New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Exodus 13
1
The Lord said to Moses,
2
"Set apart for me the first boy born in every family. The oldest son of every Israelite mother belongs to me. Every male animal that is born first to its mother also belongs to me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 2:23
Deuteronomy 15:19
Numbers 18:15
Leviticus 27:26
Hebrews 12:23
Exodus 23:19
References Israel
Numbers 3:13
Exodus 4:22
3
Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day. It's the day you came out of Egypt. That's the land where you were slaves. The Lord used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt. Don't eat anything that has yeast in it.
Reference
People
References Egypt
Deuteronomy 16:12
Deuteronomy 16:3
References Lord
Deuteronomy 24:18
Deuteronomy 5:15
Exodus 20:2
Deuteronomy 5:6
Deuteronomy 15:15
Deuteronomy 6:12
Deuteronomy 8:14
Exodus 13:14
5
"The Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites. He took an oath and promised your people of long ago that he would give that land to you. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. When you get there, keep this holy day in this month.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 3:8
Joshua 24:11
Exodus 3:17
Exodus 34:11
References Lord
Exodus 6:8
Deuteronomy 26:1
6
"For seven days eat bread that is made without yeast. On the seventh day hold a feast in the Lord's honor.
7
Eat bread that is made without yeast during those seven days. Nothing that has yeast in it should be found among you. No yeast should be seen anywhere inside your borders.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:19
8
"On that day talk to your son. Tell him, 'I'm doing this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.'
Reference
9
"When you celebrate this day, it will be like a mark on your hand. It will be like a reminder on your forehead. The law of the Lord must be on your lips. The Lord used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 6:8
Matthew 23:5
References Lord
Exodus 13:16
Exodus 12:14
Exodus 13:3
Word
Numbers 15:39
Isaiah 59:21
Romans 10:8
Deuteronomy 30:14
10
Obey this law at the appointed time year after year.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:14
11
"The Lord will bring you into the land of Canaan. He will give it to you, just as he promised he would. He even took an oath when he made the promise to you and your people of long ago.
Reference
References Lord
Exodus 13:5
12
"After you arrive there, give to the Lord the oldest son of every mother. Every male animal that is born first to its mother among your livestock belongs to the Lord.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 34:19
Exodus 13:2
Ezekiel 44:30
Exodus 22:29
Numbers 8:17
Numbers 3:12
References Lord
Numbers 18:15
Leviticus 27:26
Deuteronomy 15:19
13
By sacrificing a lamb, buy back every male donkey that is born first to its mother. But if you don't buy the donkey back, break its neck. Buy back every oldest son.
Reference
Redemption
Exodus 34:20
14
"In days to come, your son will ask you, 'What does this mean?' "When he does, say to him, 'The Lord used his mighty hand to bring us out of Egypt. That's the land where we were slaves.
Reference
15
Pharaoh was stubborn. He refused to let us go. So the Lord killed every oldest son in Egypt. He also killed every male animal that was born first to its mother. That's why I sacrifice to the Lord every male animal that was born first. And that's why I buy back each oldest son for him.'
Reference
References Lord
Exodus 12:29
16
"This day will be like a mark on your hand. It will be like a sign on your forehead. It will remind you that the Lord used his mighty hand to bring us out of Egypt."
Reference
17
Pharaoh let the people go. The shortest road from Goshen to Canaan went through the Philistine country. But God didn't lead them that way. God said, "If they have to go into battle, they might change their minds. They might return to Egypt."
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 20:8
Acts 15:38
References Egypt
Acts 7:39
Deuteronomy 17:16
References God
Nehemiah 9:17
Repentance
1 Kings 8:47
18
So God led the people toward the Red Sea by taking them on a road through the desert. The Israelites were prepared for battle when they went up out of Egypt.
Reference
19
Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him. Joseph had made the sons of Israel take an oath and make a promise. He had said, "I'm sure that God will come to help you. When he does, you must carry my bones up from this place with you."--(Genesis 50:25)
Reference
20
The people left Succoth. They camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
📍 Etham
21
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. It guided them on their way. At night he led them with a pillar of fire. It gave them light. So they could travel by day or at night.
