Exodus 13:14

14 And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Thou shalt say unto him, With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery;

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).

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 13:14 In-Context

12 that thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the womb and in the same manner every firstborn that opens the wombs of thy animals; the males shall be the LORD’s.

13 And every firstborn of an ass thou shalt ransom with a lamb; and if thou wilt not ransom it, then thou shalt cut off its head; and in the same manner thou shalt ransom all the human firstborn among thy sons.

14 And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Thou shalt say unto him, With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery;

15 and it came to pass when Pharaoh was hardening himself to not let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt from the human firstborn to the firstborn of the beast; therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD every male that opens the womb, and I ransom every firstborn of my sons.

16 And it shall be for a token upon thy hand, and for a memorial before thine eyes: That the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.