Bible Flashcards
Bygone
belonging to an earlier time.
Trample
tread on and crush.
Iniquity
Immoral or grossly unfair behaviors
Prevail
prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious. "it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion" Similar: win win out win through triumph be victorious be the victor gain the victory carry the day carry all before one finish first come out ahead come out on top succeed prove superior conquer overcome gain/achieve mastery gain ascendancy take the crown gain the palm rule reign be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current. "an atmosphere of crisis prevails" Similar: exist be in existence be present be the case hold obtain occur be prevalent be current be rife be rampant be the order of the day be customary be established be common be widespread be in force be in effect abound hold sway predominate preponderate endure survive persist current existing prevalent usual common most usual commonest most frequent general mainstream widespread rife in circulation set recognized established customary acknowledged accepted ordinary popular fashionable in fashion in style in vogue persuade (someone) to do something. "she was prevailed upon to give an account of her work"
Countenance
a person's face or facial expression. "his impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance give little away" Similar: face features physiognomy profile facial expression expression look appearance aspect mien mug clock mush dial phizog phiz boat race coupon bake puss pan visage lineaments front 2. support. "she was giving her specific countenance to the occasion" verb admit as acceptable or possible.
Abominable
Causing moral revulsion
Very bad or unpleasant
Writhe
Respond with great emotional or physical discomfort to
Make continual twisting squirming movements or contortions of the body
Barren
adjective 1. (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. "the plains of Kyrenia were barren" Similar: unproductive infertile unfruitful sterile arid desert waste desolate uncultivatable impoverished Opposite: fertile productive 2. (of a place or building) bleak and lifeless.
Iniquity
Immoral
Grossly unfair behavior
Crafty
clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
Abominable
causing moral revulsion. "the uprising was suppressed with abominable cruelty" Similar: loathsome detestable hateful odious obnoxious despicable contemptible damnable cursed accursed diabolical disgusting revolting repellent repulsive offensive repugnant abhorrent reprehensible atrocious horrifying execrable foul vile wretched base miserable horrible awful dreadful appalling abysmal brutal nauseating horrid nasty disagreeable unpleasant distasteful terrible shocking godawful beastly chronic Opposite: good admirable very bad or unpleasant.
Writhe
make continual twisting, squirming movements or contortions of the body. "he writhed in agony on the ground" Similar: squirm wriggle thrash flounder flail toss toss and turn twitch twist twist and turn roll jiggle wiggle jerk jolt respond with great emotional or physical discomfort to (a violent or unpleasant feeling or thought). "she bit her lip, writhing in suppressed fury"
Berren
(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. "the plains of Kyrenia were barren" Similar: unproductive infertile unfruitful sterile arid desert waste desolate uncultivatable impoverished Opposite: fertile productive 2. (of a place or building) bleak and lifeless. "the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building"
Solace
comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness. "she sought solace in her religion" Similar: comfort consolation cheer support relief verb give comfort or consolation to.
Assuage
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense. "the letter assuaged the fears of most members" Similar: relieve ease alleviate soothe mitigate dampen allay calm palliate abate lull temper suppress smother stifle subdue tranquillize mollify moderate modify tone down attenuate dilute lessen diminish decrease reduce lower put an end to put a stop to take the edge off kill lenify Opposite: aggravate satisfy (an appetite or desire). "an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge"
Forbear
politely or patiently restrain an impulse to do something; refrain. "he modestly forbears to include his own work" Similar: refrain abstain desist keep restrain oneself stop oneself hold back withhold resist the temptation to steer clear of give a wide berth to fight shy of eschew avoid shun decline to cease give up break off lay off leave off swear off give over jack in belay Opposite: persist in refrain from doing or using (something). "Rebecca could not forbear a smile"
Desolate
adjective /ˈdesələt/ (of a place) deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness. "a desolate moor" Similar: barren bleak stark bare dismal grim desert waste arid sterile wild windswept inhospitable exposed deserted uninhabited unoccupied depopulated forsaken godforsaken abandoned unpeopled untenanted evacuated empty vacated vacant unfrequented unvisited solitary lonely secluded isolated remote Opposite: fertile populous verb /ˈdesəˌlāt/ make (a place) bleakly and depressingly empty or bare. "the droughts that desolated the dry plains"
Insolent
showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.
Byword
a person or thing cited as a notorious and outstanding example or embodiment of something. "his name became a byword for luxury" Similar: perfect example of classic case of model of exemplar of embodiment of incarnation of personification of epitome of typification of synonymous with avatar of a word or expression summarizing a thing's characteristics or a person's principles. "“Small is beautiful” may be the byword for most couturiers"
Vexation
the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried. "Jenny bit her lip in vexation" Similar: annoyance irritation irritability exasperation anger rage fury temper bad temper hot temper wrath spleen chagrin pique crossness indignation displeasure discontent dissatisfaction disgruntlement ill humor peevishness petulance testiness tetchiness gall resentment umbrage perturbation discomposure worry agitation harassment needling aggravation being rubbed up the wrong way crabbiness stroppiness ire choler something that causes annoyance, frustration, or worry. plural noun: vexations "the cares and vexations of life"
Appalled
greatly dismayed or horrified.
Famished
Extremely hungry
Posterity
All future generations Of people
Progeny
a descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant; offspring.
Ils pouvaient
They used to be able to
They were able to
Appareil
Device
Dépenser
To spend
Réserver
To Book
Bruit
Noise
Sound
Bizarre
Weird
Comprit
Understood
Stench
a strong and very unpleasant smell.
Abhor
regard with disgust and hatred.
