Exodus 13:12

12 you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh.

Exodus 13:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:12

That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the
matrix
Or "the womb", as in ( Exodus 13:2 ) , and this phrase, "set apart", explains the word "sanctify" there, and shows that it signifies the separating of such to the use and service of God, causing it to "pass", as the word ^F4 here used signifies, from a man's own power and use, to be the Lord's only: and every firstling that cometh from a beast which thou hast;
or "even every firstling" ^F5, explaining what is meant by what opens the matrix or womb, even every firstborn of a beast; though Jarchi interprets it of an abortion, what comes before its time, that this also should be set apart to the Lord; this must be understood of the firstlings of clean creatures, fit for food and sacrifice, such as the firstlings of cows, sheep, and goats, ( Numbers 18:17 ) as distinguished from unclean ones in the following verse: the males [shall be] the Lord's;
which explains what sort of firstborn of man and beast were to be set apart for his use, not females, though the first that opened the womb; but males.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (trbehw) "et transire facies", Pagninus, Montanus, Fagius, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright; so Ainsworth.
F5 (rjp lkw) "etiam quicunque vel quicquid aperuerit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Ainsworth.

Exodus 13:12 In-Context

10 And you will keep this statute at its appointed time {from year to year}.

11 "And when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your ancestors, and he gives it to you,

12 you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh.

13 And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.

14 And when your son asks you {in the future}, saying, 'What [is] this?' you will say to him, 'With strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from a house of slaves.