Exodus 13

Consecration of the Firstborn

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“1Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first 2offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

3Moses said to the people, “3Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of 4slavery; for 5by 6a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. 7And nothing leavened shall be eaten. 4On this day in the 8month of Abib, you are about to go forth. 5It shall be when the Lord 9brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which 10He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, 11that you shall 12observe this rite in this month. 6For 13seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and 14nothing leavened shall be seen 15among you, nor shall any leaven be seen 16among you in all your borders. 817You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9And 18it shall 19serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder 20on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with 21a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 10Therefore, you shall 22keep this ordinance at its appointed time from 23year to year.

11“Now when 24the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as 25He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 1226you shall 27devote to the Lord the first 28offspring of every womb, and 29the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord. 13But 30every first 31offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and 32every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 1433And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘34With a 35powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of 36slavery. 15It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the 37Lord 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 38offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16So 39it shall 40serve as a sign on your hand and as 41phylacteries 42on your forehead, for with a 43powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

God Leads the People

17Now 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, “44The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the 45Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up 46in martial array from the land of Egypt. 19Moses took 47the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely 48take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.” 20Then they set out from 49Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 2150The 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 51travel by day and by night. 2252He 53did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.