indeed, that he was the heir to the throne; but he was evidently heir to great wealth; he was encompassed with all the means of worldly pleasure; he had every opportunity for a life of literary and scientific pursuits; he was eligible to high and important trusts; he had a rank and station which would be regarded as one of the most honored and enviable on earth. None of those who are mentioned before in this chapter were required to make just such sacrifices as this. Neither Abel, nor Noah, nor Enoch, was called to forsake so brilliant worldly prospects; and though Abraham was called to a higher act of faith when commanded to give up his beloved son, yet there were some circumstances of trial in the case of Moses illustrating the nature of faith which did not exist in the case of Abraham. Moses, in the maturity of life, and with everything around him that is usually regarded by people as objects of ambition, was ready to forego it all. So wherever true faith exists, there is a readiness to abandon the hope of gain, and brilliant prospects of distinction, and fascinating pleasures, in obedience to the command of God.

(2) Moses entered on an undertaking wholly beyond the power of man to accomplish, and against every human probability of success. It was no less than that of restoring to freedom two millions of down-trodden, oppressed, and dispirited. slaves, and conducting aged and feeble men, tender females, helpless children, with numerous flocks and herds, across barren wastes to a distant land. He undertook this against the power of probably the most mighty monarch of his time; from the midst of a warlike nation; and when the whole nation would be kindled into rage at the loss of so many slaves, and when he might expect that all the power of their wrath would descend on him and his undisciplined and feeble hosts. He did this when he had no wealth that he could employ to furnish provisions or the means of defense; no armies at his command to encircle his people on their march; and even no influence among the people himself, and with every probability that they would disregard him; compare Exodus 3:11; Exodus 4:1. He did this when the whole Hebrew people were to be aroused to willingness to enter on the great undertaking; when there was every probability that they would meet with formidable enemies in the way, and when there was nothing human whatever on which the mind could fix as a basis of calculation of success. If there ever was any undertaking commenced opposed to every human probability of success, it was that of delivering the Hebrew people and conducting them to the promised land. To human view it was quite as hopeless and impracticable as it would be now for a stranger from Africa, claiming to be a native prince there, and to have a commission from God to liberate the two and a half millions of slaves in the U. States and conduct them to the land of their fathers. In all the difficulties and discouragements of the undertaking of Moses, therefore, his only hope of success must have arisen from his confidence in God.

(3) It was an undertaking where there were many certain trials before him. The people whom he sought to deliver were poor and oppressed. An attempt to rescue them would bring down the wrath of the mighty monarch under whom they were. They were a people unaccustomed to self-government, and as the result proved, prone to ingratitude and rebellion. The journey before him lay through a dreary waste, where there was every prospect that there would be a want of food and water, and where he might expect to meet with formidable enemies. In all these things his only hope must have been in God. It was he only who could deliver them from the grasp of the tyrant; who could conduct them through the wilderness, who could provide for their wants in the desert; and who could defend a vast multitude of women and children from the enemies which they would be likely to encounter.

(4) There was nothing in this to gratify ambition, or to promise an earthly reward. All these prospects he gave up when he left the court of Pharaoh. To be the leader of a company of emancipated slaves through a pathless desert to a distant land, had nothing in itself that could gratify the ambition of one who had been bred at the most magnificent court on earth, and who had enjoyed every advantage which the age afforded to qualify him to fill any exalted office. The result showed that Moses never designed to be himself the king of the people whom he led forth, and that he had no intention of aggrandizing his own family in the case.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. He kept the passover — God told him that he would destroy the first-born of the Egyptians, but would spare all those whose doors were sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb. Moses believed this, kept the passover, and sprinkled the blood. See the notes on Exodus 12:0. One of the Itala adds here, Fide praedaverunt AEgyptios exeuntes. "By faith, when they went out, they spoiled the Egyptians." This is any thing but genuine.