EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Exodus 13:12
12You must give to the Lord all the firstborn males. That includes your own firstborn sons, and the male animals that are born first. They belong to the Lord.
Exodus 13:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s.
- New International Version (NIV)you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s.
Context of Exodus 13:12
10Every year, at the right time you must do what I have said. 11The Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites. It is the land that he promised to give to you and to your ancestors. When he gives it to you, you must do this: You must give to the Lord all the firstborn males. That includes your own firstborn sons, and the male animals that are born first. They belong to the Lord. 13When a donkey gives birth to her first male, you must give a lamb to God, instead of the donkey. If you do not do that, you must kill the donkey. You must break its neck. For any of your own firstborn sons, you must give an animal instead of your son. 14One day, your son may ask you, “What does this mean?” Then you must say to him, “The Lord brought us out of Egypt with his powerful authority. He took us away from the place where we were slaves.
Read all of Exodus 13Exodus 13:12 word by word
וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥ כָל־פֶּֽטֶר־רֶ֖חֶם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְכָל־פֶּ֣טֶר׀ שֶׁ֣גֶר בְּהֵמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לַיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That thou shalt set apartעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: bringH5674
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- all that openethפֶּ֫טֶרpeţer piţrâh · firstbornH6363
- the matrixרֶ֫חֶםrechem · wombH7358
- that comethשֶׁ֫גֶרsheger · offspringH7698
- of a beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- which thou hast; the malesזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
Cross-references for Exodus 13:12
- Exodus 13:2He said, ‘Keep every firstborn male separate and special for me. Every male who is the first to be born of his mother is mine. He is mine, whether he is man or animal.’
- Exodus 22:29Do not refuse to offer your grain, your wine or your olive oil to me. You must give your firstborn sons to me.
- Exodus 34:19Every firstborn child that a woman gives birth to belongs to me. That is also true for every firstborn male that your animals give birth to. That includes your cows and your sheep.
- Leviticus 27:26The first baby that an animal has is holy. It belongs to the Lord. A person cannot give it as a special gift to the Lord.
- Numbers 8:17Every firstborn son among the Israelites is mine. And all the firstborn male animals are mine too. On the day that I killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt I made them special for myself.
- Numbers 18:15I give to you every firstborn animal and male child that people offer to the Lord. But you must pay the price for every firstborn son and for every firstborn male animal that is not clean.
- Deuteronomy 15:19You must keep separate every firstborn male animal that is born from your cows, sheep or goats. They belong to the Lord your God. Do not make these firstborn animals do any work for you. Do not cut off the wool from your firstborn sheep.
- Ezekiel 44:30The best of all the first crops from people's land and all their special gifts will belong to the priests. You must also give to the priests the first flour that you make from your grain. Then I will bless the people who live in your house.
- Numbers 3:12‘I will not take the firstborn son of every woman in Israel to belong to me. I will take the Levites instead of them.
Commentaries on Exodus 13:12
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 The firstlings of beast not used in sacrifice, were to be changed for others so used, or they were to be destroyed. Our souls are forfeited to God's justice, and unless ransomed by the sacrifice of Christ, will certainly perish. These institutions would continually remind them of their duty, to love and serve the Lord. In like manner, baptism and the Lord's supper, if explained and attended to, would remind us, and give us occasion to remind…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-16Like the Passover celebration, the dedication of the firstborn helped the people remember what God did during the Passover. God spared the firstborn sons of Israel. Because of this, those firstborn sons belonged to him and had to be redeemed (bought back with a price). Each year, the people sacrificed and ate a lamb. This act pointed forward to what God would do by giving his Son, Jesus Christ, as a substitute. All people deserve death because of sin. But…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1612-13. every firstling, &c.--the injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born, as here repeated, with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Those unclean beasts, as the ass's colt, being unfit for sacrifice, were to be redeemed (Nu 18:15).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 13:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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