Exodus 13

1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

1The LORD spoke to Moses and said,

2Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

2"Set apart for me every firstborn male. The first child born to every Israelite woman and the firstborn of every animal belongs to me."

3And 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 Jehovah brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

3Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, the day you left Egypt, the land of slavery. The LORD used his great power to bring you out from here. You must not eat any bread made with yeast.

4This day ye go forth in the month Abib.

4Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

5And it shall be, when Jehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, 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.

5The LORD will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. This is the land he promised your ancestors he would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey. When you arrive, you must celebrate this ceremony during this same month each year.

6Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Jehovah.

6For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there will be a festival to the LORD.

7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy borders.

7Eat bread without yeast for all seven days. No bread with yeast and no yeast itself should be found anywhere within your borders.

8And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.

8On that day, explain to your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

9And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath Jehovah brought thee out of Egypt.

9This practice will be like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead. It will help you keep the LORD’s teachings on your lips, because the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a powerful hand.

10Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

10You must follow this regulation at the set time every year.

11And it shall be, when Jehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

11The LORD will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as he promised to you and your ancestors, and he will give it to you.

12that thou shalt set apart unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb, and every firstling which thou hast that cometh of a beast; the males shall be Jehovah’s.

12When that happens, you must give every firstborn male to the LORD. Every firstborn male animal you own also belongs to the LORD.

13And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

13You may buy back every firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. You must also buy back every one of your firstborn sons.

14And 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:

14In the future, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you will tell him, 'With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the land of slavery.

15and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Jehovah slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.

15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both human and animal. That is why I sacrifice to the LORD every firstborn male animal and buy back every firstborn son.'

16And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt.

16This will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead to remind you that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his great power."

17And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by 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:

17When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, even though it was the shortest way. God said, "If they face a war, they might change their minds and go back to Egypt."

18but God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.

18So God led the people through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites left Egypt prepared for battle.

19And 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.

19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. Joseph had said, "God will surely come to help you, and when he does, you must carry my bones away from here with you."

20And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

20The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

21And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

21The LORD went ahead of them. During the day he was in a tall cloud to guide them on their way, and at night he was in a pillar of fire to give them light. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.

22the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.

22The tall cloud was always there by day, and the pillar of fire was always there by night, leading the people.