22. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning.
23. For the lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.
24. “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever.
25. When you enter the land the lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony.
26. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’
27. And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.
28. So the people of Israel did just as the lord had commanded through Moses and Aaron.
29. And that night at midnight, the lord struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed.
30. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.
31. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. “Get out!” he ordered. “Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the lord as you have requested.
32. Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.”
33. All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, “We will all die!”
34. The Israelites took their bread dough before yeast was added. They wrapped their kneading boards in their cloaks and carried them on their shoulders.
35. And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold.
36. The lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!
37. That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children.
38. A rabble of non-Israelites went with them, along with great flocks and herds of livestock.
39. For bread they baked flat cakes from the dough without yeast they had brought from Egypt. It was made without yeast because the people were driven out of Egypt in such a hurry that they had no time to prepare the bread or other food.