Wrath
extreme anger (chiefly used for humorous or rhetorical effect).
Decree
an official order issued by a legal authority.
dismay
noun consternation and distress, typically that caused by something unexpected. "to his dismay, she left him" Similar: alarm shock surprise consternation concern perturbation disquiet disquietude discomposure distress upset anxiety trepidation fear Opposite: pleasure relief verb cause (someone) to feel consternation and distress. "they were dismayed by the U-turn in policy"
Shudder
verb
(of a person) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion.
“I shuddered with horror”
Fodder
noun
food, especially dried hay or feed, for cattle and other livestock.
verb
give fodder to (cattle or other livestock).
“the animals need foddering”
Glean
verb extract (information) from various sources. "the information is gleaned from press clippings" Similar: obtain get take draw derive extract cull garner gather reap select choose pick learn find out collect gradually and bit by bit. "objects gleaned from local markets" HISTORICAL gather (leftover grain or other produce) after a harvest. "the conditions of farm workers in the 1890s made gleaning essential"
Sheaf
noun
a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping.
verb
bundle into sheaves.
Discourse
written or spoken communication or debate. "the language of political discourse" Similar: discussion conversation talk dialogue communication conference debate consultation verbal exchange parley chat adda korero confab chitchat powwow confabulation palaver colloquy converse interlocution verb /disˈkôrs/ speak or write authoritatively about a topic. "she could discourse at great length on the history of Europe"
Pestilence
nounARCHAIC
a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
“neither prayers nor demonstrations halted the advance of the pestilence”
Heinous
(of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.
Indictment
NORTH AMERICAN a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. "an indictment for conspiracy" Similar: charge accusation arraignment citation summons allegation imputation plaint impeachment beef inculpation Opposite: acquittal 2. a thing that serves to illustrate that a system or situation is bad and deserves to be condemned. "these rapidly escalating crime figures are an indictment of our society"
Furrow
a long narrow trench made in the ground by a plow, especially for planting seeds or for irrigation.
verb
make a rut, groove, or trail in (the ground or the surface of something).
“gorges furrowing the deep-sea floor”
Partiality
unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism. "an attack on the partiality of judges" Similar: bias prejudice favoritism favor partisanship unfair preference discrimination unjustness unfairness inequity a particular liking or fondness for something. plural noun: partialities "she spoke openly, not concealing her partiality for him"
Overturn
tip (something) over so that it is on its side or upside down. "the crowd proceeded to overturn cars and set them on fire" 2. abolish, invalidate, or reverse (a previous system, decision, situation, etc.). "the results overturned previous findings" Similar: cancel reverse rescind repeal revoke retract countermand withdraw take back rule against disallow override overrule veto set aside quash overthrow repudiate recant annul nullify declare null and void invalidate negate void abrogate vacate recall Opposite: allow accept nounRARE /ˈōvərˌtərn/ an act of turning over or upsetting something; a revolution, subversion, or reversal.
Behold
verbARCHAIC•LITERARY
see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).
“the botanical gardens were a wonder to behold”
Ensnare
catch in or as in a trap.
“they were ensnared in downtown traffic”
Scoffing
adjective
contemptuously ridiculing or mocking someone or something.
“a scoffing cabin crew tells her there’s no shower on the plane”
noun
contemptuous ridicule or mockery.
“he had to overcome the scoffing of theoretical physicists”
Ascribe
attribute something to (a cause). "he ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stomach" Similar: attribute assign put down set down accredit credit give the credit for chalk up impute lay on pin on blame on lay at the door of connect with associate with attribute (a text, quotation, or work of art) to a particular person or period. "a quotation ascribed to Thomas Cooper" regard a quality as belonging to. "tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to top bosses"
Adcribe
attribute something to (a cause). "he ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stomach" Similar: attribute assign put down set down accredit credit give the credit for chalk up impute lay on pin on blame on lay at the door of connect with associate with attribute (a text, quotation, or work of art) to a particular person or period. "a quotation ascribed to Thomas Cooper" regard a quality as belonging to. "tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to top bosses"
Betrothed
the person to whom one is engaged.
“how long have you known your betrothed?”
Swaddle
verb
wrap (someone, especially a baby) in garments or cloth.
“she swaddled the baby tightly”
Tetrarch
noun (in the Roman Empire) the governor of one of four divisions of a country or province. one of four joint rulers. ARCHAIC a subordinate ruler.
Bier
noun
a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which it is carried to the grave.
Bestow
verb
past tense: bestowed; past participle: bestowed
confer or present (an honor, right, or gift).
“the office was bestowed on him by the chief of state”
Behold
verbARCHAIC•LITERARY
see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).
“the botanical gardens were a wonder to behold”
Dirge
noun a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite. Similar: elegy lament funeral song/chant burial hymn requiem dead march keen coronach threnody threnode monody a mournful song, piece of music, or poem. "singers chanted dirges"
Impudence
noun
the quality of being impudent; impertinence.
“his arrogance and impudence had offended many”
Trample
tread on and crush. "the fence had been trampled down" Similar: tread tramp stamp walk over squash crush flatten compress press (down) compact pound tamp down mangle pulp mash pulverize nounLITERARY an act or the sound of trampling. "destruction's trample treads them down"
Leaven
noun 1. a substance, typically yeast, that is used in dough to make it rise. Similar: leavening ferment fermentation agent raising agent yeast barm baking powder 2. a pervasive influence that modifies something or transforms it for the better. "they acted as an intellectual leaven to the warriors who dominated the city" verb 1. cause (dough or bread) to rise by adding yeast or another leavening agent. "it only take a little bit of yeast to leaven the bread" Similar: raise make rise ferment work lighten puff up expand swell inflate 2. permeate and modify or transform (something) for the better. "the proceedings should be leavened by humor"
Proclaim
verb
announce officially or publicly.
