Sanctifying the Firstborn

1Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first [†]offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

3And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of [†]slavery; for by a strong hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. 4This day, in the month of Abib, you are going out. 5And it shall be when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall [†]do this service in this month. 6For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to Yahweh. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen [†]among you, nor shall any leaven be seen [†]among you in all your borders. 8And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9And it will be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt. 10Therefore, you shall keep this statute at its appointed time from [†]year to year.

11“And it will be when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12and you shall [†]devote to Yahweh the first [†]offspring of every womb and [†]the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to Yahweh. 13But every first [†]offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but 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 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. 15And it happened, when Pharaoh hardened his heart with stiffness about letting us go, that Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to Yahweh the males, the first [†]offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16So it will be as a sign on your hand and as [†]phylacteries between your eyes, for with a strong hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”

Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the [†]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in battle array from the land of Egypt. 19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely [†]take care of you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.” 20Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. 22[†]He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.