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FEBRUARY
1,
1948
3lie
WATCHTOWER
37
and
domestic
animals
passed
over
and
spared
and
in
order
to
prove
their
worthiness
to
be
freed
from
Egypt
by
obedience
to
Jehovah
God,
the
Israelites
were
commanded
to
sacrifice
and
eat
the
passover
victim
on
the
fourteenth
day
of
the
month
Abib
or
Nisan.
\Ve
read:
"And
Jehovah
spake
unto
Moses
and
Aaron
in
the
land
of
Egypt,
saying,
This
month
shall
be
unto
you
the
beginning
of
months:
it
shall
be
the
first
month
of
the
year
to
you.
Speak
ye
unto
all
the
congregation
of
Israel,
saying,
In
the
tenth
day
of
this
month
they
shall
take
to
them
every
man
a
lamb,
according
to
their
fathers'
houses,
a
lamb
for
a
household:
.
.
.
and
ye
shall
keep
it
until
the
four
teenth
day
of
the
same
month;
and
the
whole
assem
bly
of
the
congregation
of
Israel
shall
kill
it
at
even
[mat'gin-al
reading:
between
the
two
evenings].
And
they
shall
take
of
the
blood,
and
put
it
on
the
two
side-posts
and
on
the
lintel,
upon
the
houses
wherein
they
shall
eat
it.
And
they
shall
eat
the
flesh
in
that
night,
roast
with
fire,
and
unleavened
bre~d;
with
bitter
herbs
they
shall
eat
it."
-Ex.
12:
1-8,
Am.
Stan.
Ver.
"BETWEEN
THE
TWO
EVENINGS"
10
In
the
Hebrew
language
in
which
Jehovah's
com
mand
was
given
through
:Moses
the
expression
trans
lated
at
even
literally
means
between
the
two
eve
nings.
This
has
occasioned
a
controversy
as
to
just
when
the
passover
lamb
was
killed.
Also,
when
did
Christ
J
esus
celebrate
his
last
passover
supper
with
his
twelve
disciples,
immediately
after
which
he
in
troduced
a
new
memorial
pertaining
to
a
new
world
ruled
by
God's
kingdom
1
There
are
scholars
that
argue
that
the
two
evenings
between
which
the
pass
over
lamb
must
be
slain
extended
from
twelve
o'clock
noon
to
6
p.m.
or
sundown,
so
that
midymy
between
these
two
evenings
would
be
at
3
p.m.
They
also
point
impressively
to
Jesus'
death
at
that
hour
of
the
afternoon.
The
Jewish
day
of
24
hours
begins
at
sundown.
(Lev.
23:
32)
So
their
argument
leads
to
the
conclusion
that
the
passover
victim
was
slain
at
mid-afternoon
of
Nisan
14,
before
sundown,
and
was
eaten
the
night
of
Nisan
15.
They
cite
Num
bers
33:
2,
3
to
their
support.
The
noted
French
rabbi
Solomon
Isaald,
popularly
known
as
"Rashi",
of
the
eleventh
century,
declared
in
his
commentary
on
Exodus
12:
6:
"It
appears
to
me
that
the
phrase
between
the
two
evenings
denotes
the
hours
between
the
evening-of
the
day
and
the
evening
of
the
night.
The
evening
of
the
day
is
from
the
beginning
of
the
seventh
hour
[or,
immediately
after
noontide],
when
the
evening
shadows
begin
to
lengthen,
while
the
eve
ning
of
the
night
is
at
the
beginning
of
the
night."
David
Kimchi's
Lexicon
explains
that
"there
are
two
evenings,
for
from
the
time
that
the
sun
begins
to
10.
What
is
the
traditIOnal
VIew
ot
between
the
tlCO
evenIngs'
decline
[after
twelve
noon]
is
one
evening,
and
the
other
evening
is
after
the
sun
has
gone
down,
and
it
is
the
space
between
which
is
meant
by
between
the
two
evenings:'
That
is
the
traditional
Jewish
view.
11
However,
there
are
other
scholars
of
prominence
who
take
the
expression
differently,
among
them
be
ing
the
celebrated
Spanish
rabbi,
Aben-Ezra
(1092
1167),
called
by
the
Jews
the
Sage,
the
Great.