“the joint manifesto proclaimed that imperialism would be the coalition’s chief objective”
declare something one considers important with due emphasis.
“she proclaimed that what I had said was untrue”
declare officially or publicly to be.
“he proclaimed James II as King of England”
Covetous
Definition of covetous
1 : marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another’s possessions
He looked at his boss’s new car with covetous eyes.
2 : having a craving for possession
covetous of power
Tithe
noun
one tenth of annual produce or earnings, formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church and clergy.
verb
pay or give as a tithe.
“he tithes 10 percent of his income to the church”
Extortioner
a criminal who extorts money from someone by threatening to expose embarrassing information about them. synonyms: blackmailer, extortionist. type of: criminal, crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw.
Extortion
1 : the act or practice of extorting especially money or other property
especially : the offense committed by an official engaging in such practice
2 : something extorted
especially : a gross overcharge
Flog
verb 1. beat (someone) with a whip or stick as punishment or torture. "the stolen horses will be returned and the thieves flogged" Similar: whip scourge flagellate lash birch switch tan strap belt cane thrash beat leather tan/whip someone's hide give someone a hiding 2. INFORMAL•BRITISH sell or offer for sale. "he made a fortune flogging beads to hippies"
Colt
noun
a young uncastrated male horse, in particular one less than four years old.
Tumult
noun a loud, confused noise, especially one caused by a large mass of people. "a tumult of shouting and screaming broke out" Similar: din loud noise racket uproar commotion ruckus rumpus hubbub pandemonium babel bedlam brouhaha fracas furor melee frenzy ado shouting yelling clamor clangor stramash hullabaloo row affray Opposite: silence confusion or disorder. "the whole neighborhood was in a state of fear and tumult"
Pestilence
nounARCHAIC
a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
“neither prayers nor demonstrations halted the advance of the pestilence”
Desolation
noun a state of complete emptiness or destruction. "the stony desolation of the desert" Similar: barrenness bleakness starkness bareness dismalness grimness aridity sterility wildness isolation solitude solitariness loneliness remoteness Opposite: fertility anguished misery or loneliness. "in choked desolation, she watched him leave"
Gentile
adjective 1. not Jewish. "Christianity spread from Jewish into Gentile cultures" 2. ANTHROPOLOGY relating to or indicating a nation or clan, especially a gens. noun a person who is not Jewish.
Trample
verb tread on and crush. "the fence had been trampled down" Similar: tread tramp stamp walk over squash crush flatten compress press (down) compact pound tamp down mangle pulp mash pulverize nounLITERARY an act or the sound of trampling. "destruction's trample treads them down"
Forebode
verbARCHAIC (of a situation or occurrence) act as a warning of (something bad). "this lull foreboded some new assault upon him" Similar: presage augur portend prognosticate foreshadow foreshow foretell forecast predict prophesy forewarn warn of be a warning of herald be an omen of be a harbinger of signify mean indicate add up to point to announce promise spell foretoken betoken harbinger prefigure have a presentiment of (something bad). "I foreboded mischief the moment I heard"
Dissipation
noun 1. dissipated living. "a descent into drunkenness and sexual dissipation" Similar: debauchery decadence dissoluteness dissolution intemperance immoderation excess profligacy abandonment self-indulgence wildness depravity degeneracy corruption sinfulness immorality vice impurity rakishness licentiousness promiscuity lecherousness lechery libertinism libertinage wantonness lustfulness libidinousness lewdness drunkenness Opposite: asceticism restraint 2. the squandering of money, energy, or resources. "the dissipation of the country's mineral wealth"
Unleavened bread
Unleavened bread is any of a wide variety of breads which are prepared without using raising agents such as yeast. Unleavened breads are generally flat breads; however, not all flat breads are unleavened. Unleavened breads, such as the tortilla and roti, are staple foods in Central America and South Asia, respectively.
Unleavened bread Matzah.jpg Jewish matza eaten on Passover Type Bread (usually flat bread) Variations Matzo, roti, tortilla, and many others Cookbook: Unleavened bread Religious significance Edit
Main article: Matza
Host and communion wafers made of azymes for celebrating the Eucharist, peculiar to the Catholic Church’s Latin Rite (Eastern Rite churches and the Eastern Orthodox use leavened bread).
Unleavened breads have symbolic importance in Judaism and Christianity. God’s Chosen consume unleavened breads such as matzo during Passover & Eucharist as commanded in Exodus 12:18. Per the Torah Old Testament , the newly emancipated Israelites had to leave Egypt in such a hurry that they could not so much as spare time for their breads to rise; as such, bread which before it can rise is eaten as a reminder.
Canon Law of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church mandates the use of unleavened bread for the Host, and unleavened wafers for the communion of the faithful. The more liturgical Protestant churches tend to follow the Latin Catholic practice, whereas others use either unleavened bread or wafers or ordinary (leavened) bread, depending on the traditions of their particular denomination or local usage.
On the other hand, most Eastern Churches explicitly forbid the use of unleavened bread (Greek: azymos artos) for the Eucharist. Eastern Christians associate unleavened bread with the Old Testament and allow only for bread with yeast, as a symbol of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood. Indeed, this usage figures as one of the three points of contention that traditionally accounted as causes (along with the issues of Petrine supremacy and the filioque in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed) of the Great Schism of 1054 between Eastern and Western churches.[1]
Varieties of unleavened bread Edit
Arboud - Unleavened bread made of wheat flour baked in the embers of a campfire, traditional among Arab Bedouin.
