In these chapters the 10th and final plague came upon the Egyptians, the plague on the firstborn of both men and animals. It reached Pharaoh in his palace to the depths of the dungeon. "There was not a house without someone dead" (12:30b). The Israelites were spared because they sacrificed a lamb without spot or blemish and sacrificed him and put his blood on the door post. Then at midnight when the destroyer saw the blood, he passed over the house. This is called the Passover. It was then that Pharoah cried out, "Go, worship the Lord as you have requested, and also bless me" (12:32). The Lord led them out of Egypt, and they celebrated the feast of unleavened bread, since they left so quickly they did not have time for their bread to rise. At the end of the seven days of only eating unleavened bread, they then were instructed to consecrate their firstborn animal and dedicate their firstborn son to God, since they were spared in Egypt. This served as a reminder to their children of the great things that the Lord did for them while they were in Egypt. On their journey, the Lord led them, not the easy way or the short way, but His way, and He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and "it never left its place in front of the people" (13:22).
