Exodus 13

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Then the LORD said to Moses,

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."

“Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”

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.

So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are going out.

Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

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.

And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.

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

For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.

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.

Unleavened bread shall be eaten during those seven days. Nothing leavened may be found among you, nor shall leaven be found anywhere within your borders.

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.'

And on that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

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.

It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.

10 Therefore you are to keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.

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,

And after the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as He swore to you and your fathers,

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.

you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.

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.

You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

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.

In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

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.'

And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’

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."

So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

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."

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

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.

So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.

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."

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.”

20 Then they set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

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.

And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.

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.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.