Exodus 13:14
New International Version
“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

New Living Translation
“And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of his mighty hand, the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the place of our slavery.

English Standard Version
And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Berean Standard Bible
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

King James Bible
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

New King James Version
So 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 the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

New American Standard Bible
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

NASB 1995
“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

NASB 1977
“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Amplified Bible
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘With a strong and powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage and slavery.

Christian Standard Bible
“In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean? ’ say to him, ‘By the strength of his hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘By the strength of His hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

American Standard Version
And it shall be, when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

Contemporary English Version
In the future your children will ask what this ceremony means. Explain it to them by saying, "The LORD used his mighty power to rescue us from slavery in Egypt.

English Revised Version
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"In the future when your children ask you what this means, tell them, 'The LORD used his mighty hand to bring us out of slavery in Egypt.

Good News Translation
In the future, when your son asks what this observance means, you will answer him, 'By using great power the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the place where we were slaves.

International Standard Version
Then when your child asks you in the future, 'What is this?', you are to say to him, 'The LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage with a strong show of force.

Majority Standard Bible
In the future, when your son asks you, ?What does this mean?? you are to tell him, ?With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

NET Bible
In the future, when your son asks you 'What is this?' you are to tell him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery.

New Heart English Bible
It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' that you shall tell him, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say to him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

World English Bible
It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it has been, when your son asks you hereafter, saying, What [is] this? That you have said to him, By strength of hand YHWH has brought us out from Egypt, from a house of servants;

Young's Literal Translation
And it hath been, when thy son asketh thee hereafter, saying, What is this? that thou hast said unto him, By strength of hand hath Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from a house of servants;

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was when thy son shall ask thee to-morrow, saying, What this? and thou saidst to him, With strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt from the house of servants.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What is this? thou shalt answer him: With a strong hand did the Lord bring us forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when your son will question you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you will respond, ‘With a strong hand the Lord led us away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude.

New American Bible
And when your son asks you later on, ‘What does this mean?’ you will tell him, ‘With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of a house of slavery.

New Revised Standard Version
When in the future your child asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall answer, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? You shall say to him, By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt from the house of bondage;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when your son may ask you tomorrow and will say to you, “What is this?”, say to him, “With a mighty hand LORD JEHOVAH brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying: What is this? that thou shalt say unto him: By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if thy son should ask thee hereafter, saying, What is this? then thou shalt say to him, With a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Dedication of the Firstborn
13You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem. 14 In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 6:20-23
In the future, when your son asks, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?” / then you are to tell him, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. / Before our eyes the LORD inflicted great and devastating signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his household. ...

Joshua 4:6-7
to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ / you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”

Psalm 78:4-6
We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed. / For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, / that the coming generation would know them—even children yet to be born—to arise and tell their own children

Psalm 105:43-45
He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy. / He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor, / that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 4:9-10
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren. / The day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, “Gather the people before Me to hear My words, so that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach them to their children.”

Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you.

Psalm 44:1-3
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us the work You did in their days, in the days of old. / With Your hand You drove out the nations and planted our fathers there; You crushed the peoples and cast them out. / For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.

Psalm 136:10-12
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever. / and brought Israel out from among them His loving devotion endures forever. / with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. His loving devotion endures forever.

Isaiah 63:11-14
Then His people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses. Where is He who brought them through the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is the One who set His Holy Spirit among them, / who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown, / who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble? ...

1 Samuel 12:6-8
Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. / Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers. / When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

Acts 7:35-36
This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. / He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.

Hebrews 11:27-29
By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. / By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn. / By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

Acts 13:17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.

Romans 9:17
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”


Treasury of Scripture

And 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 the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

thy son

Exodus 12:26
And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

Deuteronomy 6:20-24
And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you? …

Joshua 4:6,21-24
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? …

in time to come.

Exodus 12:26
And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

Genesis 30:33
So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

Deuteronomy 6:20
And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?

by strength

Exodus 13:3
And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

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Exodus 13
1. The firstborn are sanctified to God
3. The memorial of the Passover is commanded
11. The firstborn of man and beast are set apart
17. The Israelites go out of Egypt, and carry Joseph's bones with them.
20. They come to Etham
21. God guides them by a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire














In the future
This phrase sets the stage for a perpetual remembrance and teaching moment. The Hebrew root for "future" (מָחָר, machar) implies a time to come, emphasizing the importance of passing down the account of God's deliverance to future generations. It underscores the continuity of faith and the responsibility of each generation to educate the next about God's mighty acts.

when your son asks you
The act of questioning by the son is significant. It reflects a culture of inquiry and learning within the family unit. The Hebrew word for "asks" (שָׁאַל, sha'al) suggests a seeking or inquiring, which is encouraged in the Jewish tradition. This interaction between parent and child is a divine opportunity to impart spiritual truths and historical identity.

‘What does this mean?’
This question is central to understanding and internalizing the significance of God's actions. It invites explanation and reflection. The Hebrew phrase (מָה זֹאת, mah zot) is a prompt for storytelling, ensuring that the miraculous events of the Exodus are not just historical facts but are imbued with meaning and relevance for the present and future.

you are to tell him
This directive emphasizes the role of the parent as a teacher and storyteller. The Hebrew verb (וְאָמַרְתָּ, ve'amarta) is a command to speak, indicating the importance of verbal transmission of faith. It highlights the responsibility to communicate God's deeds accurately and faithfully.

‘With a mighty hand
The phrase "mighty hand" (בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, beyad chazakah) is a powerful metaphor for God's strength and intervention. It conveys the idea of divine power and authority. Historically, this expression is used to describe God's miraculous acts, emphasizing His ability to deliver and protect His people against overwhelming odds.

the LORD brought us out of Egypt
This statement is a declaration of God's deliverance. The name "LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh) is the covenant name of God, signifying His eternal presence and faithfulness. The act of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt is central to their identity as a people chosen and redeemed by God. It is a foundational event that defines their relationship with Him.

out of the house of slavery
This phrase (מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, mibbeit avadim) describes Egypt as a place of bondage and oppression. The term "house of slavery" is a reminder of the Israelites' past suffering and God's gracious deliverance. It serves as a contrast to the freedom and new life they are given, symbolizing the spiritual liberation that God offers to all who trust in Him.

Verse 14. - When thy son asketh thee. Compare Exodus 12:26, and the comment ad loc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In the future,
מָחָ֖ר (mā·ḥār)
Adverb
Strong's 4279: Deferred, the morrow, tomorrow, hereafter

when
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

your son
בִנְךָ֛ (ḇin·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

asks you,
יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ (yiš·’ā·lə·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

‘What
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

does this
זֹּ֑את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

mean?’
לֵאמֹ֣ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

you are to tell
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

him,
אֵלָ֔יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

‘With a mighty
בְּחֹ֣זֶק (bə·ḥō·zeq)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2392: Strength

hand
יָ֗ד (yāḏ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

the LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

brought us out
הוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ (hō·w·ṣî·’ā·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

of Egypt,
מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם (mim·miṣ·ra·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

out of the house
מִבֵּ֥ית (mib·bêṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of slavery.
עֲבָדִֽים׃ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant


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OT Law: Exodus 13:14 It shall be when your son asks (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 13:13
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