Exodus 13

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying:

2 “Sanctify to me every firstborn which opens the womb among the sons of Israel, as much of men as of cattle. For they are all mine.”

Hallow to me every firstborn, that which any female first beareth among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, —mine! it is.

3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day, on which you were taken away from Egypt and from the house of servitude. For with a strong hand the Lord has led you away from this place. Thus, you shall eat no leavened bread.

And Moses said unto the people—[Ye are] to remember this day, on which ye came forth out of Egypt out of the house of slaves, that with strength of hand, did Yahweh bring you forth from hence, —there shall not, therefore be eaten anything leavened.

4 Today, you go forth in the month of new grain.

To-day, are, ye, coming forth, —in the month Abib.

5 And when the Lord has brought 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 that he would give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month.

And it shall be, when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite, and the Hivite and the Jebusite, which he sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, then shalt thou serve with this service, in this month.

6 For seven days, you shall feed on unleavened bread. And on the seventh day, it will be the solemnity of the Lord.

Seven days, shalt thou eat unleavened cakes, —and on the seventh day, [shall be] a festival to Yahweh.

7 You shall consume unleavened bread for seven days. There shall not be seen anything leavened with you, nor in all your parts.

Unleavened cakes, shall be eaten for the seven days, —neither shall there be seen with thee anything leavened, nor shall there be seen with thee leaven, within any of thy bounds,

8 And you will explain to your son in that day, saying: ‘This is what the Lord did for me when I was taken away from Egypt.’

And thou shalt tell thy son, on that day, saying, —[This is] because, of that which Yahweh did for me, when he brought me forth out of Egypt.

9 And it will be like a sign in your hand and like a memorial before your eyes. And so may the law of the Lord be always in your mouth. For with a strong hand, the Lord led you away from the land of Egypt.

And it shall be to thee for a sign upon thy hand and for a memorial between thine eyes, in order that the law of Yahweh may be in thy mouth, —for with a strong hand, did Yahweh bring thee forth out of Egypt.

10 You will keep this observance, at the established time, from day to day.

So shalt thou observe this statute in its appointed time, —from year to year.

11 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, just as he swore to you and to your fathers, and when he will give it you,

And it shall be when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as he sware to thee and to thy fathers, —and shalt give it thee,

12 then you shall set aside for the Lord all that opens the womb and all that is first to go forth among your cattle. Whatever you will have of the male sex, you shall consecrate to the Lord.

that thou shalt set apart whatsoever is born first, to Yahweh; and, of all firstlings of beasts which thou shalt have, the males, shall pertain to Yahweh.

13 The firstborn of a donkey you will exchange for a sheep. And if you will not redeem it, you shall put it to death. But every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem with a price.

But every firstling of an ass, shalt thou redeem with a lamb or if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck, —but every firstborn of men among thy sons, shalt thou redeem.

14 And when your son will question you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you will respond, ‘With a strong hand the Lord led us away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude.

And it shall be when thy son shall ask thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Then shalt thou say unto him: With strength of hand, did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt out of the house of slaves.

15 For when Pharaoh had been hardened and was unwilling to release us, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man, even to the firstborn of beasts. For this reason, I immolate to the Lord all of the male sex that opens the womb, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

And it came to pass when Pharaoh had shown himself too hardened to let us go, then did Yahweh slay every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of men even unto the firstborn of beasts. For this cause, am, I, sacrificing to Yahweh whatsoever is born first, of the males, and every firstborn of my sons, must I redeem.

16 Therefore, it will be like a sign in your hand and like something hanging between your eyes as a remembrance, because with a strong hand the Lord has led us away from Egypt.”

And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes, —that, with strength of hand, did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt.

17 And so, when Pharaoh had sent the people away, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is nearby, considering that perhaps they might relapse, if they saw wars rise up against them, and then they might return to Egypt.

And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead by the land-way of the Philistines, although it was near, —for God said—Lest the people be dismayed when they see war and turn back to Egypt.

18 But he led them around by the way of the desert, which is next to the Red Sea. And so the sons of Israel ascended, armed, out of the land of Egypt.

So God took the people round the desert-way of the Red Sea, —and the sons of Israel went up armed, out of the land of Egypt.

19 Also, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because he had sworn to the sons of Israel, saying: “God will visit you. Carry my bones away from here with you.”

And Moses took the bones of Joseph, with him, —for he had, taken an oath, of the sons of Israel saying, God will, surely visit, you, so then ye shall carry up my bones from hence with you.

20 And setting out from Soccoth, they encamped at Etham, in the most distant parts of the wilderness.

And they brake up from Succoth, —and encamped in Etham, at the edge of the desert.

21 Now the Lord preceded them to show them the way, by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, so that he might be the leader of their journey at both times.

Now, Yahweh, was going before them—by day, in a pillar of cloud to lead them the way, and by night, in a pillar of fire to give them light, —that they might journey day and night:

22 These never failed: a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, in the sight of the people.

the pillar of cloud by day ceased not, nor the pillar of fire by night, —from before the people.