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Consecration of the Firstborn

13 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelis, both of humans and of animals, belongs to me.”

The Festival of Unleavened Bread

Then Moses told the people, “Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, from the house of bondage, because the Lord brought you out from this place with a strong show of force.[a] Moreover, nothing leavened is to be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. When the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your ancestors to give you—a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ritual in this month. You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord. Unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days, and nothing leavened is to be seen among you, nor is leaven to be seen among you throughout your territory. And you are to tell your child on that day, ‘This is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ It is to be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead,[b] so that you may speak about the instruction[c] of the Lord; for the Lord brought you out of Egypt with a strong show of force.[d] 10 You are to keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.”

The Redemption of the Firstborn

11 “When the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite and gives it to you, just as he promised you and your ancestors, 12 you are to dedicate to the Lord everything that first opens the womb. All the firstborn males[e] of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 You are to redeem every firstborn donkey[f] with a lamb, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn[g] among your sons. 14 Then when your child asks you in the future, ‘What is this?’, you are to say to him, ‘The Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage with a strong show of force.[h] 15 And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of humans to the firstborn of animals. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but I redeem every firstborn of my sons. 16 It is to be a sign on your hand and an emblem[i] on your forehead,[j] because the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong show of force.’”[k]

God Guides the People in the Desert

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer, because God had said, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people the roundabout way of the desert toward the Reed[l] Sea. The Israelis went up from the land of Egypt in military formation.[m] 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph[n] had made the Israelis take this solemn oath: “God will certainly take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones up with you from here.” 20 They left Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the desert. 21 The Lord went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 13:3 Lit. strong hand
  2. Exodus 13:9 Lit. between your eyes
  3. Exodus 13:9 Or Law
  4. Exodus 13:9 Lit. strong hand
  5. Exodus 13:12 Lit. Whatever first opens the womb
  6. Exodus 13:13 Lit. Whatever first opens the womb
  7. Exodus 13:13 Lit. firstborn of man
  8. Exodus 13:14 Lit. strong hand
  9. Exodus 13:16 Or phylacteries
  10. Exodus 13:16 Lit. between your eyes
  11. Exodus 13:16 Lit. strong hand
  12. Exodus 13:18 So MT; LXX reads Red
  13. Exodus 13:18 Or prepared for battle
  14. Exodus 13:19 Lit. he

Consecration of the Firstborn

13 The Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male.(A) The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt,(B) out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.(C) Eat nothing containing yeast.(D) Today, in the month of Aviv,(E) you are leaving. When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites,(F) Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites(G)—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey(H)—you are to observe this ceremony(I) in this month: For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival(J) to the Lord. Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. On that day tell your son,(K) ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand(L) and a reminder on your forehead(M) that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.(N) 10 You must keep this ordinance(O) at the appointed time(P) year after year.

11 “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites(Q) and gives it to you, as he promised on oath(R) to you and your ancestors,(S) 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.(T) 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey,(U) but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.(V) Redeem(W) every firstborn among your sons.(X)

14 “In days to come, when your son(Y) asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(Z) 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’(AA) 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead(AB) that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

Crossing the Sea

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”(AC) 18 So God led(AD) the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.[a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.(AE)

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph(AF) with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”[b](AG)

20 After leaving Sukkoth(AH) they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.(AI) 21 By day the Lord went ahead(AJ) of them in a pillar of cloud(AK) to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left(AL) its place in front of the people.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 13:18 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Exodus 13:19 See Gen. 50:25.