Éxodo 13

Consagración de los primogénitos israelitas

1 El SEÑOR habló con Moisés y le dijo:

2 «Conságrame el primogénito de todo vientre. Míos son todos los primogénitos israelitas y todos los primeros machos de sus animales».

3 Moisés le dijo al pueblo: «Acuérdense de este día en que salen de Egipto, país donde han sido esclavos y de donde el SEÑOR los saca desplegando su poder. No coman pan con levadura.

4 Ustedes salen hoy, en el mes de aviv,

5 y en este mismo mes deberán celebrar esta ceremonia, cuando ya el SEÑOR los haya hecho entrar en la tierra que prometió dar a los antepasados de ustedes. Se trata de la tierra de los cananeos, hititas, amorreos, heveos y jebuseos: ¡tierra donde abundan la leche y la miel!

6 Durante siete días comerán pan sin levadura, y el día séptimo celebrarán una fiesta en honor al SEÑOR.

7 En ningún lugar de su territorio debe haber nada que contenga levadura. Ni siquiera habrá levadura entre ustedes. Comerán pan sin levadura durante esos siete días.

8 »Ese día ustedes les dirán a sus hijos:^[a] “Esto lo hacemos por lo que hizo el SEÑOR por nosotros cuando salimos de Egipto”.

9 Y será para ustedes como una marca distintiva en la mano o en la frente, que les hará recordar que la ley del SEÑOR debe estar en sus labios, porque el SEÑOR los sacó de Egipto desplegando su poder.

10 Año tras año, en la misma fecha, cumplirán con esta ley.

11 »Una vez que el SEÑOR los haga entrar en la tierra de los cananeos y se la haya dado, conforme al juramento que les hizo a ustedes y a sus antepasados,

12 le dedicarán al SEÑOR el primogénito de todo vientre, y todo primer macho de su ganado, pues estos le pertenecen al SEÑOR.

13 El primogénito de una asna podrá ser rescatado a cambio de un cordero; pero si no se rescata, se le quebrará el cuello. Todos los primogénitos de ustedes o de sus descendientes deberán ser rescatados.

14 »El día de mañana, cuando sus hijos les pregunten: “¿Y esto qué significa?”, les dirán: “El SEÑOR, desplegando su poder, nos sacó de Egipto, país donde fuimos esclavos.

15 Cuando el faraón se empeñó en no dejarnos ir, el SEÑOR les quitó la vida a todos los primogénitos de Egipto, tanto de hombres como de animales. Por eso le ofrecemos al SEÑOR en sacrificio el primer macho que nace, y rescatamos a nuestros primogénitos”.

16 Esto será para ustedes como una marca distintiva en la mano o en la frente, de que el SEÑOR nos sacó de Egipto desplegando su poder».

El paso del Mar Rojo

17 Cuando el faraón dejó salir a los israelitas, Dios no los llevó por el camino que atraviesa la tierra de los filisteos, que era el más corto, pues pensó: «Si se les presentara batalla, podrían cambiar de idea y regresar a Egipto».

18 Por eso les hizo dar un rodeo por el camino del desierto, en dirección al Mar Rojo.Los israelitas salieron de Egipto en formación de combate.

19 Moisés se llevó consigo los restos de José, según este se lo había pedido a los israelitas bajo juramento. Estas habían sido las palabras de José: «Pueden contar ustedes con que Dios vendrá en su ayuda. Cuando eso suceda, llévense de aquí mis restos».

20 Los israelitas partieron de Sucot y acamparon en Etam, donde comienza el desierto.

21 De día, el SEÑOR iba al frente de ellos en una columna de nube para indicarles el camino; de noche, los alumbraba con una columna de fuego. De ese modo podían viajar de día y de noche.

