The puzzle of which day the original Passover was kept on –and which day began the Feast of Unleavened Bread – is the matter taken up in this study. There are generally only two possible days upon which the Passover was kept…either the 14th or the 15th…yet there are at least three viewpoints. All three are based on the Old Testament “first mention” of Passover in Exodus 12, but with different conclusions. And the first two of those are based on a misinterpretation, as I see it, not from that passage, but from the insertion of a strongly implied wording of a passage from Leviticus 23:5-7, using what I call a “cross-contextual insertion”. See that explanation in the Definitions page.
This is the crux of the hypothesis that follows, which exposes the third viewpoint…a juxtaposition between the clear reference to the Passover on the 14th in verse 5 of Leviticus 23, and an implied reference to the first day of unleavened bread being on the fifteenth, conflated in verses 6 and 7. This assumption is then “inserted” into the meaning of Exodus 12:6, which is then interpreted differently by the first and second viewpoints, using other supporting passages to support their particular viewpoint. But the first two viewpoints start with this Leviticus passage. I’m using bolded and/or underlining for emphasis…
First, in the King James Version (KJV+ with Strong’s Numbers), then the Jewish Publication Society version (JPS), then Coulter’s The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version (AFV in e-Sword), Leviticus 23, verses 5 through 7:
(KJV+) Lev 23:5 In the fourteenthH702 H6240 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320 atH996 evenH6153 is the LORD’SH3068 passover.H6453
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenthH2568 H6240 dayH3117 of the sameH2088 monthH2320 is the feastH2282 of unleavened breadH4682 unto the LORD:H3068 sevenH7651 daysH3117 ye must eatH398 unleavened bread.H4682
Lev 23:7 In the firstH7223 dayH3117 ye shall haveH1961 an holyH6944 convocation:H4744 ye shall doH6213 noH3808 H3605 servileH5656 workH4399 therein.
(JPS) Lev 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD’S passover.