The religious tradition of Israel eventually combined the Feast of Unleavened Bread with Passover. These two feasts did not initially start in Israel. Instead, they arose among ancient semi-nomadic tribes committed to pastoralism (as mentioned in 12:1-14) and other settled cultures focused on grain farming. These communities celebrated an ancient rite at the beginning of the new harvest, where they would discard all fermented products and eat unleavened bread while preparing new leaven for dough. The event was joyful and festive. In many villages, “harvest festivals” are still celebrated, reflecting their earliest meaning.
In Israel, the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread merged, gaining a new focus on the Lord’s act of liberation for His people. Initially, both feasts held religious significance: they protected people and livestock from evil influences and gave farmers hope that the upcoming harvest would be free from harm, such as drought, theft, or fire. In Israel, these meanings combined into one: God delivers His people from threats to their livelihood and the deadly schemes of Pharaoh.