Exodus 13

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

2 Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

“Every firstborn male is to be dedicated to me. The firstborn from every Israelite family belongs to me, and also every firstborn animal.”

3 And Moses said to the people, Remember this day, when ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

So Moses told the people, “Remember this is the day you left Egypt, the land of your slavery, for the Lord led you out of it by his amazing power. (Nothing with yeast in it shall be eaten.)

4 This day in the month Abib, ye came out.

Today you are on your way, this day in the month of Abib.

5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, 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.

The Lord is going to take you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, the land he promised your forefathers he would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey. So you are to observe this ceremony in this month.

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

For seven days you are to only eat bread without yeast, and on the seventh day hold a religious festival to honor the Lord.

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

Only bread without yeast is to be eaten during those seven days. You are not to have any yeast, in fact there is to be no yeast in any place where you live.

8 And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did to me when I came forth out of Egypt.

On that day tell your children, ‘This is because of what the Lord did for me when I left Egypt.’

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

When you celebrate this ceremony it will be like a sign on your hand and a reminder between your eyes that this teaching of the Lord should be spoken about regularly. For the Lord led you out of Egypt with his great power.

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

That's why you are to observe this ceremony at the proper time every year.

11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it to thee,

Once the Lord takes you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised you and your forefathers,

12 That thou shall set apart to the LORD all that openeth the womb, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

you are to present to the Lord all firstborn males, human or animal. The firstborn males of your livestock all belong to the Lord.

13 And every firstling of a donkey thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

You must buy back every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you don't do so, you have to break its neck. You must buy back every firstborn of your sons.

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

When in the future your children come to you and ask, ‘Why is this ceremony important to you?’ you are to tell them, ‘The Lord led us out of Egypt, the land of our slavery, by his amazing power.

15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us leave, so the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human and animal. That's the reason why I sacrifice to the Lord the firstborn male of every animal, and I buy back all the firstborn of my sons.’

16 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 Egypt.

In this way it will be like a sign on your hand and a reminder between your eyes, for the Lord led us out of Egypt by his amazing power.”

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

When Pharaoh let the Israelites leave, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, even though that was a shorter way. For God said, “If they are forced to fight, they might change their minds and go back to Egypt.”

18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up armed from the land of Egypt.

So God led the people by the longer way through the desert towards the Red Sea. When the Israelites left the land of Egypt they were like an army ready for battle.

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had solemnly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones from here with you.

Moses carried Joseph's bones with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn promise, saying, “God will definitely take care of you, and then you must take my bones with you when you leave here.”

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

They traveled on from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

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

The Lord went ahead of them as a pillar of cloud to show them the way during the day, and as a pillar of fire to provide them with light at night. Like this they could travel by day or night.

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

The pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night were always in front of the people.