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.

Notas al pie

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

The Firstborn Consecrated

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (A)“Consecrate[a] to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread(B)

And Moses said to the people: (C)“Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of [b]bondage; for (D)by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. (E)No leavened bread shall be eaten. (F)On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be, when the Lord (G)brings you into the (H)land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He (I)swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, (J)that you shall keep this service in this month. (K)Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And (L)no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall (M)tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as (N)a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. 10 (O)You shall therefore keep this [c]ordinance in its season from year to year.

The Law of the Firstborn

11 “And it shall be, when the Lord (P)brings you into the land of the (Q)Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 (R)that you shall [d]set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. 13 But (S)every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons (T)you shall redeem. 14 (U)So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, (V)‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that (W)the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as (X)a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

The Wilderness Way(Y)

17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people (Z)change their minds when they see war, and (AA)return to Egypt.” 18 So God (AB)led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

19 And Moses took the (AC)bones of (AD)Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, (AE)“God will surely [e]visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”

20 So (AF)they took their journey from (AG)Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. 21 And (AH)the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Notas al pie

  1. Exodus 13:2 Set apart
  2. Exodus 13:3 Lit. slaves
  3. Exodus 13:10 regulation
  4. Exodus 13:12 Lit. cause to pass over
  5. Exodus 13:19 give attention to

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.

Notas al pie

  1. 13.16 Or as a frontlet; meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 13.18 Or Sea of Reeds