מֶּ֫סַח noun masculine passover (usually (Thes and most) from I. פסח, with reference to Exodus 12:13 etc.; Reuss^{Geschichte. AT § 58} passing over into new year; Schaefer^{Passah-Mazzoth (1900), 346} compare Assyrian pašâ—u, soothe, placate [deity], < be soothed, Pi`el transitive, Jen^{ZA iv (1889), 275} Zim^{Babylonian Rel. i (1896). Glossary}; ii (1899), 92; Schw^{Idiot, 124} from II. פסח, of sacred dance); — absolute ׳פ Exodus 12:11 +; מָּ֑סַח Exodus 12:21 +; plural מְּסָחִים2Chronicles 30:17 3t.; —

1 sacrifice of Passover, involving communion-meal, hence a species of peace-offering (compare I. זֶבַח II. 2), ׳הוא לי ׳זֶבַח פ Exodus 12:27 (J), compare Exodus 12:11 (P); ׳זָבַח פ Deuteronomy 16:2,5,6; ׳אבל הפ2Chronicles 30:18; the special feature lay in the application of blood to homes to consecrate them: compare simile Babylonian rite of purification Zim^{ib. ii. 126-7.}

2 the animal victim of the passover: ׳שׁחט פ Exodus 12:21 (J) 2 Chron 30:15; 35:1; 35:6; 35:11; Ezra 6:20, compare 2Chronicles 30:17; באשׁ ׳בשׁל הפ2Chronicles 35:13; לפסחים2Chronicles 35:7,8,9. [Passover animals (compare Br^Hex.206) were צאֹן flock Exodus 12:21 (J), שֶׁה Exodus 12:3; Exodus 12:4; Exodus 12:5, including כֶּבֶשׁ and עֵז Exodus 12:5 (P); צאן ובקר Deuteronomy 16:2; large numbers of all these (שֶׂה not used) in Josiah's Passover, active to 2Chronicles 35:7,8,9, but evident mingling of whole burnt-offerings for the passover with special passover victim.]

3 festival of the passover : ׳חג הפ Exodus 34:25 (J); ׳(ה)פ Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16; Numbers 33:3; Joshua 5:11 (P) Ezekiel 45:21; ׳חֻקַּת הפ Exodus 12:43; Numbers 9:12,14 (P); ׳עשׂה פ Exodus 12:48; Numbers 9:2,4,5,6,10,13,14; Joshua 5:10 (P) Deuteronomy 16:1; 2 Kings 23:21,22,23; 2Chronicles 30:1,2,5; 35:1,16,17,18 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 35:19; Ezra 6:19; it was held in month הָאָבִיב Deuteronomy 16:1, בָּעָ֑רֶב Deuteronomy 16:6; on 14th day Joshua 5:10 (P), of 1st month Ezekiel 45:21; בֵּין הערבים (Exodus 12:6) Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 9:5 (P); if impossible at that time, then on 14th of 2nd month Numbers 9:10,12. [No reference to מֶּסַח in E; J subordinates it to מַצּוֺת (the great feast of J E); in D it predominates over מצות; P makes it first in importance (Br^Hex.195f.)].]