1The firstborn are sanctified to God. 3The memorial of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage commanded to be observed yearly. 11The firstlings of man and beast are set apart to God. 17The Israelites carry Joseph's bones with them out of Egypt. 20They come to Etham; God guideth them by a pillar of a cloud, and of fire.
1AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
21Sanctifya unto me all the 2firstborn, 3whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: 4it is mine.
1 Namely, command the people that they do separate them to My peculiar holy service. See Lev. 8:10.
a Exod. 22:29; 34:19; Lev. 27:26; Num. 3:13; 8:17; Luke 2:23.
2 Namely, those who are males.
3 Hebr. the opening of all womb.
4 Therefore namely, that I did spare your firstborn when I destroyed all the firstborn of Egypt. See verse 15.
3¶And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for 5by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
5 Hebr. in the power of the hand.
4Thisb day came ye out 6in the month Abib.
b Exod. 23:15.
6 This month falls partly in March, and partly in April when in springtime days and nights are of an equal length. The Hebrew word abib signifies a green ear, whereof this month has her name, because the corn sowed in the ground had green ears about that time and in those countries.
5¶And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land 7flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt 8keep 9this service in this month.
7 See Exod. 3:8.
8 Hebr. serve.
9 Mentioned in the verses following.
6Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
7Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
8¶And thou shalt shew thy 10son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
10 That is, your children.
9And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
10Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance 11in his season 12from year to year.
11 See Exod. 12:6.
12 Hebr. from days to days. Thus days are likewise taken for a year, Lev. 25:29; Amos 4:4.
11¶And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land 13of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
13 Understand among these all the nations which are mentioned in verse 5 and Genesis 15.
12Thatc thou shalt set apart 14unto the LORD 15all that openeth the matrix,d and every firstlinge that 16cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD's.
c Exod. 22:30; 34:19; Lev. 27:26; Num. 8:17; Ezek. 44:30.
14 Namely, from thyself unto the Lord, that thou claimest no more propriety therein, but it remains the Lord’s own.
15 Hebr. all opening of the womb, verse 2.
d womb
e first offspring*
16 Hebr. propagation, or, increase.
13And every firstling of an 17ass thou shalt redeem with a 18lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, 19then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children 20shalt thou redeem.
17 Hereby understand likewise all other beasts that were unfit for sacrifice.
18 Understand either kid of the goats or lamb of the sheep.
19 To the end that what once is appropriated to the Lord, may not be used for other ends and services.
20 Namely, with five shekels of the sanctuary, Num. 18:16.
14¶And it shall be when thy son asketh thee 21in time to come, saying, 22What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
21 See Exod. 12:26.
22 That is, what does this signify?
15And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I 23sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix,f being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
23 Or, slay.
f womb
16And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for 24frontletsg between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
24 They seem to be some written schedules of remembrance which were fastened to the forehead to have the law of the Lord in remembrance. See Deut. 6:8.
g headbands
17¶And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was 25near; for 26God said, 27Lest peradventure the people 28repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
25 Namely, to come into the land of Canaan.
26 Namely, by Himself. See Gen. 8:21.
27 Or, that the people do not repent, spoken after the manner of men.
28 Namely, of having come out the land of Egypt.
18But God led the people about, through the way 29of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up 30harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
29 Understand the wilderness of Etham, verse 20, and Num. 33:8.
30 Hebr. fived, that is, by fives, five abreast, or, in five bodies or brigades. Other, armed, or, harnessed, as Joshua 1:14; 4:12; Judges 7:11.
19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: forh he had straitly 31sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will 32surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
h Gen. 50:25; Joshua 24:32.
31 Hebr. adjuring adjured, that is, sworn them with an oath very seriously and strictly.
32 Hebr. visiting visit you.
20¶Andi they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
i Num. 33:6.
21Andj33the LORD went before them by day in a 34pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
j Exod. 40:38; Num. 14:14; Deut. 1:33; Neh. 9:12, 19; Psalm 78:14; 105:39; 1 Cor. 10:1.
33 In Exod. 14:19 He is called the Angel of God. This has been the eternal Son of God, 1 Cor. 10:9.
34 Psalm 105:39 states, that this pillar was spread forth as a covering, so that it shaded the Israelites against the heat of the sun.
22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.