1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2"Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine."

3Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4This day you go forth in the month Abib. 5It shall be, when the LORD your God shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall there be yeast seen with you, in all your borders. 8You shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.' 9It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. 10You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

11"It shall be, when the LORD your God shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12that you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be the LORD's. 13Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14It 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; 15and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' 16It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt."

17It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;" 18but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea at the End; and the children of Israel went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle. 19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you." 20They took their journey from Succoth, and camped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21God went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: 22the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, did not depart from before the people.