“Exodus 7–13,” Old Testament Institute Teacher Manual (2026)
The Passover, by W. H. Margetson
Exodus 7–13
The Lord demonstrated His power before Pharaoh many times through a series of plagues. However, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart and refused to let the children of Israel go. The final plague, which would free the Israelites, was death to all the firstborn children in Egypt. The Lord gave instructions that allowed the plague to pass over the Israelites who obediently put their trust in Him. To help the children of Israel remember that the Lord delivered them from Egypt, He instituted the Passover Feast to be observed each year thereafter.
Additional Resources
Scripture Helps: Old Testament, “Exodus 7–13”
Note: The “Introduction to the Course” provides guidance on how to use the standard lesson elements that follow.
Encouraging Personal Study
Before class, consider sending students one or more of the following messages or some of your own:
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Why is it sometimes difficult to submit to God’s will? While reading Exodus 7–10, consider what you can do to avoid hardening your heart against the Lord and His prophets.
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The scriptures often use symbols to teach us about God and His plan. As you study the account of the Passover and the Israelites’ deliverance in Exodus 12–13, see what you can learn from the symbols you find.
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As you study Exodus 12:14–17, 24–27 and 13:1–16, pay attention to similarities you see between the feast of the Passover and the sacrament.
Questions and Sharing
Provide time for students to ask questions and share insights and truths they discovered in their personal study of Exodus 7–13.
Skill Training
The learning activity for Exodus 12–13 might be a helpful place to use the skill “Understanding Symbolism in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills.
Learning Activity Options
Multiple learning options are provided for you and your students. Prayerfully choose which option or options will be most meaningful for your class. You could also seek input from your students.
Improving Our Teaching and Learning
Look for symbols that testify of Jesus Christ. The scriptures are full of symbols that point to Jesus Christ. It can be helpful to frequently ask students to share what they are learning about Jesus Christ from what they are studying. Discuss what they learn about the Savior from the symbols they find (see Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 7).
What are the dangers of hardening my heart against God?
Consider displaying the following image or drawing a similar one on the board. You could label one heart as “hard” and the other as “soft.”
Then consider asking:
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What are some characteristics of a spiritually hard heart? What are characteristics of a spiritually soft heart?
Invite students to consider the current spiritual condition of their own hearts. You might ask them to think about some of their attitudes or behaviors that might demonstrate a hard heart or a soft heart. Encourage them as they study today to look for the dangers of hardening their hearts against God.
Moses and Aaron in the Court of Pharaoh, by Robert T. Barrett
Consider displaying an image of Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh. Remind students that when Moses and Aaron first asked Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage, Pharaoh rejected their request and instead increased the burdens of the Israelites (see Exodus 5:1–19). The Lord then commanded Moses and Aaron to return to Pharaoh and again tell him to free the Israelites (see Exodus 7:1–2).
Invite students to read Exodus 7:3–5, looking for how the Lord said Pharaoh would respond to this second request to let the Israelites go.
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How did the Lord say Pharaoh would respond? (Be sure students understand that the Joseph Smith Translation clarifies that Pharaoh would harden his own heart [see verse 3, footnote a]. Similar clarifications are also made in later instances [see the footnotes to Exodus 7:13; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10].)
Point out that “my signs and my wonders” mentioned by the Lord in verse 3 are the plagues He would bring upon Egypt because of Pharaoh’s refusal to obey. Consider asking students to share which plagues they can remember. You could then display the following list:
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The Ten Plagues
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Water turned to blood (see Exodus 7:19–25)
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Frogs (see Exodus 8:5–15)
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Lice (see Exodus 8:16–19)
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Flies (see Exodus 8:20–24, 29–32)
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Cattle die (see Exodus 9:1–7)
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Boils (see Exodus 9:8–12)
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Hail and fire from the sky (see Exodus 9:22–35)
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Locusts (see Exodus 10:12–20)
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Darkness (see Exodus 10:21–27)
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Death of every firstborn (see Exodus 11:4–10; 12:29–33)
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Give students a few minutes to study some of the verses in the list. Invite them to ponder what they can learn from Pharaoh’s responses to the plagues. After students have finished studying, consider displaying the following questions and inviting students to share their answers with a partner:
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What stood out to you about Pharaoh’s actions in the verses you studied?
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What lessons can you learn from this account about the consequences of hardening our hearts against God?
Ask a few students to share what they discussed. They might identify a truth like this: If we harden our hearts against God, we can bring negative consequences on ourselves and others.
Invite students to study some of the following scriptures, looking for additional insights about hardening and softening our hearts:
Consider asking questions like the following to help students share their insights:
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What can cause our hearts to become spiritually hardened or softened?
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What negative consequences can result from having a hardened heart?
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How can God bless us when we have a softened heart? (Consider inviting a few students to share examples from their own lives.)
