Exodus 13

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to [toward, in the direction of] Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 2 “Consecrate [set apart as holy, sanctify] to Me every firstborn [firstling, initial birth] male [son, male child]. The firstborn [initial offspring, premier birth] from every womb [place of fetal development, matrix] among the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] belongs to Me, both of man [humanity, Adam’s race] and beast [animal, living creature].” word study 3 So Moses [the Israelite leader] told the people, “Remember [to recall, to mark] this day [a specific point in time, a memorable occasion], the day you came out [were brought out, escaped] of Egypt [a land of bondage, a place of slavery], out of the house [a place of dwelling, a family] of slavery [servitude, bondage]; for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] brought you out [delivered, freed] of it by the strength [power, might] of His hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. And nothing leavened [containing yeast] shall be eaten [consumed, devoured]. word study 4 Today [this day, at this moment], in the month [lunar cycle, new moon] of Abib [the month of young barley, the time of Passover], you [as individuals, personally] are leaving [going out, coming forth, departing]. word study 5 And when the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] brings you into the land [a country, territory, or region] of the Canaanites [merchants and traders], Hittites [descendants of Heth], Amorites [a Canaanite tribe], Hivites [an ancient tribe in Palestine], and Jebusites [people who live in Jebus, the early name for Jerusalem]—the land He swore [made a promise or vow] to your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] that He would give you, a land [a land flowing with abundance] flowing with milk and honey [a sweet and valuable food]—you shall keep this service [an act of worship or work] in this month [a lunar cycle, the new moon]. word study 6 For [a period of] seven [complete, sacred] days you are to eat [devour, consume] unleavened bread [matstsah, sweet bread without yeast], and on the seventh [final] day there shall be a [festival, celebration, feast] feast to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 7 Unleavened bread [without yeast] shall be eaten during those seven [sacred or complete] days. Nothing leavened [containing yeast] may be found among you, nor shall leaven [any yeast] be found anywhere within your borders [or all your land, every territory]. word study 8 And on that day [a day of remembrance] you are to explain [tell, declare openly] to your son [child, descendant], ‘This is because of [for the sake of, on account of] what the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] did [made, performed] for me [to me, on my behalf] when I came out [went forth, departed] of Egypt [the land of bondage].’ word study 9 It shall be [a miraculous token, a reminder] a sign [a beacon, a monument] for you on your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] and a reminder [a memorial, a commemoration] on your forehead [between your eyes] that the Law [instruction, divine guidance] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is to be on your lips [the mouth, a means of expression]. For with a mighty [strong, powerful] hand the LORD [Yehovah] brought you out [led you forth, freed you] of Egypt [a land of slavery, a place of bondage]. word study 10 Therefore you shall keep [protect, attend to, guard] this statute [ordinance, divine decree] at the appointed time [meeting, sacred season] year after year [from days to days, every year]. word study 11 And after the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] brings you into the land [territory, region] of the Canaanites [merchants and traders] and gives [bestows, grants] it to you, as He swore [made a promise, vowed] to you and your fathers [ancestors, forefathers], word study 12 you are to present [dedicate, set apart] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] the firstborn [firstling, initial offspring] male of every womb [matrix, place of fetal growth]. All [every, the entirety of] the firstborn males [male offspring, sons] of your livestock [animals, beasts] belong to the LORD [are consecrated to Yehovah]. word study 13 You must redeem [buy back, ransom with a price] every firstborn [firstling, chief] donkey [ass, male donkey] with a lamb [sheep, young animal], and if you do not redeem [pay the price to set free] it, you are to break [destroy, kill by beheading] its neck. And every firstborn [first, of highest rank] of your sons [children, descendants] you must redeem [pay the price to set free, rescue]. word study 14 In the future [in time to come, tomorrow], when your son [child, descendant] asks you, ‘What [a question of significance] does this [this ceremony] mean [signify, represent]?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty [by strength of, with great power] hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] brought us out [to come out, to be delivered] of Egypt [the land of bondage], out of the house [a dwelling place] of slavery [a state of bondage]. word study 15 And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused [with a hardened heart, stubbornly] to let us go, the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] killed [slew, put to death] every firstborn [firstling, first offspring] in the land [territory, region] of Egypt, both of man [human, Adam] and beast [animal, livestock]. This is why I sacrifice [offer, give] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] the firstborn [firstling, first offspring] male [son] of every womb [matrix, place of birth], but I redeem [ransom, pay the price for] all the firstborn [firstling, first offspring] of my sons [children, descendants].’ word study 16 So it shall serve as a [miraculous] sign [or token, symbol] on your [open] hand and a [scriptural] symbol [or phylacteries, reminder] on your forehead, for with a mighty [strong] hand [symbolizing power, direction] the [Yehovah, Lord God] LORD brought us out [led us forth, delivered] of [the land of] Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa].” word study 17 When Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] let the people [Amaw, a nation] go, God [Elohim, the one supreme God] did not lead [guide, direct] them along the road [way, path] through the land [earth, territory] of the Philistines [a people from the region of Philistia], though it was shorter [near, close]. For God said, “If the people [Amaw, a nation] face [see, encounter] war [battle, conflict], they might change their minds [repent, turn back] and return [turn back, go back] to Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa].” word study 18 So God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] led the people around by the way [path, journey] of the wilderness [desert, uninhabited land] toward the Red Sea [sea of reeds, body of water]. And the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] left the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] arrayed [armed, prepared] for battle [armed conflict, fight]. word study 19 Moses took [carried, brought along] the bones [remains, skeletal frame] of Joseph with him because Joseph had made [caused, instructed] the sons [descendants, children] of Israel swear [take an oath, promise solemnly] a solemn oath [promise, vow] when he said, “God [Elohim, the supreme God] will surely [certainly, definitely] attend to [visit, care for] you, and then you must carry [take, bring] my bones [remains, body] with you from this [that, this particular] place [location, region].” word study 20 They set out [took their journey, departed] from Succoth [a place of booths, the first stop for Israelites leaving Egypt] and camped [encamped, pitched their tents] at Etham [a stopping place, a location on the edge of the wilderness] on the edge [end, border, brink] of the wilderness [desert, open field, a place of testing and refinement]. word study 21 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] went before them in a pillar [a pillar or column] of cloud [a visible manifestation of God’s presence] to guide [lead and direct] their way by day [in the daytime, daily], and in a pillar of fire [burning, flame] to give them light [spiritual illumination] by night [a period of darkness and rest], so that they could travel [move from one place to another] by day [daily] or night [in the darkness]. word study 22 Neither the pillar [a pillar or column] of cloud [a manifestation of God’s presence] by day [daily, during the light] nor the pillar of fire [burning, flame] by night [a period of darkness and rest] left its place [departed or removed] before the people [the nation of Israel, God’s chosen]. word study