Exodus 13


Sanctifying the Firstborn

Then Yahweh 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.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

3 And Moses said to the people, “aRemember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of 1slavery; for bby a strong hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. cAnd nothing leavened shall be eaten.
4 This day, in the amonth of Abib, you are going out. 5 And it shall be when Yahweh 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 1do this service in this month. 6 For aseven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to Yahweh. 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 aAnd you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And ait will be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with ba strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt. 10 Therefore, you shall akeep this statute at its appointed time from 1year to year.
11 “And it will be when aYahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as bHe swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,
12 aand you shall 1devote to Yahweh the first 2offspring of every womb and 3the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to Yahweh. 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 will be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘bWith a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, from the house of 1slavery. 15 And it happened, when Pharaoh hardened his heart with stiffness about letting us go, that aYahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to Yahweh the males, the first 1offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 So ait will be as a sign on your hand and as 1phylacteries between your eyes, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”

Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17 Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “aLest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”
18 Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the 1Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up ain battle array from the land of Egypt. 19 And 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 bring up my bones from here with you.” 20 Then they set out from aSuccoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 aAnd Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go 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.
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