Exodus 13

Consecration of the Firstborn

1 The Lord said to Moses,2 "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

3 Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.5 And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month.6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord.7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.8 You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.'9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.10 You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

11 "When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's.13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.14 And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.15 For 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 animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt."

Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt."18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Josepht had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here."20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Exodus 13

The Law of the Firstborn

1 s The Lord spoket to Moses:

2 “Set apartts to me every firstborn male – the first offspring of every wombt among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine.”t
3 Moses said to the people, “Rememberts this day on which you came out from Egypt, from the place where you were enslaved,t for the Lord brought you out of theret with a mighty hand – and no bread made with yeast may be eaten.t

4 On this day,t in the month of Abib,s you are going out.t
5 Whent the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey,t then you will keept this ceremonyt in this month.6 For seven dayst you must eatt bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to bet a festival to the Lord.

7 Bread made without yeast must be eatent for seven days;t no bread made with yeast shall be seent among you, and you must have no yeast among you within any of your borders.
8 You are to tell your sonts on that day,t ‘It ist because of whatt the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’9 s Itt will be a signt for you on your hand and a memorialt on your forehead,ts so that the law of the Lord may bet in your mouth,s fort with a mighty hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.

10 So you must keept this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.t
11 When the Lord brings yout into the land of the Canaanites,s as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives itt to you,12 then you must give overts to the Lord the first offspring of every womb.t Every firstlingt of a beast that you havet – the males will be the Lord’s.t

13 Every firstlingt of a donkey you must redeemt with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, then you must break its neck.t Every firstborn ofts your sons you must redeem.
14 s In the future,t when your son asks yout ‘What is this?’t you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty handt the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery.t15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refusedt to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals.t That is why I am sacrificingt to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’

16 It will be for a sign on your hand and for frontletst on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”s

The Leading of God

17 s When Pharaoh releasedt the people, God did not lead thems by the way to the landt of the Philistines,s althought that was nearby, for God said,t “Lestt the people change their mindst and return to Egypt when they experiencet war.”

18 So God brought the people around by the way of the desert to the Red Sea,ts and the Israelites went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle.t

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Josepht had made the Israelites solemnly swear,t “God will surely attends to you, and you will carryt my bones up from this place with you.”
20 They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert.21 Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light,s so that they couldt travel day or night.t

22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.s