Reference
Light
Nehemiah 9:12
Psalm 105:39
Psalm 78:14
Nehemiah 9:19
Parallel theme
Psalm 99:7
Deuteronomy 1:33
References Lord
Numbers 14:14
Numbers 10:34
22
The pillar of cloud didn't leave its place in front of the people during the day. And the pillar of fire didn't leave its place at night.
Summary of Exodus 13
Exodus chapter 13 continues the story of Israel's departure from Egypt and explains how the Israelites can remember the great deliverance God had given them. God tells Moses to dedicate each firstborn son and each firstborn male animal to Him. This command was connected to the night when God kept the Israelite firstborn safe while the firstborn throughout Egypt died.
Moses told the people that they must remember the day on which God brought them out from the land of Egypt where they had been slaves. They had to keep a memorial feast every year which included eating unleavened bread for seven days, with no leaven among them.
Moses explained that the festival would help the Israelites remember how God brought them out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand. It also said the Israelites were commanded to explain the meaning of the feast to their children. If the people asked why the Israelites had performed these actions, they were to tell them about how the LORD rescued Israel from slavery.
The Israelites were also told to dedicate their firstborn sons and animals to the LORD. If an animal was not fit for sacrifice to the LORD, it had to be redeemed according to God's instructions. The firstborn sons were also to be redeemed.
Moses told the people that the practices should be a reminder (almost like a sign on their hands and between their eyes) to ensure that they remembered that the LORD had brought them out of Egypt by His great power.
The chapter then goes on to talk about the beginning of Israel's journey. God does not lead the Israelites by the shortest road toward the land of the Philistines (even though that road would have been closer). God knew that if there was a confrontation with other nations (e.g., the Philistines), they would become discouraged and want to return to Egypt.
Instead, God led them on a longer road through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. This showed that God's path was not always the nearest or easiest path, but He knew what His people were capable of and would lead them in the way best for them.
Moses also took the bones of Joseph with the Israelites. Joseph had made the children of Israel swear many years earlier that when God eventually brought them out of Egypt, they would carry his bones with them. Israel was faithful to Joseph and fulfilled his dying wish as they left Egypt.
God led the Israelites with a visible sign. During the day, the LORD would lead them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way to go. At night, He led them with a pillar of fire that shone over the camp.
The cloud and fire allowed the Israelites to journey during the day and night. The signs demonstrated that not only was God rescuing them from Egypt, but He was also guiding them.
The main message of Exodus chapter 13 is that God wanted His people to remember His deliverance, teach future generations about His faithfulness and trust His guidance even when His chosen path was not the easiest or shortest.
The command to remember the Exodus was an important one. God knew that people could get distracted and forget what He had done for them. Through the celebration of the Passover and teaching their children, the Israelites (and we) are taught to ensure the story of God's deliverance is never forgotten.
The dedication of the firstborn reminded the Israelites that their lives had been spared (their firstborn sons had been kept by God in the final plague against Egypt). Their firstborn sons belonged specially to God in that they were kept alive during the last plague.
The journey through the wilderness served as the reminder that God did not lead Israel towards the nearest route, knowing they were not ready for such a confrontation (e.g., the Philistines). God's longer route was actually a demonstration of His care for Israel.
This serves as a reminder that the longer journey does not always mean God has forgotten us or that we are going in the wrong direction. Sometimes, God leads us through experiences to prepare us for what comes later.
Joseph's bones were also a reminder of God's faithfulness. Joseph had trusted that God would eventually deliver Israel from Egypt, although he died many years before the Exodus happened. His request was fulfilled when the Israelites left Egypt.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire demonstrated that God was actively leading His people. The Israelites did not have to find a way by themselves. God showed us that He can provide direction by day and light by night.
The chapter therefore transitioned the Israelites from simply being rescued from slavery to being able to grow into a people who learned to follow God's direction. Freedom was only the beginning of their journey.
God wanted us to remember what He had done for us and to teach children and future generations about God's faithfulness. God's path was not always the shortest or easiest.
A longer journey was not necessarily a sign that God had forgotten us or that we were going in the wrong direction. God knew what His people were capable of and would lead them in the way best for them to grow in their relationship with Him. God could protect us by keeping us from things we may not be ready for.
