1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Sanctify
unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of
Israel, both of
man and of beast: it is mine.
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.
4 This
day came ye out in the month Abib.
5 And
it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and
the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he
sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that
thou shalt keep this service in this month.
6 Seven
days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a
feast to the LORD.
7 Unleavened
bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with
thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
8 And
thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the
LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
9 And
it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between
thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand
hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
10 Thou
shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
11 And
it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as
he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
12 That
thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every
firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the
LORD'S.
13 And
every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not
redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among
thy children shalt thou redeem.
14 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:
15 And
it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the
firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the
matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
16 And
it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes:
for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
17 And
it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the
way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near;
for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they
return to Egypt:
18 But
God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red
sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
19 And
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children
of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones
away hence with you.
20 And
they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the
wilderness.
21 And
the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way;
and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
