Shemot 13:14

14 And it shall be when thy ben asketh thee in time to come, saying, Mah zot? (What is this?) that thou shalt say unto him, By chozek yad Hashem brought us out from Mitzrayim, from the bais avadim;

Shemot 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.

Shemot 13:14 In-Context

12 That thou shalt set apart unto Hashem all that openeth the rechem (womb), and every firstling that is born of a behemah which thou hast; hazecharim (the males) shall be Hashem’s.

13 And every firstling of a he-donkey thou shalt redeem with a seh; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck; and kol bechor adam among thy banim shalt thou redeem.

14 And it shall be when thy ben asketh thee in time to come, saying, Mah zot? (What is this?) that thou shalt say unto him, By chozek yad Hashem brought us out from Mitzrayim, from the bais avadim;

15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, that Hashem killed kol bechor of Eretz Mitzrayim, both the bechor adam, and the bechor behemah; therefore Ani zovei’ach laHashem (I sacrifice to Hashem) kol that openeth the rechem (womb), being hazecharim (the males); but kol bechor of my banim I redeem.

16 And it shall be for an ot (sign) upon thine hand, and for totafos (ornaments, frontlets, bands, phylactery) between thine eyes; for by chozek yad Hashem brought us forth out of Mitzrayim.