Arepa made of corn and corn flour, original from Colombia and Venezuela.
Bannock - Unleavened bread originating in the British isles.
Bataw - Unleavened bread made of barley, corn, or wheat, traditional in Egypt.
Kitcha - Ethiopian type of flat bread used mainly in the traditional fit-fit or chechebsa dish.
Lavash (usually leavened but occasionally unleavened) – Armenian flat bread inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists
Matzo – Jewish flat bread
Piadina - from the Romagna historical region of Italy, made of wheat flour, lard or olive oil, water and salt. Up to the 1940s it could be up to 2 cm thick, while the variant of Rimini has always been much thinner.
Rieska - Unleavened bread usually made of barley, traditional in the northern parts of Finland
Roti – Indian flat breads including Chapati, Dalpuri, and variants.
Tortilla – Mesoamerican/Mexican flat bread
Tortilla de rescoldo - Chilean unleavened bread made of wheat flour, traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire.
Pass over
pass over phrasal verb of pass 1. ignore the claims of someone to promotion or advancement. "he was passed over for a cabinet job" 2. EUPHEMISTIC die. "by the time I reached the hospital he had passed over"
Passover
This article is about the Jewish holiday. For other uses, see Passover (disambiguation).
Passover, also called Pesach (/ˈpɛsɑːx, ˈpeɪ-/;[2] Biblical Hebrew: חַג הַפֶּסַח Ḥag hapPesaḥ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt,[3] which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. The word Pesach or Passover can also refer to the Korban Pesach, the paschal lamb that was offered when the Temple in Jerusalem stood; to the Passover Seder, the ritual meal on Passover night; or to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. One of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals, Passover is traditionally celebrated in the Land of Israel for seven days and for eight days among many Jews in the Diaspora, based on the concept of yom tov sheni shel galuyot.
Passover
Pessach Pesach Pascha Judentum Ungesaeuert Seder datafox.jpg
A table set up for a Passover Seder
Official name
Pesach – פסח (in Hebrew).
Observed by
Jews
Type
Jewish (religious and cultural)
Significance
Celebrates The Exodus, the freedom from slavery of the Israelites from Ancient Egypt that followed the Ten Plagues.
Beginning of the 49 days of Counting of the Omer
Connected to barley harvest in spring.
Celebrations
Passover Seder
Begins
15 Nisan
Ends
21 Nisan (22 Nisan in traditional Diaspora communities)
Date
15 Nisan, 16 Nisan, 17 Nisan, 18 Nisan, 19 Nisan, 20 Nisan, 21 Nisan, 22 Nisan
2021 date
Sunset, 27 March –
nightfall, 4 April[1] (8 days)
2022 date
Sunset, 15 April –
nightfall, 23 April[1] (8 days)
2023 date
Sunset, 5 April –
nightfall, 13 April[1] (8 days)
2024 date
Sunset, 22 April –
nightfall, 30 April[1] (8 days)
Related to
Shavuot ("Festival of Weeks") which follows 49 days from the second night of Passover.
According to the Book of Exodus, God commands Moses to tell the Israelites to mark a lamb's blood above their doors in order that the Angel of Death will pass over them (i.e., that they will not be touched by the death of the firstborn). After the death of the firstborn Pharaoh orders the Israelites to leave, taking whatever they want, and asks Moses to bless him in the name of the Lord. The passage goes on to state that the passover sacrifice recalls the time when the LORD "passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt".[4] This story is recounted at the passover meal in the form of the Haggadah, in fulfillment of the command "And thou shalt tell (Higgadata) thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt."[5]
The wave offering of barley was offered at Jerusalem on the second day of the festival. The counting of the sheaves is still practiced, for seven weeks until the Feast of Weeks on the 50th day, the Pentecost.
Nowadays, in addition to the biblical prohibition of owning leavened foods for the duration of the holiday, the Passover Seder is one of the most widely observed rituals in Judaism.
Etymology
The Hebrew פֶּסַח is rendered as Tiberian [pɛsaħ] (audio speaker iconlisten), and Modern Hebrew: [ˈpesaχ] Pesah, Pesakh. The verb pasàch (פָּסַח) is first mentioned in the Torah’s account of the Exodus from Egypt,[6] and there is some debate about its exact meaning. The commonly held assumption that it means “He passed over” (פסח), in reference to God “passing over” (or “skipping”) the houses of the Hebrews during the final of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, stems from the translation provided in the Septuagint (παρελευσεται [Greek: pareleusetai] in Exodus 12:23,[7] and εσκεπασεν [Greek: eskepasen] in Exodus 12:27.[8] Targum Onkelos translates pesach as ve-yeiḥos (Hebrew: וְיֵחוֹס we-yēḥôs) “he had pity” coming from the Hebrew root חסה meaning to have pity.[9] Cognate languages yield similar terms with distinct meanings, such as “make soft, soothe, placate” (Akkadian passahu), “harvest, commemoration, blow” (Egyptian), or “separate” (Arabic fsh).[10]
The term Pesach (Hebrew: פֶּסַח Pesaḥ) may also refer to the lamb or goat which was designated as the Passover sacrifice (called the Korban Pesach in Hebrew). Four days before the Exodus, the Hebrews were commanded to set aside a lamb,[11] and inspect it daily for blemishes. During the day on the 14th of Nisan, they were to slaughter the animal and use its blood to mark their lintels and door posts. Before midnight on the 15th of Nisan they were to consume the lamb.
