The Firstborn Consecrated
1 Then theLordspoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel,bothof man and beast; it is Mine.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 And Moses said to the people:“Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; forby strength of hand theLordbrought you out of thisplace.No leavened bread shall be eaten.
4 On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.
5 And it shall be, when theLordbrings you into theland of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which Heswore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey,that you shall keep this service in this month.
6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh daythereshallbea feast to theLord.
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. Andno leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters.
8 And you shalltell your son in that day, saying, ‘Thisisdonebecause of what theLorddid for me when I came up from Egypt.’
9 It shall be asa sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that theLord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand theLordhas brought you out of Egypt.
10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
The Law of the Firstborn
11 “And it shall be, when theLordbrings you into the land of theCanaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,
12 that you shall set apart to theLordall that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the malesshallbetheLord’s.
13 Butevery firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeemit,then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sonsyou shall redeem.
14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘Whatisthis?’ that you shall say to him,‘By strength of hand theLordbrought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, thattheLordkilled all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to theLordall males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
16 It shall be asa sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand theLordbrought us out of Egypt.”
The Wilderness Way
17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead thembyway of the land of the Philistines, although thatwasnear; for God said, “Lest perhaps the peoplechange their minds when they see war, andreturn to Egypt.”
18 So Godled the people aroundbyway of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took thebones ofJoseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying,“God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”
20 Sothey took their journey fromSuccoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness.
21 AndtheLordwent before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by nightfrombefore the people.