Chapter 13

Consecration of the Firstborn

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “aSanctify to Me every firstborn, the first 1offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

3 Moses said to the people, “aRemember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of 1slavery; for bby 2a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. cAnd nothing leavened shall be eaten.

4 “On this day in the amonth of Abib, you are about to go forth.

5 “It shall be when the Lord abrings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which bHe swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, cthat you shall 1observe this rite in this month.

6 “For aseven 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 throughout the seven days; and anothing leavened shall be seen 1among you, nor shall any leaven be seen 1among you in all your borders.

8 “aYou shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

9 “And ait shall 1serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder 2on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with ba powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.

10 “Therefore, you shall akeep this ordinance at its appointed time from 1year to year.

11 “Now when athe Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as bHe swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,

12 ayou shall 1devote to the Lord the first 2offspring of every womb, and 3the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord.

13 “But aevery first 1offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and bevery firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

14 “aAnd it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘bWith a 1powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of 2slavery.

15 ‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the aLord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first 1offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

16 “So ait shall 1serve as a sign on your hand and as 2phylacteries 3on your forehead, for with a 4powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

God Leads the People

17 Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “aThe people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”

18 Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the 1Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up ain martial array from the land of Egypt.

19 Moses took athe bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely 1take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.”

20 Then they set out from aSuccoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

21 aThe Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might 1travel by day and by night.

22 1He adid not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.