Exodus 12:48
New International Version
“A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it.

New Living Translation
“If there are foreigners living among you who want to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, let all their males be circumcised. Only then may they celebrate the Passover with you like any native-born Israelite. But no uncircumcised male may ever eat the Passover meal.

English Standard Version
If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Berean Standard Bible
If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

King James Bible
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

New King James Version
And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.

New American Standard Bible
But if a stranger resides with you and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, all of his males are to be circumcised, and then he shall come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised male may eat it.

NASB 1995
“But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

NASB 1977
“But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if a sojourner sojourns with you and celebrates the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

Amplified Bible
If a stranger living temporarily among you wishes to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may participate and celebrate it like one that is born in the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat it.

Christian Standard Bible
If an alien resides among you and wants to observe the LORD’s Passover, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may participate; he will become like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may participate; he will become like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat it.

American Standard Version
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to Jehovah, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Contemporary English Version
If anyone who isn't an Israelite wants to celebrate Passover with you, every man and boy in that family must first be circumcised. Then they may join in the meal, just like native Israelites. No uncircumcised man or boy may eat the Passover meal!

English Revised Version
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Foreigners may want to celebrate the LORD's Passover. First, every male in the household must be circumcised. Then they may celebrate the Passover like native-born Israelites. But no uncircumcised males may ever eat the Passover meal.

Good News Translation
but no uncircumcised man may eat it. If a foreigner has settled among you and wants to celebrate Passover to honor the LORD, you must first circumcise all the males of his household. He is then to be treated like a native-born Israelite and may join in the festival.

International Standard Version
If an alien who resides with you wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may come near to observe it. He is to be like a native of the land, but no uncircumcised person is to eat it.

Majority Standard Bible
If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

NET Bible
"When a foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land--but no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

New Heart English Bible
When a stranger shall live as a foreigner with you, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one who is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

World English Bible
When a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, and would like to keep the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it. He shall be as one who is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And when a sojourner sojourns with you, and has made a Passover to YHWH, every male of his [is] to be circumcised, and then he comes near to keep it, and he has been as a native of the land, but any uncircumcised one does not eat of it;

Young's Literal Translation
And when a sojourner sojourneth with thee, and hath made a passover to Jehovah, every male of his is to be circumcised, and then he doth come near to keep it, and he hath been as a native of the land, but any uncircumcised one doth not eat of it;

Smith's Literal Translation
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and do the passing over to Jehovah, all the males to him being circumcised, and then he shall draw near to do it; and he was as a native of the land: and every one uncircumcised shall not eat of it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And if any stranger be willing to dwell among you, and to keep the Phase of the Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then shall he celebrate it according to the manner: and he shall be as he that is born in the land: but if any man be uncircumcised, he shall not eat thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And if any sojourner will be willing to cross over into your settlement, and to keep the Passover of the Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then he shall celebrate the rite. And he shall be just like a native of the land. But if any man is not circumcised, he shall not eat from it.

New American Bible
If any alien residing among you would celebrate the Passover for the LORD, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may join in its celebration just like the natives. But no one who is uncircumcised may eat of it.

New Revised Standard Version
If an alien who resides with you wants to celebrate the passover to the LORD, all his males shall be circumcised; then he may draw near to celebrate it; he shall be regarded as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when a stranger shall sojourn with you who would keep the passover to the LORD, when he has circumcised every male in his household, then he may draw near to take part in it; and he shall be considered as a native of the land; for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when a settler will dwell with you and he will perform Passover to LORD JEHOVAH, whenever he circumcises any male, then he may come near to do it and he will be as a native of the land and no uncircumcised male will eat from it.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Instructions for the Passover
47The whole congregation of Israel must celebrate it. 48If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it. 49The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.”…

Cross References
Genesis 17:12-14
Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. / Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant. / But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Numbers 9:14
If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’”

Leviticus 22:18-25
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites and tell them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or any foreign resident who presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, whether to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, / must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf. / You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. ...

Isaiah 56:6-7
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant— / I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Ezekiel 44:9
This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 16:1-8
Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. / You are to offer to the LORD your God the Passover sacrifice from the herd or flock in the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for His Name. / You must not eat leavened bread with it; for seven days you are to eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left the land of Egypt in haste—so that you may remember for the rest of your life the day you left the land of Egypt. ...

Numbers 15:14-16
And for the generations to come, if a foreigner residing with you or someone else among you wants to prepare a food offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, he is to do exactly as you do. / The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD. / The same law and the same ordinance will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing with you.”

Leviticus 24:22
You are to have the same standard of law for the foreign resident and the native; for I am the LORD your God.’”

1 Kings 8:41-43
And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name— / for they will hear of Your great name and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.

2 Chronicles 6:32-33
And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your great name and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.

Acts 15:19-21
It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God. / Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. / For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. / And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)— / remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. / But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Romans 2:28-29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.


