Old Testament · Law

Exodus chapter 13

Yahweh said to Moses,“ every . The first offspring to among the Israelites, whether human or animal, is mine.”Moses said to the people, “ this day — the day you walked out of Egypt, out of the place where you were — because Yahweh brought you out of there with an . Don’t eat anything with yeast in it.You’re leaving today, in the month of .When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites — the land he to your ancestors he’d give you, a land — you must observe this practice in this same month:For seven days eat , and on the seventh day hold a for Yahweh.Eat bread without yeast for all seven days. No yeast should be found anywhere near you — not in your whole territory.On that day, tell your children: ‘This is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’This will be like a and a reminder on your forehead — so that Yahweh’s will always be on your lips. Because Yahweh brought you out of Egypt with an unstoppable hand.Keep this practice at its , year after year.“When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites — just as he swore to you and your ancestors — and gives it to you,you must to Yahweh every firstborn that opens the womb. Every firstborn male from your livestock belongs to Yahweh.But every firstborn donkey you must with a lamb. If you don’t buy it back, break its neck. And every firstborn son among your children — you must buy him back.In the future, when your child asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ tell them, ‘Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with an unstoppable hand — out of the place where we were enslaved.When Pharaoh to let us go, Yahweh killed every firstborn in Egypt — both human firstborn and firstborn animals. That’s why I every firstborn male animal to Yahweh and buy back every firstborn son.’This will be like a sign on your hand and a on your forehead — because Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with an unstoppable hand.”When Pharaoh let the people go, God didn’t lead them along the road through , even though that was the shorter route. God said, “If the people face a battle, they might change their minds and go back to Egypt.”So God led the people on the roundabout road through the wilderness toward the . The Israelites left Egypt .Moses took Joseph’s bones with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath: “God will definitely — and when he does, carry my bones out of here with you.”They set out from and camped at , on the edge of the wilderness.Yahweh went ahead of them — as a during the day to guide them on the way, and as a at night to give them light — so they could travel day and night.The column of cloud never left its place ahead of the people during the day, and the column of fire never left during the night.