Exodus 13
1 The LORD spoke to Moses:
2 “Consecrate every firstborn to me, the first to come from every womb among the Israelites, both human and animal; it is mine.”
3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, when you came out of Egypt, the house of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of here with a mighty hand; nothing leavened is to be eaten.
4 Today you are leaving, in the month of Abib.
5 When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, then observe this rite in this month.
6 For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the LORD.
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; nothing leavened shall be seen in your house, and no leaven shall be seen anywhere in your territory.
8 On that day you shall tell your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
9 This shall be for you a sign on your hand and a reminder between your eyes, so that the LORD’s instruction may be in your mouth; for the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
10 Keep this decree at its appointed time, year after year.
11 When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, do this:”
12 “You shall set apart to the LORD every firstborn from the womb. Every firstborn male among your livestock shall belong to the LORD.
13 You shall redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb; if you do not redeem it, break its neck. You shall redeem every firstborn son among your children.
14 When your son asks you tomorrow, ‘What is this?’, you shall say to him, ‘The LORD brought us out of Egypt, the house of slavery, with a mighty hand.
15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. That is why I sacrifice to the LORD every firstborn male from the womb, and redeem every firstborn of my sons.’
16 This shall be a sign on your hand and a mark between your eyes, because the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.”
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by the road through the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer, for God said, “The people may change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”
18 So God led the people around by the wilderness road toward the Red Sea; and the Israelites went up from the land of Egypt armed for battle.
19 Moses took Joseph’s bones with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear solemnly, saying, “God will surely take care of you; then take my bones up from here with you.”
20 They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
21 The LORD went ahead of them, by day in a pillar of cloud to guide them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel by day and by night.
22 The pillar of cloud did not leave its place before the people by day, nor did the pillar of fire by night.
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