Why We Observe the Passover at the Beginning of the 14th Day

The timing of Passover observance has been debated for millennia. Today, many Jews and Christians who keep the Passover do so at the end of the 14th day of the first month, as the 15th begins. This timing is often based on a particular interpretation of the term “twilight” in Exodus 12:6, which some understand to mean the period between late afternoon and sunset—a window that, by their reckoning, places the killing of the lamb at the end of the 14th day.

This later observance was already widely accepted in the first century. John 18:28 notes that certain religious leaders had not yet eaten the Passover even after Jesus had kept it with His disciples—suggesting not all Jews kept it at the same time. The Pharisees and Sadducees, in particular, held differing views on calendar calculations and Temple rituals, which likely contributed to the divergence in practice (cf. Josephus, Antiquities 13.8.4).

But there has also long been a view—still held by some today—that the Passover should be kept at the beginning of the 14th, right after sunset. This is the view we follow, and below is the rationale behind this belief and why we feel it aligns with both the biblical record and the example of Christ.

1. The Example of Christ

In Luke 22:15, Jesus said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (NKJV). This Passover meal took place on the evening He was betrayed, marking the start of the 14th day. Jesus was crucified later that same day (Luke 23:44–46).

John 18:28 tells us the Jewish leaders “did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” Their observance was still future—presumably after sunset, as the 15th began. The contrast is clear: the mainstream observance of Passover at that time likely followed the Pharisaic reckoning, while Jesus kept it a day earlier.

A major factor in this difference comes down to how one interprets the Hebrew phrase ben ha’arbayim (בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם), translated “between the evenings” in Exodus 12:6.

Two Interpretations of Ben ha’arbayim:

• Traditional Rabbinic View: Places ben ha’arbayim between mid-afternoon and sunset—roughly from when the sun begins to decline (around 3 p.m.) to its setting. Based on this, the Passover lamb would be killed late on the 14th, just before the 15th begins.
  
• Alternate View (Our Understanding): We understand ben ha’arbayim to mean the period after sunset but before complete darkness—roughly twilight or early evening. This interpretation places the killing of the lamb just after the 14th begins, in the early part of the night.
  

This view has precedent not only among some early Christians but also among Karaite Jews, who rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees and based their practices solely on the written Torah. Karaites historically interpreted ben ha’arbayim as referring to early evening, just after sunset.

We believe this aligns with how the first Passover unfolded in Exodus 12 and how Christ observed the Passover with His disciples. It also avoids the logistical challenges associated with a late-14th observance, as we’ll explore next.

2. The Timing of the First Passover

The original Passover, described in Exodus 12, provides essential context. The Israelites were commanded to kill the lamb “at twilight” on the 14th (Exodus 12:6), apply the blood (v. 7), and roast and eat the lamb that night (v. 8). At midnight, the LORD struck down Egypt’s firstborn (v. 29), prompting Pharaoh to call for Moses and Aaron and release the Israelites (v. 31).

Other passages help complete the timeline:

• Deuteronomy 16:1 says the Israelites left “by night.”
  
• Numbers 33:3 states they departed from Rameses “on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the day after the Passover.”
  

If the Passover meal took place at the beginning of the 14th, this timeline flows naturally. But if the lamb was killed at the end of the 14th, then the Israelites would have had only a few hours—between midnight and sunrise on the 15th—to pack up, receive goods from the Egyptians, and begin their departure. That brings us to the next point.

3. The Logistics of Leaving Egypt

Here’s where things get practical. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people—men, women, children, livestock—leaving Egypt in a single night. The traditional view holds that the Passover lamb was slain late on the 14th, with the meal eaten as the 15th began. According to this view:

• Just after midnight on the 15th, Pharaoh gives permission for Israel to leave.
  
• Moses and Aaron would need to spread this message—likely through runners—throughout the land.
  
• The Israelites, already packed, would need to gather their families, livestock, and belongings.
  
• They would also receive gold and silver from the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35–36).
  
• All of this would have to happen before sunrise—and then they would depart?
  

This sequence poses a significant logistical problem. More importantly, it overlooks a direct command from God: “None of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning” (Exodus 12:22). If Israel couldn’t leave their homes until morning, how could they feasibly pack, organize, and begin a massive national departure all within the remaining few hours of darkness while staying in till morning?

Now consider the alternate timeline we follow:

• The Passover meal is kept at the beginning of the 14th.
  
• That same night, the death angel strikes Egypt at midnight.
  
• Pharaoh sends word to Moses and Aaron, who were likely several miles away.
  
• Israel is commanded not to leave their homes until morning (Exodus 12:22)—so word of their release likely spreads in the early morning of the 14th.
  
• During the daylight hours, the Israelites finish packing, organize their flocks and herds, and receive gold and silver from the Egyptians—who lived apart from them.
  
• By the beginning of the 15th—after sunset—they depart Egypt, as Numbers 33:3 confirms.
  

This timeline is both consistent with Scripture and far more plausible from a practical standpoint.

4. A Minority View—But Rooted in Scripture

While this is not the majority view today, it is deeply rooted in the biblical text. Even during Jesus’ lifetime, there was disagreement over Passover timing. The fact that He kept the meal at the start of the 14th and was not corrected or questioned by His disciples is noteworthy.

When we consider the sequence in Exodus, the Gospel accounts, and the timing of Christ’s actions, we find strong support for observing the Passover at the beginning of the 14th day.

That is why we continue to observe it quietly, simply, and with reverence—as the 14th begins.