The Bible

Exodus Chapter 13

¹Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ²"Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine."

³Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, when you left Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread may be eaten. ⁴Today you go out in the month Abib. ⁵When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, keep this service in this month. ⁶For seven days eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day have a feast to Yahweh. ⁷Unleavened bread must be eaten throughout the seven days; leavened bread mustn't be seen with you. Let no yeast be seen with you, within all your borders. ⁸Tell your son in that day, saying, 'It's because of what Yahweh did for me when I came here from Egypt.' ⁹It will be as a sign for you on your hand, and as a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh's law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you from Egypt. ¹⁰Therefore keep this ordinance every year at the appointed time.

¹¹"When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, ¹²set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal of yours. The males are Yahweh's. ¹³Redeem every firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; and if you [prefer] not to redeem it, then break its neck. Redeem every firstborn human among your sons. ¹⁴When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' tell him, 'By strength of hand Yahweh brought us from Egypt, from the house of slavery. ¹⁵When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' ¹⁶It will be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us from Egypt."

¹⁷When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn't lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt"; ¹⁸but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed from the land of Egypt. ¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and then you must carry up my bones from here with you." ²⁰They went from Succoth, and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, so they might go by day and by night: ²²the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn't depart from before the people.