The English term “Passover” is first known to be recorded in the English language in William Tyndale’s translation of the Bible,[12] later appearing in the King James Version as well. It is a literal translation of the Hebrew term.[13] In the King James Version, Exodus 12:23 reads:
For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.[14]
Origins
Illustration of The Exodus from Egypt, 1907
The Passover ritual is widely thought to have its origins in an apotropaic rite, unrelated to the Exodus, to ensure the protection of a family home, a rite conducted wholly within a clan.[15] Hyssop was employed to daub the blood of a slaughtered sheep on the lintels and door posts to ensure that demonic forces could not enter the home.[16]
A further hypothesis maintains that, once the Priestly Code was promulgated, the Exodus narrative took on a central function, as the apotropaic rite was, arguably, amalgamated with the Canaanite agricultural festival of spring which was a ceremony of unleavened bread, connected with the barley harvest. As the Exodus motif grew, the original function and symbolism of these double origins was lost.[17] Several motifs replicate the features associated with the Mesopotamian Akitu festival.[18] Other scholars, John Van Seters, J.B.Segal and Tamara Prosic disagree with the merged two-festivals hypothesis.[19]
Biblical narrative
In the Book of Exodus
Further information: Plagues of Egypt
In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites are enslaved in ancient Egypt. Yahweh, the god of the Israelites, appears to Moses in a burning bush and commands Moses to confront Pharaoh. To show his power, Yahweh inflicts a series of 10 plagues on the Egyptians, culminating in the 10th plague, the death of the first-born.
This is what the LORD says: “About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt – worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.”
— Exodus 11:4–6
Before this final plague Yahweh commands Moses to tell the Israelites to mark a lamb’s blood above their doors in order that Yahweh will pass over them (i.e., that they will not be touched by the death of the firstborn).
The biblical regulations for the observance of the festival require that all leavening be disposed of before the beginning of the 15th of Nisan.[20] An unblemished lamb or goat, known as the Korban Pesach or “Paschal Lamb”, is to be set apart on 10th Nisan,[21] and slaughtered at dusk as 14th Nisan ends in preparation for the 15th of Nisan when it will be eaten after being roasted.[22] The literal meaning of the Hebrew is “between the two evenings”.[23] It is then to be eaten “that night”, 15th Nisan,[24] roasted, without the removal of its internal organs[25] with unleavened bread, known as matzo, and bitter herbs known as maror.[24] Nothing of the sacrifice on which the sun rises by the morning of the 15th of Nisan may be eaten, but must be burned.[26]
The biblical regulations pertaining to the original Passover, at the time of the Exodus only, also include how the meal was to be eaten: “with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover”.[27]
The biblical requirements of slaying the Paschal lamb in the individual homes of the Hebrews and smearing the blood of the lamb on their doorways were celebrated in Egypt. However, once Israel was in the wilderness and the tabernacle was in operation, a change was made in those two original requirements.[28] Passover lambs were to be sacrificed at the door of the tabernacle and no longer in the homes of the Jews. No longer, therefore, could blood be smeared on doorways.
The passover in other biblical passages
Called the “festival [of] the matzot” (Hebrew: חג המצות ḥag ha-matzôth) in the Hebrew Bible, the commandment to keep Passover is recorded in the Book of Leviticus:
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
— Leviticus 23:5–8 (JPS 1917 Version)
The sacrifices may be performed only in a specific place prescribed by God. For Judaism, this is Jerusalem.[29]
The biblical commandments concerning the Passover (and the Feast of Unleavened Bread) stress the importance of remembering:
Exodus 12:14 commands, in reference to God’s sparing of the firstborn from the Tenth Plague: And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.[30]
Exodus 13:3 repeats the command to remember: Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for by strength the hand of the LORD brought you out from this place.[31]
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes[32]
In 2 Kings 23:21–23 and 2 Chronicles 35:1–19, King Josiah of Judah restores the celebration of the Passover,[33] to a standard not seen since the days of the judges or the days of the prophet Samuel.[34]
Ezra 6:19–21 records the celebration of the passover by the Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon, after the temple had been rebuilt.[35]
In extra-biblical sources
Some of these details can be corroborated, and to some extent amplified, in extrabiblical sources. The removal (or “sealing up”) of the leaven is referred to in the Elephantine papyri, an Aramaic papyrus from 5th century BCE Elephantine in Egypt.[36] The slaughter of the lambs on the 14th is mentioned in The Book of Jubilees, a Jewish work of the Ptolemaic period, and by the Herodian-era writers Josephus and Philo. These sources also indicate that “between the two evenings” was taken to mean the afternoon.[37] Jubilees states the sacrifice was eaten that night,[38] and together with Josephus states that nothing of the sacrifice was allowed to remain until morning.[39] Philo states that the banquet included hymns and prayers.[40]
Date and duration
See also: Hebrew calendar and Yom tov sheni shel galuyot
The Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar. The 15th day begins in the evening, after the 14th day, and the seder meal is eaten that evening. Passover is a spring festival, so the 15th day of Nisan typically begins on the night of a full moon after the northern vernal equinox.[41] However, due to leap months falling after the vernal equinox, Passover sometimes starts on the second full moon after vernal equinox, as in 2016.
