John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover .] The time now drawing nigh for the observation of it, it being now almost a year since their coming out of Egypt.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - God gave particular orders for the keeping of this passover, and, for aught that appears, after this, they kept no passover till they came to Canaan, Jos 5:10. It early showed that the ceremonial institutions wer not to continue always, as so soon after they were appointed, some wer suffered to sleep for many years. But the ordinance of the Lord' Supper was not thus set aside in the first days of the Christia church, although those were days of greater difficulty and distres than Israel knew in the wilderness; nay, in the times of persecution the Lord's Supper was celebrated more frequently than afterward Israelites in the wilderness could not forget the deliverance out of Egypt. There was danger of this when they came to Canaan. Instruction were given concerning those who were ceremonially unclean, when the were to eat the passover. Those whose minds and consciences are defile by sin, are unfit for communion with God, and cannot partake with comfort of the gospel passover, till they are cleansed by tru repentance and faith. Observe with what trouble and concern these me complained that they were kept back from offering to the Lord. I should be a trouble to us, when by any occasion we are kept back from the solemnities of a sabbath or a sacrament. Observe the deliberatio of Moses in resolving this case. Ministers must ask counsel of God' mouth, not determine according to their own fancy or affection, but according to the word of God to the best of their knowledge. And if, i difficult cases, time is taken to spread the matter before God be humble, believing prayer, the Holy Spirit assuredly will direct in the good and right way. God gave directions in this case, and in othe similar cases, explanatory of the law of the passover. As those who against their minds, are forced to absent themselves from God' ordinances, may expect the favours of God's grace under their affliction, so those who, of choice, absent themselves, may expec God's wrath for their sin. Be not deceived: God is not mocked.
Original Hebrew וידבר1696 משׁה4872 אל413 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 לעשׂת6213 הפסח׃6453