Treasury of Scripture

And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

a stranger

Exodus 12:43
And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:

Numbers 9:14
And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

Numbers 15:15,16
One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD…

let all

Genesis 17:12
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Ezekiel 44:9
Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

Ezekiel 47:22
And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

shall be

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Jump to Previous
Alien Born Celebrate Circumcised Eat Foreigner Household Live Male Males Native Part Passover Sojourn Sojourns Stranger Thereof Uncircumcised Wants
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Alien Born Celebrate Circumcised Eat Foreigner Household Live Male Males Native Part Passover Sojourn Sojourns Stranger Thereof Uncircumcised Wants
Exodus 12
1. The beginning of the year is changed
3. The Passover is instituted
11. The import of the rite of the Passover
15. Unleavened bread
29. The firstborn are slain
31. The Israelites are driven out of the land
37. They come to Succoth
41. The time of their sojourning
43. The ordinance of the Passover














If a foreigner resides with you
The term "foreigner" in Hebrew is "ger," which refers to a non-Israelite living among the Israelites. This highlights the inclusive nature of God's covenant community, allowing those outside the ethnic lineage of Israel to partake in the blessings of the covenant, provided they adhere to its stipulations. Historically, this reflects the openness of the Israelite community to integrate those who genuinely sought to worship Yahweh, emphasizing the universal scope of God's redemptive plan.

wants to celebrate the Passover to the LORD
The Passover, or "Pesach" in Hebrew, is a foundational event commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The desire of a foreigner to celebrate this feast signifies a profound spiritual commitment to the God of Israel. It underscores the transformative power of God's deliverance, which transcends ethnic and cultural boundaries, inviting all who seek Him to participate in His redemptive acts.

all the males in his household must be circumcised
Circumcision, or "brit milah" in Hebrew, is the physical sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:10-14). It represents a commitment to the covenantal relationship with God. For a foreigner to partake in the Passover, this requirement signifies a full integration into the covenant community, symbolizing purity, obedience, and identification with the people of God. It is a profound act of faith and submission to God's will.

then he may come near to celebrate it
The phrase "come near" implies an intimate participation in the sacred observance. It suggests that through circumcision, the foreigner is granted full access to the spiritual and communal life of Israel. This reflects the biblical principle that true worship and fellowship with God require a heart and life aligned with His covenantal standards.

and he shall be like a native of the land
This phrase emphasizes the equality and full acceptance of the foreigner within the covenant community once the covenantal requirements are met. It reflects the biblical theme of unity and equality before God, where faith and obedience, rather than ethnicity, determine one's standing in the community of believers. This foreshadows the New Testament teaching that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:28).

But no uncircumcised man may eat of it
This stipulation underscores the holiness and exclusivity of the Passover meal. It serves as a reminder that participation in the sacred rites of God's people requires adherence to His covenant. The exclusion of the uncircumcised highlights the importance of covenantal faithfulness and the seriousness of entering into a relationship with God. It is a call to purity and dedication, ensuring that those who partake in the Passover do so with reverence and commitment to God's commands.

Verses 48, 49. - And when a stranger, etc. Here we have the positive ordinance corresponding to the implied permission in ver. 19, and modifying in the most important and striking way the prohibitive enactment of ver. 43. The "stranger," even if he only "sojourned" in the land, was to be put on exactly the same spiritual footing as the Israelite ("One law shall be," etc.) if only he and his would be circumcised, and so enter into covenant,

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
וְכִֽי־ (wə·ḵî-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a foreigner
גֵּ֗ר (gêr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1616: A guest, a foreigner

resides
יָג֨וּר (yā·ḡūr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

with
אִתְּךָ֜ (’it·tə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

you and wants to celebrate
וְעָ֣שָׂה (wə·‘ā·śāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the LORD’s
לַיהוָה֒ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

Passover,
פֶסַח֮ (p̄e·saḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6453: A pretermission, exemption, Passover

all the
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

males [in the household]
זָכָ֗ר (zā·ḵār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2145: Remembered, a male

must be circumcised;
הִמּ֧וֹל (him·mō·wl)
Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4135: To cut short, curtail, to blunt, to destroy

then
וְאָז֙ (wə·’āz)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 227: At that time, place, therefore

he may come near
יִקְרַ֣ב (yiq·raḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

to celebrate it,
לַעֲשֹׂת֔וֹ (la·‘ă·śō·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

and he shall be
וְהָיָ֖ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a native
כְּאֶזְרַ֣ח (kə·’ez·raḥ)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 249: A spontaneous growth, native

of the land.
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

But no
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

uncircumcised man
עָרֵ֖ל (‘ā·rêl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6189: Having foreskin (uncircumcised)

may eat
יֹ֥אכַל (yō·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

of it.
בּֽוֹ׃ (bōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 0: 0


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OT Law: Exodus 12:48 When a stranger shall live as (Exo. Ex)
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