Exodus 13:11-16

11 "When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, 1as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,
12 2you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD's.
13 3Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every 4firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.
14 5And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 6'By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of 7slavery.
15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the 8LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but 9all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'
16 10It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for 11by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."

Exodus 13:11-16 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.

Cross References 11

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.