22 Jamás la columna de nube dejaba de guiar al pueblo durante el día, ni la columna de fuego durante la noche.

Éxodo 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

The first-born sanctified to God The remembrance of the passover commanded. (1-10) The firstlings of beasts set apart. (11-16) Joseph's bones carried with the Israelites, They come to Etham. (17-20) God guideth the Israelites by a pillar of cloud fire. (21,22)

Verses 1-10 In remembrance of the destruction of the first-born of Egypt, both of man and of beast, and the deliverance of the Israelites out of bondage, the first-born males of the Israelites were set apart to the Lord. By this was set before them, that their lives were preserved through the ransom of the atonement, which in due time was to be made for sin. They were also to consider their lives, thus ransomed from death, as now to be consecrated to the service of God. The parents were not to look upon themselves as having any right in their first-born, till they solemnly presented them to God, and allowed his title to them. That which is, by special mercy, spared to us, should be applied to God's honour; at least, some grateful acknowledgment, in works of piety and charity, should be made. The remembrance of their coming out of Egypt must be kept up every year. The day of Christ's resurrection is to be remembered, for in it we were raised up with Christ out of death's house of bondage. The Scripture tells us not expressly what day of the year Christ rose, but it states particularly what day of the week it was; as the more valuable deliverance, it should be remembered weekly. The Israelites must keep the feast of unleavened bread. Under the gospel, we must not only remember Christ, but observe his holy supper. Do this in remembrance of him. Also care must be taken to teach children the knowledge of God. Here is an old law for catechising. It is of great use to acquaint children betimes with the histories of the Bible. And those who have God's law in their heart should have it in their mouth, and often speak of it, to affect themselves, and to teach others.

Verses 11-16 The firstlings of beast not used in sacrifice, were to be changed for others so used, or they were to be destroyed. Our souls are forfeited to God's justice, and unless ransomed by the sacrifice of Christ, will certainly perish. These institutions would continually remind them of their duty, to love and serve the Lord. In like manner, baptism and the Lord's supper, if explained and attended to, would remind us, and give us occasion to remind one another of our profession and duty.

Verses 17-20 There were two ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was only a few days' journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way in which God chose to lead his people Israel. The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red sea; the Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness. God's way is the right way, though it seems about. If we think he leads not his people the nearest way, yet we may be sure he leads them the best way, and so it will appear when we come to our journey's end. The Philistines were powerful enemies; it was needful that the Israelites should be prepared for the wars of Canaan, by passing through the difficulties of the wilderness. Thus God proportions his people's trials to their strength, 1Co. 10:13 . They went up in good order. They went up in five in a rank, some; in five bands, so others, which it seems rather to their faith and hope, that God would bring them to Canaan, in expectation of which they carried these bones with them while in the desert.

Verses 21-22 The Lord went before them in a pillar, or appearance of the Divine Majesty. Christ was with the church in the ( 1 Corinthians. 10:13 ) he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them through it. It was great satisfaction to Moses and the pious Israelites, to be sure that they were under Divine guidance. Those who make the glory of God their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit of God the guide of their affections, and the providence of God the guide of their affairs, may be sure that the Lord goes before them, though they cannot see it with their eyes: we must now live by faith. When Israel marched, this pillar went before, and pointed out the place of encampment, as Divine Wisdom saw fit. It sheltered by day from the heat, and gave light by night. The Bible is a light to our feet, a lantern to our paths, with which the Saviour's love has provided us. It testifies of Christ. It is to us like the pillar to the Israelites. Listen to that voice which cries, I am the Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life, ( John 8:12 ) . Jesus Christ alone, as shown in the Bible, and as the Holy Spirit, in answer to prayer, recommends him to the soul, is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, ( John 14:6 ) .

Footnotes

• [a]. "ustedes les dirán a sus hijos" . Lit. "le dirás a tu hijo" . En vv. 8-16 el texto hebreo usa el singular en sentido colectivo.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 13

This chapter begins with an order to sanctify or set apart the firstborn of man and beast to the Lord, Ex 13:1,2 and the people of Israel are charged to keep the feast of unleavened bread in its season, from year to year, when they came into the land of Canaan, the reason of which they were to acquaint their children with, Ex 13:3-10 and they are also directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to set apart every firstling of a beast unto the Lord, and particularly the firstling of an ass was to be redeemed with a lamb, or its neck to be broke, and all the firstborn of men were to be redeemed also, Ex 13:11-13, and when their children inquired the reason of it, they were to be told it was on account of the Lord's slaying the firstborn of men and beast among the Egyptians, when Pharaoh would not let Israel go, and of saving the firstborn of his people, Ex 13:14-16, and it is observed, that when the children of Israel went out of Egypt, they were not led by the nearest way, the way of the land of the Philistines, but a round about way, the way of the wilderness of the Red sea, when they took the bones of Joseph with them, as he had adjured them to do, Ex 13:17-19, and the chapter is concluded with an account of their journeying from Succoth to Etham, the Lord going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, Ex 13:20-22.