Exodus 12:42

12:42 It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from the land of Egypt,¹ and so² on this night all Israel is to keep the vigil³ to the Lord for generations to come.

Exodus 16:33

16:33 Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put in it an omer full of manna, and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come.”

Exodus 29:42

29:42 “This will be a regular⁴ burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet⁵ with you to speak to you there.

Exodus 30:8

30:8 When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.

Exodus 30:21

30:21 they must wash⁶ their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this⁷ will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants⁸ throughout their generations.”⁹

Exodus 31:13

31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths,¹⁰ for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.¹¹

Exodus 40:15

40:15 and anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may minister as my priests; their anointing will make them a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.”

¹tn There is some ambiguity in לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַיהוָה (lel shimmurim hu’ la’adonay [layhveh]). It is likely that this first clause means that Yahweh was on watch for Israel to bring them out, as the next clause says. He was protecting his people (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 102). Then, the night of vigil will be transferred to Israel, who now must keep it “to” him.

²tn “and so” has been supplied.

³tn Heb “this night is for Yahweh a vigil for all Israelites for their generations.”

⁴tn The translation has “regular” instead of “continually,” because they will be preparing this twice a day.

⁵tn The relative clause identifies the place in front of the Tent as the place that Yahweh would meet Moses. The main verb of the clause is אִוָּעֵד (’ivva’ed), a Niphal imperfect of the verb יָעַד (ya’ad), the verb that is cognate to the name “tent of meeting” – hence the name. This clause leads into the next four verses.

⁶tn Heb “and [then] they will wash.”

⁷tn The verb is “it will be.”

⁸tn Heb “for his seed.”

⁹tn Or “for generations to come”; it literally is “to their generations.”

sn The symbolic meaning of washing has been taught throughout the ages. This was a practical matter of cleaning hands and feet, but it was also symbolic of purification before Yahweh. It was an outward sign of inner spiritual cleansing, or forgiveness. Jesus washed the disciples feet (Jn 13) to show this same teaching; he asked the disciples if they knew what he had done (so it was more than washing feet). In this passage the theological points for the outline would be these: I. God provides the means of cleansing; II. Cleansing is a prerequisite for participating in the worship, and III. (Believers) priests must regularly appropriate God’s provision of cleansing.

¹⁰sn The instruction for the Sabbath at this point seems rather abrupt, but it follows logically the extended plans of building the sanctuary. B. Jacob, following some of the earlier treatments, suggests that these are specific rules given for the duration of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus, 844). The Sabbath day is a day of complete cessation; no labor or work could be done. The point here is that God’s covenant people must faithfully keep the sign of the covenant as a living commemoration of the finished work of Yahweh, and as an active part in their sanctification. See also H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath, ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59; M. T. Willshaw, “A Joyous Sign,” ExpTim 89 (1978): 179-80.

¹¹tn Or “your sanctifier.”