Exodus 13 · Parashot Bo–Beshalach

And the Lord spoke to Moshe, saying,

Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Yisra᾽el, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

And Moshe said to the people, Remember this day, in which you came out from Miżrayim, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: no leavened bread shall be eaten.

This day you came out, in the month Aviv.

And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Kena῾ani, and the Ḥitti, and the Emori, and the Ḥivvi, and the Yevusi, which he swore to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord.

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

And thou shalt relate to thy son on that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did to me when I came out of Miżrayim.

And it shall be for a sign to thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thy eyes, that the Lord’s Tora may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand did the Lord bring thee out of Miżrayim.

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

And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Kena῾ani, as he swore to thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

that thou shalt set apart to the Lord all that opens the womb, and every firstling that comes of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s.

And 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 firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say to him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Miżrayim, from the house of bondage:

and it came to pass, when Par῾o would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Miżrayim, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

And it shall be for a token upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thy eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Miżrayim.

And it came to pass, when Par῾o had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Pelishtim, although that was near; for God said, Lest the people repent when they see war, and they return to Miżrayim:

but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Sea of Suf: and the children of Yisra᾽el went up armed out of the land of Miżrayim.

And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him: for he had laid an oath on the children of Yisra᾽el, saying, God will surely visit you; and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.

And they took their journey from Sukkot, and encamped in Etam, at the edge of the wilderness.

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; that they might go by day and night:

he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.