To ensure that Passover did not start before spring, the tradition in ancient Israel held that the lunar new year, the first day of Nisan, would not start until the barley was ripe, being the test for the onset of spring.[42] If the barley was not ripe, or various other phenomena[43] indicated that spring was not yet imminent, an intercalary month (Adar II) would be added. However, since at least the 4th century, the intercalation has been fixed mathematically according to the Metonic cycle.[44]
In Israel, Passover is the seven-day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last days celebrated as legal holidays and as holy days involving holiday meals, special prayer services, and abstention from work; the intervening days are known as Chol HaMoed (“Weekdays [of] the Festival”). Jews outside the Land of Israel celebrate the festival for eight days. Reform and Reconstructionist Jews usually celebrate the holiday over seven days.[45][46][47] Karaites use a different version of the Jewish calendar, differing from that used with modern Jewish calendar by one or two days.[48] The Samaritans use a calendrical system that uses a different method from that current in Jewish practice, in order to determine their timing of feastdays.[49] In 2009, for example, Nisan 15 on the Jewish calendar used by Rabbinic Judaism corresponds to April 9. On the calendars used by Karaites and Samaritans, Abib or Aviv 15 (as opposed to ‘Nisan’) corresponds to April 11 in 2009. The Karaite and Samaritan Passovers are each one day long, followed by the six-day Festival of Unleavened Bread – for a total of seven days.[50]
Passover sacrifice
Main article: Passover sacrifice
The main entity in Passover according to Judaism is the sacrificial lamb.[51] During the existence of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem, the focus of the Passover festival was the Passover sacrifice (Hebrew: korban Pesach), also known as the Paschal lamb, eaten during the Passover Seder on the 15th of Nisan. Every family large enough to completely consume a young lamb or wild goat was required to offer one for sacrifice at the Jewish Temple on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan,[52] and eat it that night, which was the 15th of Nisan.[53] If the family was too small to finish eating the entire offering in one sitting, an offering was made for a group of families. The sacrifice could not be offered with anything leavened,[54] and had to be roasted, without its head, feet, or inner organs being removed[55] and eaten together with unleavened bread (matzo) and bitter herbs (maror). One had to be careful not to break any bones from the offering,[56] and none of the meat could be left over by morning.[57]
Because of the Passover sacrifice’s status as a sacred offering, the only people allowed to eat it were those who had the obligation to bring the offering. Among those who could not offer or eat the Passover lamb were an apostate,[58] a servant,[59] an uncircumcised man[60] a person in a state of ritual impurity, except when a majority of Jews are in such a state,[61] and a non-Jew. The offering had to be made before a quorum of 30.[62] In the Temple, the Levites sang Hallel while the priests performed the sacrificial service. Men and women were equally obligated regarding the offering (Pesahim 91b).
Today, in the absence of the Temple, when no sacrifices are offered or eaten, the mitzvah of the Korban Pesach is memorialized in the Seder Korban Pesach, a set of scriptural and Rabbinic passages dealing with the Passover sacrifice, customarily recited after the Mincha (afternoon prayer) service on the 14th of Nisan,[63] and in the form of the zeroa, a symbolic food placed on the Passover Seder Plate (but not eaten), which is usually a roasted shankbone (or a chicken wing or neck). The eating of the afikoman substitutes for the eating of the Korban Pesach at the end of the Seder meal (Mishnah Pesachim 119a). Many Sephardi Jews have the custom of eating lamb or goat meat during the Seder in memory of the Korban Pesach.
Removing all leaven (chametz)
See also: Chametz § Removal of chametz
See also: Eliminating Ḥametz
Burning chametz on the morning before Passover begins
Leaven, in Hebrew chametz (Hebrew: חמץ ḥamets, “leavening”) is made from one of five types of grains[64] combined with water and left to stand for more than eighteen minutes. The consumption, keeping, and owning of chametz is forbidden during Passover. Yeast and fermentation are not themselves forbidden as seen for example by wine, which is required, rather than merely permitted. According to Halakha, the ownership of such chametz is also proscribed.[65]
Chametz does not include baking soda, baking powder or like products. Although these are defined in English as leavening agents, they leaven by chemical reaction, not by biological fermentation. Thus, bagels, waffles and pancakes made with baking soda and matzo meal are considered permissible, while bagels made with sourdough and pancakes and waffles made with yeast are prohibited.[66]
The Torah commandments regarding chametz are:
To remove all chametz from one’s home, including things made with chametz, before the first day of Passover [67] It may be simply used up, thrown out (historically, destroyed by burning), or given or sold to non-Jews.
To refrain from eating chametz or mixtures containing chametz during Passover.[68]
Not to possess chametz in one’s domain (i.e. home, office, car, etc.) during Passover.[69]
Observant Jews spend the weeks before Passover in a flurry of thorough housecleaning, to remove every morsel of chametz from every part of the home. Jewish law requires the elimination of olive-sized or larger quantities of leavening from one’s possession, but most housekeeping goes beyond this. Even the seams of kitchen counters are thoroughly cleaned to remove traces of flour and yeast, however small. Any containers or implements that have touched chametz are stored and not used during Passover.[70]
Some hotels, resorts, and even cruise ships across America, Europe, and Israel also undergo a thorough housecleaning to make their premises “kosher for Pesach” to cater to observant Jews.[71]
Interpretations for abstinence from leaven or yeast
Some scholars suggest that the command to abstain from leavened food or yeast suggests that sacrifices offered to God involve the offering of objects in “their least altered state”, that would be nearest to the way in which they were initially made by God.[51][72] According to other scholars the absence of leaven or yeast means that leaven or yeast symbolizes corruption and spoiling.[51][73]
There are also variations with restrictions on eating matzah before Passover so that there will be an increased appetite for it during Passover itself. Primarily among Chabad Chassidim, there is a custom of not eating matzoh (flat unleavened bread) in the 30 days before Passover begins.[74] Others have a custom to refrain from eating matzah from Rosh Chodesh Nissan, while the halacha merely restricts one from eating matzah on the day before Passover.[75]
Sale of leaven
Search for leaven
Morning of 14th of Nisan
Separate kosher for Passover utensils and dishes
Matzah
Passover seder
Counting of the Omer
Chol HaMoed: The intermediate days of Passover
Seventh day of Passover
Shvi’i shel Pesach (שביעי של פסח) (“seventh [day] of Passover”) is another full Jewish holiday, with special prayer services and festive meals. Outside the Land of Israel, in the Jewish diaspora, Shvi’i shel Pesach is celebrated on both the seventh and eighth days of Passover.[96] This holiday commemorates the day the Children of Israel reached the Red Sea and witnessed both the miraculous “Splitting of the Sea” (Passage of the Red Sea), the drowning of all the Egyptian chariots, horses and soldiers that pursued them. According to the Midrash, only the Pharaoh was spared to give testimony to the miracle that occurred.