Among
his
noted
works
is
his
Commentary
on
the
Penta
teuch;
and
says
he:
"Behold
we
have
two
evenings,
the
first
is
when
the
sun
sets,
and
that
is
at
the
time
when
it
disappears
beneath
the
horizon;
while
the
second
is
at
the
time
when
the
light
disappears
which
is
reflected
in
the
clouds,
and
there
is
between
them
an
interval
of
about
one
hour
and
twenty
minutes."
(Commentary,
on
Exodus
12:
6)
This
Aben-Ezra,
not
to
mention
the
Samaritans
and
the
anti-Talmud
Karaites,
is
followed
in
this
view
by
such
scholars
as
Michaelis,
Rosenmueller,
Gesenius,
Maurer,
Ka
lisch,
Knobel,
Keil,
and
most
commentators
of
the
nineteenth
century.
All
of
these
take
between
the
two
evenings
to
denote
the
space
of
time
between
the
set
ting
of
the
sun
and
the
moment
when
the
stars
be
come
visible,
or
when
darkness
sets
in,
which
would
be
between
six
and
seven
p.m.·
12
This
would
mean
that,
originally
in
Egypt,
the
Israelites
killed
the
passover
between
the
two
eve
nings
by
killing
the
victim
after
sundown
and
be
fore
nightfall
on
Nisan
14.
They
at
once
prepared
it
•
The
Jewish
historian
Josephus,
in
Antiquities
of
the
Jews,
Book
2,
chapters
14
and
15,
says:
"But
when
the
fourteenth
day
was
come,
and
all
were
ready
to
depart,
they
offered
sacnfice,
and
purified
their
houses
with
the
blood;
using
bunches
of
hyssop
for
that
purpose:
and
when
they
had
supped,
they
burnt
the
re
mainder
of
the
flesh
as
just
ready
to
depart.
Whence
it
is,
that
we
do
still
offer
this
sacrifice
in
like
manner,
and
call
thiS
festival
Pasch;
which
signifies
the
feast
of
the
Passover;
because
on
that
day
God
passed
us
over,
and
sent
the
plague
upon
the
Egyptians.
For
the
destruction
of
the
first-born
came
upon
the
Egyptians
that
night;
so
that
many
of
the
Egyptians
who
lived
near
the
Icing's
palace,
persuaded
Pharaoh
to
let
the
Hebrews
go.
...
They
left
Egypt
in
the
month
Xanthicus,
on
the
fifteenth
day
of
the
lunar
month."
In
Book
8,
chapter
10,
Josephus
says:
"The
feast
of
un
leavened
bread
succeeds
that
of
the
passover,
and
falls
on
the
fifteenth
day
of
the
month.
and
continues
seven
days,
wherem
they
feed
on
unleavened
bread.
.
.
.
But
on
the
second
day
of
unleavened
bread,
which
is
the
sixteenth
day
of
the
month,
they
first
partake
of
the
fruits
of
the
earth,
for
before
that
day
they
do
not
touch
them.
And
while
they
suppose
it
proper
to
honour
God,
from
whom
they
obtain
this
plentiful
prOVIsion,
in
the
first
place
they
uffer
the
first
fruits
of
their
barley."
In
Wars
of
the
Jews,
Book
5,
chapter
3,
Josephus
says:
"And
on
the
feast
of
unleavened
bread,
which
was
now
come;
it
being
the
fourteenth
day
of
the
month
Xanthicus,
or
Nisan,
when
it
IS
believed
the
Jews
were
first
freed
from
the
Egyptians."
Here
Josephus
appears
to
say
that
the
Israelites
both
sacrificed
and
ate
their
passover
and
were
passed
over
in
the
one
day
of
Nisan
14.
Regarding
Nisan
15
see
The
Watchtower
March
1,
1946,
page
72,
"114-17.
J
11,
12
When
would
tbe
other
view
show
the
lamb
was
llrst
slam?
