Exodus 13:1-6

1 locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen dicens
2 sanctifica mihi omne primogenitum quod aperit vulvam in filiis Israhel tam de hominibus quam de iumentis mea sunt enim omnia
3 et ait Moses ad populum mementote diei huius in qua egressi estis de Aegypto et de domo servitutis quoniam in manu forti eduxit vos Dominus de loco isto ut non comedatis fermentatum panem
4 hodie egredimini mense novarum frugum
5 cumque te introduxerit Dominus in terram Chananei et Hetthei et Amorrei et Evei et Iebusei quam iuravit patribus tuis ut daret tibi terram fluentem lacte et melle celebrabis hunc morem sacrorum mense isto
6 septem diebus vesceris azymis et in die septimo erit sollemnitas Domini

Exodus 13:1-6 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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.