Exodus 13

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2Consecrate every firstborn to me, everything that opens the womb among the children of Israel, whether human or livestock. It belongs to me.

3Moses said to the people, "Remember this day on which you came out from Egypt, from the house of slaves, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought you out from here. No leaven shall be eaten."

4Today you are going out in the month of Abib.

5When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall perform this service in this month.

6You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, and on the seventh day there will be a feast to Yahweh.

7Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; let no leavened bread appear with you, nor leaven with you in all your borders.

8You shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

9It will be a sign on your hand and a memorial between your eyes, so that Yahweh's law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt.

10You shall keep this statute at its appointed time, year by year.

11When Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,

12You shall dedicate to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn offspring of your livestock; the males shall be Yahweh's.

13Every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck; and you shall redeem every firstborn human among your sons.

14When your son asks you in the future, saying, "What is this?", you shall tell him, "With a strong hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of slavery."

15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn even to animal firstborn. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh every male that opens the womb, but every firstborn among my sons I redeem.

16It shall be a sign on your hand and frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt.

17When Pharaoh sent the people out, God did not guide them along the road through the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearby, for God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see battle and turn back to Egypt."

18God led the people around by the wilderness way to the Red Sea, and the sons of Israel went up armed from the land of Egypt.

19Moses took Joseph's bones with him, for he had solemnly charged the sons of Israel, saying, "God will certainly visit you, and you shall bring my bones up from here with you."

20They journeyed from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

21Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to guide them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to shine light for them to travel day and night.

22The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.