Fesrvary 1, 1948 and domestic animals passed over and spared and in order to prove their worthiness to be freed from Egypt by obedience to Jehovah God, the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice and eat the passover victim on the fourteenth day of the month Abib or Nisan. We read: “And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household: . .. and ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at even [marginal reading: between the two evenings]. And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it.”.—Ex. 12:1-8, Am. Stan. Ver. “BETWEEN THE TWO EVENINGS” © In the Hebrew language in which Jehovah’s command was given through Moses the expression translated at even literally means between the two evenings. This has occasioned a controversy as to just when the passover lamb was killed. Also, when did Christ Jesus celebrate his last passover supper with his twelve disciples, immediately after which he introduced a new memorial pertaining to a new world tuled by God’s kingdom? There are scholars that argue that the two evenings between which the passover lamb must be slain extended from twelve o’clock noon to 6 p.m. or sundown, so that midway between these two evenings would be at 3 p.m. They also point impressively to Jesus’ death at that hour of the afternoon. The Jewish day of 24 hours begins at sundown. (Lev. 23:32) So their argument leads to the conclusion that the passover victim was slain at mid-afternoon of Nisan 14, before sundown, and was eaten the night of Nisan 15. They cite Numbers 83:2,3 to their support. The noted French rabbi Solomon Isaaki, popularly known as “Rashi”, of the eleventh century, declared in his commentary on Exodus 12:6: “It appears to me that the phrase between the two evenings denotes the hours between the evening-of the day and the evening of the night. The evening of the day is from the beginning of the seventh hour [or, immediately after noontide], when the evening shadows begin to lengthen, while the evening of the night is at the beginning of the night.” David Kimehi’s Lexicon explains that “there are two evenings, for from the time that the sun begins to 10. What is the traditional view of between the two evenings? She WATCHTOWER. 37 decline [after twelve noon] is one evening, and the other evening is after the sun has gone down, and it is the space between which is meant by between the two evenings.” That is the traditional Jewish view. 2 However, there are other scholars of prominence who take the expression differently, among them being the celebrated Spanish rabbi, Aben-Ezra (10921167), called by the Jews the Sage, the Great. Among his noted works is his Commentary on the Pentateuch; and says he: “Behold we have two evenings, the first is when the sun sets, and that is at the time when it disappears beneath the horizon; while the second is at the time when the light disappears which is reflected in the clouds, and there is between them an interval of about one hour and twenty minutes.” (Commentary, on Exodus 12:6) This Aben-Ezra, not to mention the Samaritans and the anti-Talmud Karaites, is followed in this view by such scholars as Michaelis, Rosenmueller, Gesenius, Maurer, Kalisch, Knobel, Keil, and most commentators of the nineteenth century. All of these take between the two evenings to denote the space of time between the setting of the sun and the moment when the stars become visible, or when darkness sets in, which would be between six and seven p.m.* 22 This would mean that, originally in Egypt, the Israelites killed the passover between the two evenings by killing the victim after sundown and before nightfall on Nisan 14, They at once prepared it *The Jewish historian Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews, Book 2, chapters 14 and 15, says: “But when the fourteenth day was come, and all were ready to depart, they offered sacrifice, and purified their houses with the blood; using bunches of hyssop for that purpose: and when they had supped, they burnt the remainder of the flesh as just ready to depart. Whence it is, that we do still offer this sacrifice in like manner, and call this festival Pasch; which signifies the feast of the Passover; because on that day God passed us over, and sent the plague upon the Egyptians. For the destruction of the first-born came upon the Egyptians that night; so that many of the Egyptians who lived near the king’s palace, persuaded Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go, ... They left Egypt in the month Xanthieus, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month.” In Book 8, chapter 10, Josephus says: “The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread. ... But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honour God, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place they offer the first fruits of their barley.” In Wars of the Jews, Book 5, chapter 3, Josephus says: “And on the feast of unleavened bread, which was now come; it being the fourteenth day of the month Xanthieus, or Nisan, when it 13 believed the Jews were first freed from the Egyptians.” Here Josephus appears to say that the Israelites both sacrificed and ate their passover and were passed over in the one day of Nisan 14. Regarding Nisan 15 see The Watchtower, March 1, 1946, page 72, 914-17. 11, 12 When would the other view show the lamb was firat slain?
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