1 Yahweh 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." 3 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, in which you came out from 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 This day you go forth in the month Abib. 5 It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring 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, neither shall there be yeast seen with you, in 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 forth out of Egypt.' 9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh 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. 11 "It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you, 12 that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. 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 and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. 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 forth out of Egypt." 17 It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that 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.
God establishes the law concerning the first-born, and commands that all such, both of man and beast, should be sanctified unto him, Exodus 13:1, Exodus 13:2. Orders them to remember the day in which they were brought out of Egypt, when they should be brought to the land of Canaan; and to keep this service in the month Abib, Exodus 13:3-5. Repeats the command concerning the leavened bread, Exodus 13:6, Exodus 13:7, and orders them to teach their children the cause of it, Exodus 13:8, and to keep strictly in remembrance that it was by the might of God alone they had been delivered from Egypt, Exodus 13:9. Shows that the consecration of the first-born, both of man and beast, should take place when they should be settled in Canaan, Exodus 13:10-12. The first-born of man and beast to be redeemed, Exodus 13:13. The reason of this also to be shown to their children, Exodus 13:14, Exodus 13:15. Frontlets or phylacteries for the hands and forehead commanded, Exodus 13:16. And the people are not led directly to the promised land, but about through the wilderness; and the reason assigned, Exodus 13:17, Exodus 13:18. Moses takes the bones of Joseph with him, Exodus 13:19. They journey from Succoth and come to Etham, Exodus 13:20. And the Lord goes before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, Exodus 13:21, which miracle is regularly continued both by day and night, Exodus 13:22.
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 13
This chapter begins with an order to sanctify or set apart the firstborn of man and beast to the Lord, Exodus 13:1 and the people of Israel are charged to keep the feast of unleavened bread in its season, from year to year, when they came into the land of Canaan, the reason of which they were to acquaint their children with, Exodus 13:3 and they are also directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to set apart every firstling of a beast unto the Lord, and particularly the firstling of an ass was to be redeemed with a lamb, or its neck to be broke, and all the firstborn of men were to be redeemed also, Exodus 13:11, and when their children inquired the reason of it, they were to be told it was on account of the Lord's slaying the firstborn of men and beast among the Egyptians, when Pharaoh would not let Israel go, and of saving the firstborn of his people, Exodus 13:14, and it is observed, that when the children of Israel went out of Egypt, they were not led by the nearest way, the way of the land of the Philistines, but a round about way, the way of the wilderness of the Red sea, when they took the bones of Joseph with them, as he had adjured them to do, Exodus 13:17, and the chapter is concluded with an account of their journeying from Succoth to Etham, the Lord going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, Exodus 13:20.
(Exodus 13:1-10) The first-born sanctified to God The remembrance of the passover commanded.
(Exodus 13:11-16) The firstlings of beasts set apart.
(Exodus 13:17-20) Joseph's bones carried with the Israelites, They come to Etham.
(Exodus 13:21, Exodus 13:22) God guideth the Israelites by a pillar of cloud fire.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.