Conclude by inviting students to record how the Spirit has impressed them to develop or maintain a soft heart toward God. Encourage students to write down specific actions they will take. Consider inviting a few students to share ideas that are not too personal.
What can the symbols of the Passover teach me about Jesus Christ?
Invite students to think of a symbol used in the scriptures and to share what it teaches them about Jesus Christ or His gospel. They could share this symbol with a partner or small group. (For more ideas about how to introduce the topic of symbolism, see “Understanding Symbolism in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills).
Remind students that on the night before Israel was delivered from Egypt, the Lord introduced the Passover. He gave the Israelites specific instructions to follow that would cause death to “pass over” their firstborn children without harm. The Passover was filled with symbolism that would teach the Israelites about the Lord and about their own experiences.
Invite students to search Exodus 12:3–15, 21–23 to see what symbols they can find. Encourage them to particularly pay attention to what they can learn about Jesus Christ from these verses. If needed, you could first identify and discuss one symbol together as a class. You could also have them refer to the entry for Exodus 12:1–15 in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.
To help students organize their thoughts, encourage them to use a table like the following:
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Symbol and verse |
Possible meanings |
|---|---|
When students have finished, invite them to share what they learned. You could also write the following truth on the board and invite them to share how they see that truth represented through the symbols of the Passover: Jesus Christ offers us deliverance from the bondage of sin and death through His blood.
To help students better understand how these symbols can relate to their lives, consider discussing the following questions:
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How is sin similar to the bondage the Israelites experienced?
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What can we do to access the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement?
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What do you know about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that can help when you or others are in need of deliverance? (As part of this discussion, consider sharing the following statement by Elder Patrick Kearon.)
The intent of the Father’s great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities. It is not to prevent your happiness and cause you instead worry and fear.
The intent of the Father’s plan of redemption is in fact your redemption, your being rescued through the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, freed from the captivity of sin and death. It is not to leave you as you are. (“God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May 2024, 87–88)
Testify of the truths you have discussed today and of Jesus Christ’s power to deliver us.
Exodus 12:14–17, 24–27; 13:1–16
How can the sacrament help me remember my deliverance through Jesus Christ?
Consider displaying an image of Jesus Christ.
Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, by Heinrich Hofmann (detail)
Remind students that each week as we partake of the sacrament, we covenant to “always remember” Jesus Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79). Then consider inviting students to discuss the following questions with a partner:
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What helps you remember Jesus Christ?
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What do you feel is important to remember about Him?
Invite students to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as they study this lesson to help them know what they can do to remember the Savior each day.
You could display an image depicting the Passover and invite students to summarize what they remember about the miracle of the first Passover (if needed, they could study Exodus 12:1–13).
The Passover Supper, by Brian Call
Explain that the Lord commanded His people to repeat the Passover meal “throughout [their] generations” (Exodus 12:14). Invite students to study the following passages, looking for words and phrases that indicate what the Lord wanted the Israelites to remember and do.
Then ask a question like the following:
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What was the preparing and partaking of the Passover meal designed to help the Israelites remember about the Lord?
Explain that in New Testament times, during a Passover meal known as the Last Supper, Jesus Christ introduced what we know today as the sacrament.
In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane
Invite students to read Luke 22:13–15, 19–20. You could have a discussion with the class, asking questions such as these:
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How is the sacrament ordinance like Passover? How is it different?
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Why have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ provided ordinances like Passover and the sacrament for us?
Students may identify various truths, including these: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ provide ordinances like Passover and the sacrament to help us remember Them.
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What difference can it make in our lives to consistently remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? (As part of this discussion, consider sharing the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund.)
Our Heavenly Father wants us to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness, not for Their own gratification but for the influence such remembrance has on us. By considering Their kindness, our perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, we become more humble, prayerful, and steadfast. (“Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 41)
Give students time to ponder about the significance of the sacrament ordinance and how partaking of the sacrament can help them draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The following are some ideas that could help the class discuss and learn more:
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Have a discussion about what students have done to make the sacrament more meaningful in their lives. They could also share blessings they have experienced from remembering Jesus Christ during the sacrament and throughout the week.
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Sing or read the words to sacrament hymns (for example, “While of These Emblems We Partake” or “How Great the Wisdom and the Love,” in Hymns). Students could share words or phrases that stand out to them.
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Have students identify some of the symbols of the Passover mentioned in Exodus 12:1–12. They could discuss how these and other symbols could help them remember the Savior as they partake of the sacrament.
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Ask students to read the sacrament prayers in Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79. They could record their impressions regarding the covenant promises and blessings stated in the prayers.
Invite students to quietly reflect on what they have learned or felt during the lesson. Encourage them to consider what they can do to make the sacrament a more meaningful part of their worship.