13 And every firstling H6363 of an ass H2543 thou shalt redeem H6299 with a lamb; H7716 and if thou wilt not redeem H6299 it, then thou shalt break his neck: H6202 and all the firstborn H1060 of man H120 among thy children H1121 shalt thou redeem. H6299
But the firstling H6363 of an ass H2543 thou shalt redeem H6299 with a lamb: H7716 and if thou redeem H6299 him not, then shalt thou break his neck. H6202 All the firstborn H1060 of thy sons H1121 thou shalt redeem. H6299 And none shall appear H7200 before H6440 me empty. H7387
Every thing that openeth H6363 the matrix H7358 in all flesh, H1320 which they bring H7126 unto the LORD, H3068 whether it be of men H120 or beasts, H929 shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn H1060 of man H120 shalt thou surely H6299 redeem, H6299 and the firstling H1060 of unclean H2931 beasts H929 shalt thou redeem. H6299 And those that are to be redeemed H6299 from a month H2320 old H1121 shalt thou redeem, H6299 according to thine estimation, H6187 for the money H3701 of five H2568 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 which is twenty H6242 gerahs. H1626 But the firstling H1060 of a cow, H7794 or the firstling H1060 of a sheep, H3775 or the firstling H1060 of a goat, H5795 thou shalt not redeem; H6299 they are holy: H6944 thou shalt sprinkle H2236 their blood H1818 upon the altar, H4196 and shalt burn H6999 their fat H2459 for an offering made by fire, H801 for a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068
Then Moses H4872 called H7121 for all the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto them, Draw out H4900 and take H3947 you a lamb H6629 according to your families, H4940 and kill H7819 the passover. H6453
And for those that are to be redeemed H6302 of the two hundred H3967 and threescore and thirteen H7657 H7969 of the firstborn H1060 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which are more H5736 than H5921 the Levites; H3881 Thou shalt even take H3947 five H2568 shekels H8255 apiece by the poll, H1538 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary H6944 shalt thou take H3947 them: (the shekel H8255 is twenty H6242 gerahs:) H1626 And thou shalt give H5414 the money, H3701 wherewith the odd number H5736 of them is to be redeemed, H6302 unto Aaron H175 and to his sons. H1121 And Moses H4872 took H3947 the redemption H6306 money H3701 of them that were over H5736 and above them that were redeemed H6302 by the Levites: H3881 Of the firstborn H1060 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 took H3947 he the money; H3701 a thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 and threescore H8346 and five H2568 shekels, after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944 And Moses H4872 gave H5414 the money H3701 of them that were redeemed H6302 H6306 unto Aaron H175 and to his sons, H1121 according to the word H6310 of the LORD, H3068 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
These G3778 are they G1526 which G3739 were G3435 not G3756 defiled G3435 with G3326 women; G1135 for G1063 they are G1526 virgins. G3933 These G3778 are they G1526 which G3588 follow G190 the Lamb G721 whithersoever G3699 G302 he goeth. G5217 These G3778 were redeemed G59 from G575 among men, G444 being the firstfruits G536 unto God G2316 and G2532 to the Lamb. G721
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 13
Commentary on Exodus 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Ex 13:1, 2. The First-born Sanctified.
2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born—To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a sacred use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their first-born preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare Heb 12:23).
Ex 13:3-10. Memorial of the Passover.
3. Moses said unto the people, Remember this day—The day that gave them a national existence and introduced them into the privileges of independence and freedom, deserved to live in the memories of the Hebrews and their posterity; and, considering the signal interposition of God displayed in it, to be held not only in perpetual, but devout remembrance.
house of bondage—literally, "house of slaves"—that is, a servile and degrading condition.
for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place—The emancipation of Israel would never have been obtained except it had been wrung from the Egyptian tyrant by the appalling judgments of God, as had been at the outset of his mission announced to Moses (Ex 3:19).
There shall no leavened bread, &c.—The words are elliptical, and the meaning of the clause may be paraphrased thus:—"For by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place, in such haste that there could or should be no leavened bread eaten."
4. month Abib—literally, "a green ear," and hence the month Abib is the month of green ears, corresponding to the middle of our March. It was the best season for undertaking a journey to the desert region of Sinai, especially with flocks and herds; for then the winter torrents had subsided, and the wadies were covered with an early and luxuriant verdure.
5-7. when the Lord shall bring thee—The passover is here instituted as a permanent festival of the Israelites. It was, however, only a prospective observance; we read of only one celebration of the passover during the protracted sojourn in the wilderness [Nu 9:5]; but on their settlement in the promised land, the season was hallowed as a sacred anniversary [Jos 5:10], in conformity with the directions here given.
8. thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying—The establishment of this and the other sacred festivals presented the best opportunities of instructing the young in a knowledge of His gracious doings to their ancestors in Egypt.
9. it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, &c.—There is no reason to believe that the Oriental tattooing—the custom of staining the hands with the powder of Hennah, as Eastern females now do—is here referred to. Nor is it probable that either this practice or the phylacteries of the Pharisees—parchment scrolls, which were worn on their wrists and foreheads—had so early an existence. The words are to be considered only as a figurative mode of expression.
that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth, &c.—that is, that it may be the subject of frequent conversation and familiar knowledge among the people.
Ex 13:11-16. Firstlings of Beasts.
12, 13. every firstling, &c.—the injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born, as here repeated, with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Those unclean beasts, as the ass's colt, being unfit for sacrifice, were to be redeemed (Nu 18:15).
Ex 13:17-21. Journey from Egypt.
17. God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, &c.—The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, for between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (1Ch 7:21, 22); and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened, and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state, as the gracious Lord shows to His people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.
18. God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.—This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced. Some think it was given from its contiguity to the countries of Edom ("red"); others derive it from its coral rocks; while a third class ascribe the origin of the name to an extremely red appearance of the water in some parts, caused by a numberless multitude of very small mollusca. This sea, at its northern extremity, separates into two smaller inlets—the eastern called anciently the Elanitic gulf, now the gulf of Akaba; and the western the Heroopolite gulf, now the gulf of Suez, which, there can be no doubt, extended much more to the north anciently than it does now. It was toward the latter the Israelites marched.
went up harnessed—that is, girded, equipped for a long journey. (See Ps 105:37). The Margin renders it "five in a rank," meaning obviously five large divisions, under five presiding officers, according to the usages of all caravans; and a spectacle of such a mighty and motley multitude must have presented an imposing appearance, and its orderly progress could have been effected only by the superintending influence of God.
19. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him—in fulfilment of the oath he exacted from his brethren (Ge 50:25, 26). The remains of the other patriarchs (not noticed from their obscurity) were also carried out of Egypt (Ac 7:15, 16); and there would be no difficulty as to the means of conveyance—a few camels bearing these precious relics would give a true picture of Oriental customs, such as is still to be seen in the immense pilgrimages to Mecca.
20. encamped in Etham—This place is supposed by the most intelligent travellers to be the modern Ajrud, where is a watering-place, and which is the third stage of the pilgrim-caravans to Mecca. "It is remarkable that either of the different routes eastward from Heliopolis, or southward from Heroopolis, equally admit of Ajrud being Etham. It is twelve miles northwest from Suez, and is literally on the edge of the desert" [Pictorial Bible].
21, 22. the Lord went before them—by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (Ps 78:14; Ne 9:12; 1Co 10:1), called "the angel of God" (Ex 14:19; 23:20-23; Ps 99:6, 7; Isa 63:8, 9).