Exodus 13:1-16

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
7 azyma comedetis septem diebus non apparebit apud te aliquid fermentatum nec in cunctis finibus tuis
8 narrabisque filio tuo in die illo dicens hoc est quod fecit Dominus mihi quando egressus sum de Aegypto
9 et erit quasi signum in manu tua et quasi monumentum ante oculos tuos et ut lex Domini semper in ore tuo in manu enim forti eduxit te Dominus de Aegypto
10 custodies huiuscemodi cultum statuto tempore a diebus in dies
11 cumque introduxerit te in terram Chananei sicut iuravit tibi et patribus tuis et dederit eam tibi
12 separabis omne quod aperit vulvam Domino et quod primitivum est in pecoribus tuis quicquid habueris masculini sexus consecrabis Domino
13 primogenitum asini mutabis ove quod si non redemeris interficies omne autem primogenitum hominis de filiis tuis pretio redimes
14 cumque interrogaverit te filius tuus cras dicens quid est hoc respondebis ei in manu forti eduxit nos Dominus de Aegypto de domo servitutis
15 nam cum induratus esset Pharao et nollet nos dimittere occidit Dominus omne primogenitum in terra Aegypti a primogenito hominis usque ad primogenitum iumentorum idcirco immolo Domino omne quod aperit vulvam masculini sexus et omnia primogenita filiorum meorum redimo
16 erit igitur quasi signum in manu tua et quasi adpensum quid ob recordationem inter oculos tuos eo quod in manu forti eduxerit nos Dominus de Aegypto

Exodus 13:1-16 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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.