< Exodus 13 >
1 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,
2 “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel [God prevails], both of man and of animal. It is mine.”
3 Moses [Drawn out] said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt [Abode of slavery], out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Adonai brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
4 Today you go out in the month Abib.
5 It shall be, when Adonai shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite [Descendant of Humbled], and the Hittite [Descendant of Trembling fear], and the Amorite [Descendants of Talkers], and the Hivite [Wicked], and the Jebusite [Descendants of Thresher], which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this aboda ·service· in this month.
6 Seven days you shall eat matzah ·unleavened bread·, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Adonai.”
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders.
8 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, “It is because of that which Adonai did for me when I came out of Egypt [Abode of slavery].”
9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Adonai’s Torah ·Teaching· may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Adonai has brought you out of Egypt [Abode of slavery].
10 You shall therefore keep this regulation in its season from year to year.
11 “It shall be, when Adonai shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite [Descendant of Humbled], as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you,
12 that you shall set apart to Adonai all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be Adonai’s.
13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.
14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Adonai brought us out from Egypt [Abode of slavery], from the house of bondage.
15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Adonai killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery], both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to Adonai all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand Adonai brought us out of Egypt [Abode of slavery].”
17 When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines [To roll in dust (As an insult)], although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they teshuvah ·completely return· to Egypt [Abode of slavery];”
18 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea of Suf [Reed Sea]; and the children of Israel [God prevails] went up armed out of the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery].
19 Moses [Drawn out] took the bones of Joseph [May he add] with him, for he had made the children of Israel [God prevails] swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.”
20 They took their journey from Sukkot, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21 Adonai 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, that they might go by day and by night:
22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.