Hasidic Rebbes traditionally hold a tish on the night of Shvi’i shel Pesach and place a cup or bowl of water on the table before them. They use this opportunity to speak about the Splitting of the Sea to their disciples, and sing songs of praise to God.[citation needed]
Second Passover
The “Second Passover” (Pesach Sheni) on the 14th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Numbers[97] as a make-up day for people who were unable to offer the pesach sacrifice at the appropriate time due to ritual impurity or distance from Jerusalem. Just as on the first Pesach night, breaking bones from the second Paschal offering or leaving meat over until morning is prohibited.[98][99]
Today, Pesach Sheni on the 14th of Iyar has the status of a very minor holiday (so much so that many of the Jewish people have never even heard of it, and it essentially does not exist outside of Orthodox and traditional Conservative Judaism). There are not really any special prayers or observances that are considered Jewish law. The only change in the liturgy is that in some communities Tachanun, a penitential prayer omitted on holidays, is not said. There is a custom, though not Jewish law, to eat just one piece of matzo on that night.[100]
Traditional foods
Matzah brei (fried matzo and egg), a popular Passover dish Because the house is free of leaven (chametz) for eight days, the Jewish household typically eats different foods during the week of Passover. Some include:
Ashkenazi foods
Matzah brei – Matzo softened in milk or water and fried with egg and fat; served either savory or sweet
Matzo kugel – A kugel made with matzo instead of noodles
Charoset – A sweet mixture of fruit, fresh, dried or both; nuts; spices; honey; and sometimes wine. The charoset is a symbol of the mortar the Israelites used for building while enslaved in Egypt (See Passover seder)
Chrain – Horseradish and beet relish
Gefilte fish – Poached fish patties or fish balls made from a mixture of ground, de-boned fish, mostly carp or pike
Chicken soup with matzah balls (kneydlach) – Chicken soup served with matzo-meal dumplings
Passover noodles – Noodles prepared from potato flour and eggs, served in soup. Batter is fried like thin crepes, which are stacked, rolled up and sliced into ribbons.[101]
Sephardi foods
Kafteikas di prasa – Fried balls made of leeks, meat, and matzo meal
Lamb or chicken leg – A symbol of God’s strong hand, and korban pesach
Mina (pastel di pesach) – a meat pie made with matzos
Spring green vegetables – artichoke, fava beans, peas
Confer
verb 1. grant or bestow (a title, degree, benefit, or right). "moves were made to confer an honorary degree on her" Similar: bestow on present with/to grant to award to decorate with honor with give to give out to gift with endow with vest in hand out to extend to vouchsafe to accord to Opposite: withhold remove 2. have discussions; exchange opinions. "the officials were conferring with allies"
Insurrections
noun
a violent uprising against an authority or government.
“the insurrection was savagely put down”
Prevail
verb prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious. "it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion" Similar: win win out win through triumph be victorious be the victor gain the victory carry the day carry all before one finish first come out ahead come out on top succeed prove superior conquer overcome gain/achieve mastery gain ascendancy take the crown gain the palm rule reign be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current. "an atmosphere of crisis prevails" Similar: exist be in existence be present be the case hold obtain occur be prevalent be current be rife be rampant be the order of the day be customary be established be common be widespread be in force be in effect abound hold sway predominate preponderate endure survive persist current existing prevalent usual common most usual commonest most frequent general mainstream widespread rife in circulation set recognized established customary acknowledged accepted ordinary popular fashionable in fashion in style in vogue persuade (someone) to do something. "she was prevailed upon to give an account of her work"
Lament
noun a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. "his mother's night-long laments for his father" Similar: wail wailing lamentation moan moaning groan weeping crying sob sobbing keening howl complaint jeremiad ululation verb mourn (a person's loss or death). "he was lamenting the death of his infant daughter"
Scoff
verb speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way. "“You, a scientist?” he scoffed" Similar: mock deride ridicule sneer at be scornful about treat contemptuously jeer at jibe at make fun of poke fun at laugh at scorn laugh to scorn dismiss pooh-pooh make light of belittle taunt tease make a fool of rag thumb one's nose at take the mickey out of poke mullock at make sport of fleer at bite one's thumb at scout at vulgar slangtake the piss out of noun an expression of scornful derision. "scoffs of disbelief"
Derision
noun
contemptuous ridicule or mockery.
“my stories were greeted with derision and disbelief”
Inscription
noun words inscribed, as on a monument or in a book. "the inscription on her headstone" Similar: engraving wording writing lettering legend epitaph epigraph etching carving words dedication address message signature autograph the action of inscribing something. "the inscription of memorable utterances on durable materials"
Rail
noun
1.
a bar or series of bars, typically fixed on upright supports, serving as part of a fence or barrier or used to hang things on.
“a curtain rail”
2.
a steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground as one of a pair forming a railroad track.
