Exodus

13 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying:

2 Hallow to me every firstborn, that which any female first beareth, among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts,—mine it is.

3 And Moses said unto the people—[Ye are] to remember this day on which ye came forth out of Egypt, out of the house of slaves, that with strength of hand did Yahweh bring you forth from hence,—there shall not therefore be eaten anything leavened.

4 To-day are ye coming forth,—in the month Abib.

5 And it shall be, when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, which he sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, then shalt thou serve with this service in this month.

6 Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened cakes,—and on the seventh day [shall be] a festival to Yahweh.

7 Unleavened cakes shall be eaten for the seven days,—neither shall there be seen with thee anything leavened, nor shall there be seen with thee leaven, within any of thy bounds.

8 And thou shalt tell thy son, on that day, saying,—[This is] because of that which Yahweh did for me, when he brought me forth out of Egypt.

9 And it shall be to thee for a sign upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, in order that the law of Yahweh may be in thy mouth,—for with a strong hand did Yahweh bring thee forth out of Egypt.

10 So shalt thou observe this statute in its appointed time,—from year to year.

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

12 that thou shalt set apart whatsoever is born first to Yahweh; and of all firstlings of beasts which thou shalt have, the males shall pertain to Yahweh.

13 But every firstling of an ass shalt thou redeem with a lamb, or if thou wilt not redeem it then thou shalt break its neck,—but every firstborn of men among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

14 And it shall be, when thy son shall ask thee, in time to come, saying, What is this? Then shalt thou say unto him: With strength of hand did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt, out of the house of slaves.

15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had shown himself too hardened to let us go, then did Yahweh slay every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of men even unto the firstborn of beasts. For this cause am I sacrificing to Yahweh whatsoever is born first of the males, and every firstborn of my sons must I redeem.

16 And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes,—that with strength of hand did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt.

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead by the land-way of the Philistines, although it was near,—for God said—Lest the people be dismayed when they see war and turn back to Egypt.

18 So God took the people round the desert-way of the Red Sea,—and the sons of Israel went up, armed, out of the land of Egypt.

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,—for he had taken an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, so then ye shall carry up my bones from hence with you.

20 And they brake up from Succoth,—and encamped in Etham, at the edge of the desert.

21 Now Yahweh was going 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 journey day and night:

22 the pillar of cloud by day ceased not, nor the pillar of fire by night,—from before the people.