Exodus 13: The firstborn, and the pillars of cloud and fire
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh tells Moses that every firstborn belongs to him, and Moses tells the people how to keep the feast of unleavened bread and how to answer their children when they ask about it. God leads Israel by the wilderness road, not the nearer road through the land of the Philistines, and Moses takes the bones of Joseph with him. Yahweh goes in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 2 of the 22 verses: his command about the firstborn in verse 2, and what he said about the road out of Egypt in verse 17. In verses 3 to 16 Moses is speaking to the people, and in verse 19 the text tells of Joseph's oath. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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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.”God speaks
In plain English: "Set apart (make holy) for me every firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the Israelites, both of people and of animals. It is mine."
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3Moses 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.
In plain English: Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (literally: the house of slaves). Yahweh brought you out of this place by the strength of his hand. Nothing leavened (made with yeast) is to be eaten.
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4Today you go out in the month Abib.
In plain English: Today you are going out, in the month of Abib.
The Hebrew word: "Abib" is aviv. The dictionary gives it as "green, i.e. a young ear of grain", and also as the name of the month.
How it is translated: This Bible says "Abib" in 4 of the 6 verses that use the word: this one, , and . The other 2, and , use it for young ears of grain.
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5It 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.
In plain English: When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you are to keep this service in this month.
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6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh.
In plain English: For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread (bread made without yeast), and the seventh day is to be a feast to Yahweh.
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7Unleavened 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.
In plain English: Unleavened bread is to be eaten for the seven days. No leavened bread is to be seen with you, and no yeast is to be seen with you, anywhere in your territory.
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8You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
In plain English: On that day you are to tell your son, 'It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.'
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9It 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.
In plain English: It will be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder between your eyes, so that Yahweh's law may be in your mouth. For Yahweh brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand.
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10You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
In plain English: So you are to keep this rule at its appointed time, from year to year (literally: from days to days).
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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,
In plain English: "When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,
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12that 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.
In plain English: you are to set apart for Yahweh everything that opens the womb, and every firstborn of the animals you have. The males will be Yahweh's.
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13Every 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.
In plain English: Every firstborn of a donkey you are to redeem with a lamb (or: an animal from the flock). If you will not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn of man among your sons.
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14It 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.
In plain English: When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is this?' you are to tell him, 'Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, by the strength of his hand.
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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.’
In plain English: When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of people and the firstborn of animals. That is why I sacrifice to Yahweh every male that opens the womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.'
The Hebrew word: "Stubbornly refused" is the verb qashah. The dictionary gives it as "properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe".
Good to know: The only other verse in Exodus that uses this verb is , where Yahweh says, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart." In 7:3 Yahweh is the one who does it. Here the verse speaks of Pharaoh's own refusal.
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16It 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.”
In plain English: It will be a sign on your hand and marks (or: symbols) between your eyes, because Yahweh brought us out of Egypt by the strength of his hand."
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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”;God speaks
In plain English: When Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, because God said, "Otherwise the people may change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."
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18but 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.
In plain English: Instead God led the people around by the way of the wilderness, by the Red Sea (literally: the Sea of Reeds). The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt armed.
The Hebrew words: "Red Sea" is yam suf, which means "sea of reeds", the same name as in .
Good to know: Chapter 14 tells the crossing and calls the water only "the sea". The name "Red Sea" comes up again in and .
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19Moses 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.”
In plain English: Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you are to carry my bones up from here with you."
Good to know: Joseph made the Israelites swear this oath in . tells that the bones of Joseph were buried at Shechem.
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20They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
In plain English: They traveled from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
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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, that they might go by day and by night:
In plain English: Yahweh went ahead of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night.
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22the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.
In plain English: The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never moved away from in front of the people.
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