Add parallel Print Page Options

Sanctifying the Firstborn

13 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, (A)Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first [a]offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

And Moses said to the people, “(B)Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of [b]slavery; for (C)by a strong hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. (D)And nothing leavened shall be eaten. This day, in the (E)month of Abib, you are going out. And it shall be when Yahweh (F)brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which (G)He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, (H)that you shall [c]do this service in this month. For (I)seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to Yahweh. Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and (J)nothing leavened shall be seen [d]among you, nor shall any leaven be seen [e]among you in all your borders. (K)And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And (L)it will be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with (M)a strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt. 10 Therefore, you shall (N)keep this statute at its appointed time from [f]year to year.

11 “And it will be when (O)Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as (P)He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 (Q)and you shall [g]devote to Yahweh the first [h]offspring of every womb and [i]the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to Yahweh. 13 But (R)every first [j]offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and (S)every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 (T)And it will be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘(U)With a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, from the house of [k]slavery. 15 And it happened, when Pharaoh hardened his heart with stiffness about letting us go, that (V)Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to Yahweh the males, the first [l]offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 So (W)it will be as a sign on your hand and as [m]phylacteries between your eyes, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”

Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17 Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “(X)Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the [n]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up (Y)in battle array from the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took (Z)the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely [o]take care of you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.” 20 Then they set out from (AA)Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 (AB)And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. 22 [p]He (AC)did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 13:2 Lit opening
  2. Exodus 13:3 Lit slaves
  3. Exodus 13:5 Lit serve this service
  4. Exodus 13:7 Lit to
  5. Exodus 13:7 Lit to
  6. Exodus 13:10 Lit days to days
  7. Exodus 13:12 Lit cause to pass over
  8. Exodus 13:12 Lit opening
  9. Exodus 13:12 Lit every issue the offspring of a beast
  10. Exodus 13:13 Lit opening
  11. Exodus 13:14 Lit slaves
  12. Exodus 13:15 Lit opening
  13. Exodus 13:16 Or frontlet-bands
  14. Exodus 13:18 Lit Sea of Reeds
  15. Exodus 13:19 Lit visit
  16. Exodus 13:22 Or The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart

13 The Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.”(A)

The Festival of Unleavened Bread

Moses said to the people, “Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten.(B) Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month.(C) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the Lord.(D) Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory. You shall tell your child on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’(E) It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the Lord may be on your lips, for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.(F) 10 You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.(G)

The Consecration of the Firstborn

11 “When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn offspring of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s.(H) 13 But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem.(I) 14 When in the future your child asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall answer, ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.(J) 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’(K) 16 It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem[a] on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”(L)

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer, for God thought, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.”(M) 18 So God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness bordering the Red Sea.[b] The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle. 19 And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, “God will surely come to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here.”(N) 20 They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.(O) 21 The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.(P) 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. 13.16 Or as a frontlet; meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 13.18 Or Sea of Reeds