Exodus 13

1 The LORD spoke to Moses,ISV — Exodus 13:1

2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelis, both of humans and of animals, belongs to me.”ISV — Exodus 13:2

3 Then Moses told the people, “Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, from the house of bondage, because the LORD brought you out from this place with a strong show of force. ^{a13:3 Lit. strong hand} Moreover, nothing leavened is to be eaten.ISV — Exodus 13:3

4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.ISV — Exodus 13:4

5 When the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your ancestors to give you—a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ritual in this month.ISV — Exodus 13:5

6 You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the LORD.ISV — Exodus 13:6

7 Unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days, and nothing leavened is to be seen among you, nor is leaven to be seen among you throughout your territory.ISV — Exodus 13:7

8 And you are to tell your child on that day, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ISV — Exodus 13:8

9 It is to be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead, ^{b13:9 Lit. between your eyes} so that you may speak about the instruction ^{c13:9 Or Law} of the LORD; for the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a strong show of force. ^{d13:9 Lit. strong hand}ISV — Exodus 13:9

10 You are to keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.”ISV — Exodus 13:10

11 “When the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite and gives it to you, just as he promised you and your ancestors,ISV — Exodus 13:11

12 you are to dedicate to the LORD everything that first opens the womb. All the firstborn males ^{e13:12 Lit. Whatever first opens the womb} of your livestock belong to the LORD.ISV — Exodus 13:12

13 You are to redeem every firstborn donkey ^{f13:13 Lit. Whatever first opens the womb} with a lamb, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn ^{g13:13 Lit. firstborn of man} among your sons.ISV — Exodus 13:13

14 Then when your child asks you in the future, ‘What is this?’, you are to say to him, ‘The LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage with a strong show of force. ^{h13:14 Lit. strong hand}ISV — Exodus 13:14

15 And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of humans to the firstborn of animals. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD every male that first opens the womb, but I redeem every firstborn of my sons.ISV — Exodus 13:15

16 It is to be a sign on your hand and an emblem ^{i13:16 Or phylacteries} on your forehead, ^{j13:16 Lit. between your eyes} because the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong show of force.’” ^{k13:16 Lit. strong hand}ISV — Exodus 13:16

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer, because God had said, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.”ISV — Exodus 13:17

18 So God led the people the roundabout way of the desert toward the Reed ^{l13:18 So MT; LXX reads Red} Sea. The Israelis went up from the land of Egypt in military formation. ^{m13:18 Or prepared for battle}ISV — Exodus 13:18

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph ^{n13:19 Lit. he} had made the Israelis take this solemn oath: “God will certainly take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones up with you from here.”ISV — Exodus 13:19

20 They left Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the desert.ISV — Exodus 13:20

21 The LORD went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night.ISV — Exodus 13:21

22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.ISV — Exodus 13:22