Read Exodus 12:21-27
This is the account of the passover and the death of the firstborn of Egypt. I will be arguing that pass over is a mistranslation and it prevents us from understanding the richness of this event.
As you read this story try to take note of a couple of items:
1. Who are involved in carrying out the execution of the first born? Is there one character or two? What are/is their role/s in carrying out the the execution of the first born?
2. The mistranslation I mentioned above involves a Hebrew word, pasach. The word is translated pass over and we find it used to describe the lamb in verse 21 and 27. However, concentrate on how pass over used in the last clause of verse 23 when it says: "YHWH will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you." Does the action of pass over seem to make sense to you here? Do you see a problem with the way pass over is used?
We will play literary detective and see if pass over is the best translation of pasach and if not, what is a better translation.
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