Exodus 13:4

4 Today, in the month of Abib, ^[a] you are leaving.

Exodus 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:4

This day came ye out
Out of Egypt, on the fifteenth of Nisan, as the Targum of Jonathan: in the month Abib;
which signifies an ear of corn, because in this month barley was in the ear, see ( Exodus 9:31 ) , the Syriac version renders it, "in the month of flowers"; when the flowers were rising up out of the earth, being spring time, and a very fit time to travel in; and this is observed, not only because they might not know what month it was, in such a state of ignorance, as well as servitude, were they kept in Egypt; but as Jarchi also intimates, to point out to them the mercy and goodness of God to them, in bringing them out at such a seasonable time to travel in, when there were neither heat, nor cold, nor rain. This month answers to part of our March, and part of April.

Exodus 13:4 In-Context

2 “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”

3 So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

5 And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.

6 For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.

Footnotes

• [a]. Abib was the first month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.