Exodus 13
Big idea: The night becomes a practice. God claims every firstborn — sanctify to me whatever opens the womb — and Moses turns the departure into two permanent observances with the same purpose: so that you can answer your son. Remember this day; eat unleavened bread seven days; and when he asks, tell him it is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt. Every firstborn belongs to Yahweh; a donkey is redeemed with a lamb, and every firstborn son is redeemed, because Yahweh killed Egypt's firstborn and spared ours. Then the march begins — not by the short coastal road, lest they see war and return, but the long way round — and God goes ahead in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, which never departs.
Chapter 13 leaves Israel following a pillar into the wilderness by the long road. Chapter 14 explains why: God turns them back to camp by the sea, deliberately, so that Pharaoh will follow.
13:1–10 — Remember this day
Yahweh claims the firstborn — sanctify to me all that opens the womb, of man and animal; it is mine. Moses tells the people to remember this day in which they came out of the house of bondage, for by strength of hand Yahweh brought them out; no leavened bread is to be eaten. When Yahweh brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, keep this service in this month: seven days unleavened bread, a feast on the seventh; no yeast seen in all your borders. And you shall tell your son that day: it is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt. It shall be a sign on your hand and a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh's law may be in your mouth.
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.” 3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 Today you go out in the month Abib. 5 It shall be, when 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, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders. 8 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
13:11–16 — Redeem the firstborn
When Yahweh brings you into the land, set apart to him all that opens the womb; every firstborn male of your livestock is Yahweh's. A firstborn donkey is redeemed with a lamb, or its neck broken; and every firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And when your son asks in time to come, what is this? — you shall tell him: by strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt; when Pharaoh stubbornly refused, Yahweh killed all the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and redeem all the firstborn of my sons. It shall be a sign on your hand and symbols between your eyes.
11 “It shall be, when Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and will give it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be Yahweh’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. 15 When 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.’ 16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”
13:17–22 — The long way, and a pillar
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, though it was near — lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. So God led them around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea, and they went up armed. Moses takes the bones of Joseph, who had made Israel swear an oath. They journey from Succoth to Etham at the edge of the wilderness, and Yahweh goes before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give light — neither departs from before the people.
17 When 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”; 18 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.” 20 They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 Yahweh 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, that they might go by day and by night: 22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).