Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

Passover

Pasach (פסח ) gives its name to the Pascha or Passover Feast. [Dr. Geddes gravely proposed that this word should be translated skip-offering. But leap-offering would be more exact; compare the word leap-year.] It is used of the angel passing over the houses of Israel in Exodus 12:13; Exodus 12:23; Exodus 12:27, and it occurs perhaps with significant reference to the great deliverance from Egypt in Isaiah 31:5, ' as birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.' It is not a little remarkable that the word means not only to leap, and hence to pass over, but also to limp. It is the only word rendered 'lame' in the O.T., and is also found in 1 Kings 18:21, when Elijah says, 'How long halt ye between two opinions?' and in verse 26 it occurs in the Piel or intensive voice, with reference to the priests of Baal 'leaping' on the altar.

The Paschal Feast is πάσχα in the LXX, except in the Books of Chronicles, where the more exact form φασέκ adopted.

While the whole Gospel narrative points to the relationship between Christ and the Paschal Lamb, there is only one passage in the N.T. which definitely asserts it, but that single sentence is clear enough, 'Christ our passover is sacrificed (i.e. slain) for us' (1 Corinthians 5:7).