The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

(Deuteronomy 15:19–23)

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Consecrate to Me every firstborn male.(a) The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”

So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

Today, in the month of Abib,(b) you are leaving.

And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.

For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.

Unleavened bread shall be eaten during those seven days. Nothing leavened may be found among you, nor shall leaven be found anywhere within your borders.

And on that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.

Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.

And after the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as He swore to you and your fathers,

you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.

You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’

So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.(c) And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.(d)

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.”(e)

They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.

Footnotes

(a)13:2 Cited in Luke 2:23

(b)13:4 Abib was the first month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.

(d)13:18 LXX left the land of Egypt in the fifth generation

(e)13:19 Genesis 50:25

(Deuteronomy 15:19–23)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”

Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

Today you go out in the month Abib.

It shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders.

You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.

You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

“It shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and will give it to you,

that you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be the LORD’s.

Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.

It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”;

but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.”

They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:

the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.