If Passover is not a high day, why then does Exodus 34:25 refer to the Passover as a “feast”?

“Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left unto the morning” (Exodus 34:25).

The word “feast” mentioned in Exodus 34:25 should in fact be rendered victim. By the insertion of the word victim the undeniable meaning of this passage will become explicit. The word “feast” in Exodus 34 is from the Hebrew word, No. 2282, chag. The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordancedefines chag as: “from 2287, a festival, or a victim therefor:–(solemn). Feast (day), sacrifice, solemnity.”

The Strong’s only offers a general definition so it becomes a necessity to look at the over all evidence of the Passover and what was commanded not to left until the morning. Chag only offers two possibilities. One possibility being a feast day, and the other possibility being a type of sacrifice or victim.

If we would leave the word “feast” in Exodus 34:25 we would have to conclude that we are not to leave the feast until the morning; however, if the word” “victim” was to be inserted this passage would become unmistakably clear.

By inserting victim this passage would read as follows: “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the [victim] of the Passover be left unto the morning.” What was the victim of the Passover? The Passover victim was that yearling lamb or goat, which was selecting from the herd of the 10th day of Abib (the first Hebrew month), and then slaughtered for the Passover sacrifice.

Exodus 12:10 reveals that the Passover lamb or goat was not to be left until the morning and if it was it was to be burnt with fire. “And you shall let nothing of it (i.e. the Passover victim) remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning you shall burn with fire.”

Exodus 12 shows plainly that the Passover victim was not to be left until the morning. The word “feast” in Exodus 34 is a poor translation. This translation does not agree with the other passages that concern the Passover, yet through the Strong’s and by example through Exodus 12:10 we would have to resolve that Exodus 34 is speaking of the Passover sacrifice, not a high feast day.