Exodus 13:1-21

1 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

2 "Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Yisra'el, both of man and of animal. It is mine."

3 Moshe said to the people, "Remember this day, in which you came out from Mitzrayim, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

4 This day you go forth in the month Aviv.

5 It shall be, when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Kana`ani, and the Hittite, and the Amori, and the Hivvi, and the Yevusi, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.

6 Seven days you shall eat matzah, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall there be yeast seen with you, in all your borders.

8 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Mitzrayim.'

9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Mitzrayim.

10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

11 "It shall be, when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Kana`ani, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you,

12 that you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be the LORD's.

13 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 you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.

14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' that you shall tell him, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Mitzrayim, from the house of bondage;

15 and it happened, when Par`oh would hardly let us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Mitzrayim, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'

16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Mitzrayim."

17 It happened, when Par`oh had let the people go, that God didn't lead them by the way of the land of the Pelishtim, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Mitzrayim;"

18 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea of Suf; and the children of Yisra'el went up armed out of the land of Mitzrayim.

19 Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him, for he had made the children of Yisra'el swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you."

20 They took their journey from Sukkot, and encamped in Etam, in the edge of the wilderness.

21 The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:

Exodus 13:1-21 Meaning and Commentary

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.