“trolley rails”
verb
1.
provide or enclose (a space or place) with a rail or rails.
“the altar is railed off from the nave”
2.
(in windsurfing) sail the board on its edge, so that it is at a sharp angle to the surface of the water.
“the more you pull down on the boom, the more you rail”
Shroud
noun 1. a length of cloth or an enveloping garment in which a dead person is wrapped for burial. "he was buried in a linen shroud" Similar: winding sheet grave clothes burial clothes cerements chrisom 2. a thing that envelops or obscures something. "a shroud of mist" Similar: covering cover pall cloak mask mantle blanket sheet layer overlay envelope cloud veil screen curtain canopy verb 1. wrap or dress (a body) in a shroud for burial. "the body was washed and shrouded" 2. cover or envelop so as to conceal from view. "mountains shrouded by cloud"
Day of preparation
Preparation day may refer to:
a day of rest in the life of a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
the day before the Jewish Sabbath (see Mark 15:42)
the day on which Jesus was buried after his crucifixion (see John 19:42)
Plausible
adjective (of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable. "a plausible explanation" Similar: credible reasonable believable likely feasible probable tenable possible conceivable imaginable convincing persuasive cogent sound rational logical acceptable thinkable smooth-talking smooth-tongued smooth glib specious verisimilar colorable Opposite: unlikely improbable (of a person) skilled at producing persuasive arguments, especially ones intended to deceive. "a plausible liar"
Impart
verb make (information) known; communicate. "teachers had a duty to impart strong morals to their students" Similar: communicate pass on convey transmit relay relate recount set forth present tell make known make public go public with report announce proclaim spread disseminate circulate promulgate broadcast disclose reveal divulge bring into the open let on about tell all about blab spill discover unbosom Opposite: keep to oneself bestow (a quality). "its main use has been to impart a high surface gloss to finished articles"
Decree
noun an official order issued by a legal authority. "the decree guaranteed freedom of assembly" Similar: order edict command commandment mandate proclamation dictum fiat promulgation precept law statute act bill ordinance regulation rule injunction enactment manifesto ukase pronunciamento firman decretal irade rescript verb order (something) by decree.
Steward
noun 1. a person who looks after the passengers on a ship, aircraft, or train and brings them meals. Similar: flight attendant cabin attendant member of the cabin staff stewardess air hostess stew 2. a person responsible for supplies of food to a college, club, or other institution. Similar: major-domo seneschal manciple butler verb 1. (of an official) supervise arrangements or keep order at (a large public event). "the event was organized and stewarded properly" 2. manage or look after (another's property). "security is found in reparticipating in community and stewarding nature"
Acquit
verb 1. free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty. "she was acquitted on all counts" Similar: absolve clear exonerate exculpate declare innocent find innocent pronounce not guilty discharge release liberate emancipate free set free deliver spare exempt dismiss vindicate let someone off (the hook) Opposite: convict 2. conduct oneself or perform in a specified way. "all the young women in the contest acquitted themselves well"
Commendation
noun praise. "the film deserved the highest commendation" Similar: praise congratulation appreciation thanks acclaim acclamation credit recognition regard respect esteem admiration adulation approval approbation homage tribute eulogy encomium panegyric paean laudation extolment eulogium Opposite: criticism an award involving special praise. "the detectives received commendations for bravery"
Disrepute
noun
the state of being held in low esteem by the public.
“one of the top clubs in the country is close to bringing the game into disrepute”
Buffet
noun 1. a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves. "a cold buffet lunch" Similar: cold table cold meal self-service smorgasbord
2.
a room or counter in a station, hotel, or other public building selling light meals or snacks.
Revile
verb
criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
“he was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead”
Admonish
verb warn or reprimand someone firmly. "she admonished me for appearing at breakfast unshaven" Similar: reprimand rebuke scold reprove upbraid chastise chide censure castigate lambaste berate reproach lecture criticize take to task pull up read the Riot Act to give a piece of one's mind to haul over the coals tell off give someone a telling-off dress down give someone a dressing-down bawl out pitch into lay into lace into blow up give someone an earful give someone a roasting give someone a rocket give someone a rollicking rap over the knuckles slap someone's wrist let someone have it give someone hell tick off have a go at carpet tear someone off a strip monster give someone a mouthful give someone what for give someone some stick give someone a wigging chew out ream out trim rate give someone a rating reprehend objurgate vulgar slangbollock give someone a bollocking tear someone a new arsehole rip someone a new arsehole tear someone a new asshole rip someone a new asshole Opposite: praise advise or urge (someone) earnestly. "she admonished him to drink no more than one glass of wine" Similar: advise recommend urge caution warn counsel exhort implore beseech entreat encourage bid enjoin adjure push pressure Opposite: discourage ARCHAIC warn (someone) of something to be avoided. "he admonished the people against the evil of such practices"
Pertain
verb be appropriate, related, or applicable. Similar: concern relate to be related to be connected with be relevant to have relevance to apply to be pertinent to have reference to refer to have a bearing on appertain to bear on affect involve cover touch regard LAW belong to something as a part, appendage, or accessory. "the premises, stock, and all assets pertaining to the business" Similar: belong to be a part of be an adjunct of go along with be included in be in effect or existence in a specified place or at a specified time. "their economic circumstances are vastly different from those which pertained in their land of origin"
Defraud
verb
illegally obtain money from (someone) by deception.
“he used a false identity to defraud the bank of thousands of dollars”
Fickle
adjective
changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties, interests, or affection.
“Web patrons are a notoriously fickle lot, bouncing from one site to another on a whim”
