Bible Strands

Exodus 12:39

Since their dough had no leaven, the people baked what they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves. For when they had been driven out of Egypt, they could not delay and had not prepared any provisions for themselves.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the Israelites immediately following Pharaoh's nighttime command to depart, capturing the moment of their sudden exodus alongside livestock and a mixed multitude.

The words — וַ/יֹּאפ֨וּ (va/yi'ofu) means "and they baked," paired with מַצּ֖וֹת (matzot), literally "unleavened bread[s]," which the text identifies as the direct result of baking their leavenless dough.

The thread — The account of sudden departure and unprepared provisions connects to Exodus 12:38, which records the mixed multitude and livestock, and Exodus 12:40, which establishes the 430-year duration of the Egyptian stay.

Why it lands — The text states that the people baked their dough into unleavened loaves because they were driven out without delay and had prepared no provisions, requiring the reader to recognize the physical reality of a forced, unanticipated departure.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּאפ֨וּva/i.yo.Fuand/ they bakedאֶת־'et-<obj.>הַבָּצֵ֜קha./ba.Tzekthe/ doughאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhichהוֹצִ֧יאוּho.Tzi.'uthey had brought outמִמִּצְרַ֛יִםmi./mitz.Ra.yimfrom/ Egyptעֻגֹ֥ת'u.Gotbread cakesמַצּ֖וֹתma.Tzotunleavened bread<s>כִּ֣יkiforלֹ֣אlo'notחָמֵ֑ץcha.Metzit was leavenedכִּֽי־ki-forגֹרְשׁ֣וּgo.re.Shuthey had been driven outמִמִּצְרַ֗יִםmi./mitz.Ra.yimfrom/ Egyptוְלֹ֤אve./Lo'and/ notיָֽכְלוּ֙ya.khe.Luthey had been ableלְהִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּle./hit.mah.Me.ahto/ delayוְגַם־ve./gam-and/ alsoצֵדָ֖הtze.Dahprovision[s]לֹא־lo'-notעָשׂ֥וּ'a.Suthey had madeלָהֶֽם׃la./Hemfor <the>/ themselves

King James Version

And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

Cross-references