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.