The paschal solemnity is to be observed; and the firstborn are to be
consecrated to God. The people are conducted through the desert by a
pillar of fire in the night, and a cloud in the day.
13:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
13:2. Sanctify unto me every firstborn that openeth the womb among the
children of Israel, as well of men as of beasts: for they are all mine.
Sanctify unto me every firstborn.... Sanctification in this place means
that the firstborn males of the Hebrews should be deputed to the
ministry in the divine worship; and the firstborn of beasts to be given
for a sacrifice.
13:3. And Moses said to the people: Remember this day in which you came
forth out of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage, for with a strong
hand hath the Lord brought you forth out of this place: that you eat no
leavened bread.
13:4. This day you go forth in the month of new corn.
13:5. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the
Chanaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hevite, and the
Jebusite, which he swore to thy fathers that he would give thee, a land
that floweth with milk and honey, thou shalt celebrate this manner of
sacred rites in this month.
13:6. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh
day shall be the solemnity of the Lord.
13:7. Unleavened bread shall you eat seven days: there shall not be
seen any thing leavened with thee, nor in all thy coasts.
13:8. And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: This is what the
Lord did to me when I came forth out of Egypt.
13:9. And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a memorial before
thy eyes; and that the law of the Lord be always in thy mouth, for with
a strong hand the Lord hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
13:10. Thou shalt keep this observance at the set time from days to
days.
13:11. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the
Chanaanite, as he swore to thee and thy fathers, and shall give it
thee:
13:12. Thou shalt set apart all that openeth the womb for the Lord, and
all that is first brought forth of thy cattle: whatsoever thou shalt
have of the male sex, thou shalt consecrate to the Lord.
13:13. The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if
thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men
thou shalt redeem with a price.
13:14. And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What is this?
thou shalt answer him: With a strong hand did the Lord bring us forth
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
13:15. For when Pharao was hardened, and would not let us go, the Lord
slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to
the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that
openeth the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I
redeem.
13:16. And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a thing hung
between thy eyes, for a remembrance: because the Lord hath brought us
forth out of Egypt by a strong hand.
13:17. And when Pharao had sent out the people, the Lord led them not
by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is near; thinking lest
perhaps they would repent, if they should see wars arise against them,
and would return into Egypt.
13:18. But he led them about by the way of the desert, which is by the
Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of
Egypt.
13:19. And Moses took Joseph’s bones with him: because he had adjured
the children of Israel, saying: God shall visit you, carry out my bones
from hence with you.
13:20. And marching from Socoth, they encamped in Etham, in the utmost
coasts of the wilderness.
13:21. And the Lord went before them to shew the way, by day in a
pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire; that he might be
the guide of their journey at both times.
13:22. There never failed the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the
pillar of fire by night, before the people.