The Dedication of the Firstborn
(Deuteronomy 15:19–23)

1And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Sanctify to Me every firstborn†—the one opening every womb among the sons of Israel, among the man and among the beast, it belongs to Me.”

3And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day that you⁺ came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by strength of hand YHWH brought you⁺ out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

4On this day in the month of Abib† you⁺ are going out. 5And it shall come to pass when YHWH brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, and you shall serve this service in this month.

6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day is a feast to YHWH. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days, and leavened bread shall not be seen with you, nor shall leaven be seen with you in all your borders.

8And you shall declare to your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of what YHWH did for me in my going out from Egypt.’ 9And it shall be for you for a sign on your hand and for a memorial between your eyes, so that the law of YHWH may be in your mouth. For by a mighty hand YHWH brought you out from Egypt. 10And you shall keep this statute at its appointed time from days to days.

11And it shall be, when YHWH brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and He gives it to you, 12that you shall cause to pass over for YHWH every one opening a womb, and every one opening of the offspring of a beast that is unto you—the males belong to YHWH. 13And every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

14And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ That you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand YHWH brought us out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15And it came to pass, when Pharaoh hardened himself to sending us out, that YHWH killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man and to the firstborn of beast. Upon thus I am sacrificing to YHWH all the males opening a womb; and every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16And it shall be for a sign on your hand and for frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand YHWH brought us out from Egypt.”

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17And it came to pass, when Pharaoh sent out the people, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was near. For God said, “Lest the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” 18And God turned the people by the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea† And the sons of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt in battle array.†

19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for the sons of Israel had sworn a solemn oath, saying, “God will surely attend to to you⁺, and you⁺ shall carry up my bones from this place with you⁺.†”

20And they journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. 21And YHWH went before their faces by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give light to them, to go by day and by night. 22He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the faces of the people.