Exodus 13

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,NHEB — Exodus 13:1

2 “Set apart to me all the firstborn. Whatever is first from the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal; it is mine.”NHEB — Exodus 13:2

3 And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.NHEB — Exodus 13:3

4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are going out.NHEB — Exodus 13:4

5 And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you must keep this ceremony in this month.NHEB — Exodus 13:5

6 Six days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day is a feast to the LORD.NHEB — Exodus 13:6

7 Unleavened bread is to be eaten throughout the seven days. Nothing leavened is to be seen among you, nor is any leaven to be seen among you in all your territory.NHEB — Exodus 13:7

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

9 And it shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, so that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.NHEB — Exodus 13:9

10 Therefore you are to keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.NHEB — Exodus 13:10

11 “And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,NHEB — Exodus 13:11

12 that you are to set apart to the LORD everything that is first from the womb. Every firstborn male animal belongs to the LORD.NHEB — Exodus 13:12

13 Every firstborn of a donkey you are to redeem with a lamb, but if you will not redeem it, then you must break its neck. And every firstborn of man among your sons you must redeem.NHEB — Exodus 13:13

14 And it shall be, when your son asks you in the future, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of slavery.NHEB — Exodus 13:14

15 And it happened, when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of people and the firstborn of animals. This is why I am sacrificing to the LORD any male that is first from the womb of an animal, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’NHEB — Exodus 13:15

16 So it will be as a sign on your hand and at the front of a headband around your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”NHEB — Exodus 13:16

17 Then it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”NHEB — Exodus 13:17

18 So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle.NHEB — Exodus 13:18

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear an oath, saying, “God will surely attend to you, and you are to carry my bones up with you from this place.”NHEB — Exodus 13:19

20 Then they set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.NHEB — Exodus 13:20

21 And God 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, so that they could travel by day and by night.NHEB — Exodus 13:21

22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire at night from in front of the people.NHEB — Exodus 13:22