Exodus 12:3

Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘In the tenth day of this month they each ¹  must take a lamb ²  for themselves according to their families ³  – a lamb for each household. ⁴ 

Ge 4:4; Ge 22:8; Ex 4:30; Ex 6:6; Ex 12:6; Ex 14:15; Ex 20:19; Le 1:2; Le 5:6; Nu 1:1-54; Nu 15:11; Jos 7:14; 1Sa 7:9; 2Ch 35:7; Joh 1:29,36; Joh 12:1,12; 1Co 5:7; Re 5:6-13; Re 7:9-14; Re 13:8

¹ tn Heb “and they will take for them a man a lamb.” This is clearly a distributive, or individualizing, use of “man.”

² tn The שֶּׂה (seh) is a single head from the flock, or smaller cattle, which would include both sheep and goats.

³ tn Heb “according to the house of their fathers.” The expression “house of the father” is a common expression for a family.

sn The Passover was to be a domestic institution. Each lamb was to be shared by family members.

⁴ tn Heb “house” (also at the beginning of the following verse).