We should trust God's guidance even when we didn't understand His reasoning. God kept His promises even when they were a long time after a promise had been made. Joseph's faithfulness reminded us that God's promises can come true even after death. God was not just rescuing His people but was also guiding them after their rescue.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire demonstrate that God was with His people as they began their journey towards the promised land.
Moses told the people that they must remember the day on which God brought them out from the land of Egypt where they had been slaves. They had to keep a memorial feast every year which included eating unleavened bread for seven days, with no leaven among them.
Moses explained that the festival would help the Israelites remember how God brought them out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand. It also said the Israelites were commanded to explain the meaning of the feast to their children. If the people asked why the Israelites had performed these actions, they were to tell them about how the LORD rescued Israel from slavery.
The Israelites were also told to dedicate their firstborn sons and animals to the LORD. If an animal was not fit for sacrifice to the LORD, it had to be redeemed according to God's instructions. The firstborn sons were also to be redeemed.
Moses told the people that the practices should be a reminder (almost like a sign on their hands and between their eyes) to ensure that they remembered that the LORD had brought them out of Egypt by His great power.
The chapter then goes on to talk about the beginning of Israel's journey. God does not lead the Israelites by the shortest road toward the land of the Philistines (even though that road would have been closer). God knew that if there was a confrontation with other nations (e.g., the Philistines), they would become discouraged and want to return to Egypt.
Instead, God led them on a longer road through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. This showed that God's path was not always the nearest or easiest path, but He knew what His people were capable of and would lead them in the way best for them.
Moses also took the bones of Joseph with the Israelites. Joseph had made the children of Israel swear many years earlier that when God eventually brought them out of Egypt, they would carry his bones with them. Israel was faithful to Joseph and fulfilled his dying wish as they left Egypt.
God led the Israelites with a visible sign. During the day, the LORD would lead them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way to go. At night, He led them with a pillar of fire that shone over the camp.
The cloud and fire allowed the Israelites to journey during the day and night. The signs demonstrated that not only was God rescuing them from Egypt, but He was also guiding them.
The main message of Exodus chapter 13 is that God wanted His people to remember His deliverance, teach future generations about His faithfulness and trust His guidance even when His chosen path was not the easiest or shortest.
The command to remember the Exodus was an important one. God knew that people could get distracted and forget what He had done for them. Through the celebration of the Passover and teaching their children, the Israelites (and we) are taught to ensure the story of God's deliverance is never forgotten.
The dedication of the firstborn reminded the Israelites that their lives had been spared (their firstborn sons had been kept by God in the final plague against Egypt). Their firstborn sons belonged specially to God in that they were kept alive during the last plague.
The journey through the wilderness served as the reminder that God did not lead Israel towards the nearest route, knowing they were not ready for such a confrontation (e.g., the Philistines). God's longer route was actually a demonstration of His care for Israel.
This serves as a reminder that the longer journey does not always mean God has forgotten us or that we are going in the wrong direction. Sometimes, God leads us through experiences to prepare us for what comes later.
Joseph's bones were also a reminder of God's faithfulness. Joseph had trusted that God would eventually deliver Israel from Egypt, although he died many years before the Exodus happened. His request was fulfilled when the Israelites left Egypt.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire demonstrated that God was actively leading His people. The Israelites did not have to find a way by themselves. God showed us that He can provide direction by day and light by night.
The chapter therefore transitioned the Israelites from simply being rescued from slavery to being able to grow into a people who learned to follow God's direction. Freedom was only the beginning of their journey.
God wanted us to remember what He had done for us and to teach children and future generations about God's faithfulness. God's path was not always the shortest or easiest.
A longer journey was not necessarily a sign that God had forgotten us or that we were going in the wrong direction. God knew what His people were capable of and would lead them in the way best for them to grow in their relationship with Him. God could protect us by keeping us from things we may not be ready for.
We should trust God's guidance even when we didn't understand His reasoning. God kept His promises even when they were a long time after a promise had been made. Joseph's faithfulness reminded us that God's promises can come true even after death. God was not just rescuing His people but was also guiding them after their rescue.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire demonstrate that God was with His people as they began their journey towards the promised land.