Exodus 13:14

14 And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Exodus 13:14 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:14

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come
Or "on the morrow" F8, the day following such a separation of the firstborn of clean creatures, or such a redemption of the firstborn of unclean ones, and of man, or in any later time: saying, what is this?
what is the meaning of this? for what reason are such things done? that thou shall say unto him, by strength of hand the Lord brought us
out of Egypt from the house of bondage:
by laying his mighty hand upon the firstborn of Egypt, and destroying them, which made the king of Egypt, and his people, willing to let Israel go; (See Gill on Exodus 13:3).


FOOTNOTES:

F8 (rxm) "eras", Pagninus, Montanus, Tiguriue version.

Exodus 13:14 In-Context

12 you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstlings of your cattle that are males shall be the LORD's.
13 Every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.
14 And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and the first-born of cattle. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.'
16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes; for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.