Numbers 3:13

Numbers 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord."
• New King James Version (NKJV)because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.”

Context of Numbers 3:13

11The Lord said to Moses, 12“Out of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites to be substitutes for every firstborn male offspring among them. The Levites are mine, because every firstborn is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set apart as holy every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They will be mine. I am the Lord.” 14The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15“Count the Levites by households and families. Count every male who is at least one month old.”

Numbers 3:13 word by word

כִּ֣י לִי֮ כָּל־בְּכוֹר֒ בְּיוֹם֩ הַכֹּתִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם הִקְדַּ֨שְׁתִּי לִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאָדָ֖ם עַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֥י יִהְי֖וּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because all the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• on the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that I smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• I hallowedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• both manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• and beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Numbers 3:13

• Numbers 8:16They will be the only Israelites given to me. I have taken them to be mine as substitutes for every firstborn male offspring of the Israelites.
• Numbers 18:15Every firstborn male, human or animal, that is brought to the Lord is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal.
• Exodus 13:2“Set apart every firstborn male for me. Every firstborn male offspring among the Israelites is mine, whether human or animal.”
• Exodus 22:29“Never withhold your best wine from me. “You must give me your firstborn son.
• Exodus 34:19“Every first male offspring is mine, even the firstborn males of all your livestock, whether cattle, sheep, or goats.
• Leviticus 27:26“A firstborn animal already belongs to the Lord because it was born first. Therefore, it cannot be set apart as holy. Whether it is a bull or a sheep, it belongs to the Lord.
• Ezekiel 44:30The priests should have the best of all the first ripened fruits. The best of every gift from all your contributions must go to the priests. The best of your dough must go to the priests. This will cause a blessing to rest on your home.
• Luke 2:23They did exactly what was written in the Lord’s Teachings: “Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord.”
• Hebrews 12:23and to the assembly of God’s firstborn children (whose names are written in heaven). You have come to a judge (the God of all people) and to the spirits of people who have God’s approval and have gained eternal life.
• Exodus 12:29At midnight the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal.
• Exodus 13:15When Pharaoh was too stubborn to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt—human and animal. This is why we sacrifice every firstborn male to the Lord and buy every firstborn son back from the Lord.’

Commentaries on Numbers 3:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The concluding words are better expressed thus: “Mine shall they be, Mine, the Lord‘s.” On the subject of the firstborn see the notes at Numbers 3:43-51.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13every firstborn Israelite: These belonged to God because God spared them when the Egyptian firstborn sons died (3:13; see Exodus 11–12). I have taken the Levites: God chose the Levites to serve as substitutes for the firstborn sons.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. I have taken the Levites, &c.--The consecration of this tribe did not originate in the legislative wisdom of Moses, but in the special appointment of God, who chose them as substitutes for the first-born. By an appointment made in memory of the last solemn judgment on Egypt (from which the Israelitish households were miraculously exempt) all the first-born were consecrated to God (Ex 13:12; 22:29), who thus, under peculiar circumstances, seemed to…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 3:13

• Firstborn
• Levites
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Israel
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Birthright
• Chief
• Conclude
• Custody
• Encamp

Commentaries on Numbers 3

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings