Exodus Chapter 13

Dedication of the Firstborn

¹ The LORD told Moses, ² “Set aside every firstborn human and animal.”

³ Moses told the people,

“Think back to today to when you came out of slavery in Egypt. With a strong hand the LORD took you out of here. Don’t eat anything with yeast in it. ⁴ Today in the month Abib, you’re about to leave. ⁵ When the LORD takes you to the territory of the Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Hivite, and Jebusite—the land he swore to your ancestors he’d give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—observe this rite in this month. ⁶ Eat bread without yeast for a week. The seventh day, observe a feast to the LORD. ⁷ Don’t have anything with yeast in it among you or in your territory. ⁸ Tell your son that day, ‘It’s because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹ It will serve as a sign to you on your hand, a reminder on your forehead, that the Law of the LORD may be in your mouth, because he brought you out with a tremendous demonstration of power. ¹⁰ Keep this ordinance every year at its scheduled time.                                                                                                                       

Ex 13:1-10

¹¹ “When the LORD takes you to the territory of the Canaanites, ¹² devote to him every woman’s male firstborn and the first male firstborn male of every animal you own. They belong to him^Y. ¹³ But use a lamb to redeem every firstborn donkey. If you don’t redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn son.

¹⁴ “When your son asks what this means, tell him, ‘With a great demonstration of power, the LORD brought us out of slavery in Egypt. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, the LORD killed every firstborn male of people and animals in Egypt; so I sacrifice the firstborn males to the LORD, but I redeem every firstborn son.’ ¹⁶ It will serve as a reminder on your hand and bands on your forehead that the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a tremendous demonstration of power.”        

Ex 13:11-16

Crossing the Sea

¹⁷ When Pharaoh did let the people go, God didn’t lead them on the road toward the Philistines, even though it was closer. He said, “They may change their minds when they see war, and head back to Egypt.” ¹⁸ He led them through open country to the Red Sea, and they went up in martial array from Egypt. ¹⁹ Moses took Joseph’s bones with him because he’d made the Israelites solemnly swear, “It’s certain that God take care of you, so carry my bones with you when you leave.” ²⁰ They set out from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of open country. ²¹ The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud during the day, and in a pillar of fire at night to give them light. That way they could travel day or night. ²² He never took away the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire.                                                         Ex 13:17-22