Publication date
2/1/48
Volume
69
Number
3
Publication page
37
The WatchTower
Memorial of Founding the New World
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1948/3/1948-3-5.html
 
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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