The Dedication of the Firstborn (Deuteronomy 15:19–23)
1 DRA And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 DRA 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. BSB BSB: “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”
3 DRA 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. BSB BSB: So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.
4 DRA This day you go forth in the month of new corn. BSB BSB: Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.
5 DRA 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. BSB BSB: And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.
6 DRA Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be the solemnity of the Lord. BSB BSB: For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.
7 DRA Unleavened bread shall you eat seven days: there shall not be seen any thing leavened with thee, nor in all thy coasts. BSB BSB: Unleavened bread shall be eaten during those seven days. Nothing leavened may be found among you, nor shall leaven be found anywhere within your borders.
8 DRA 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. BSB BSB: And on that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
9 DRA 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. BSB BSB: It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.
10 DRA Thou shalt keep this observance at the set time from days to days. BSB BSB: Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.
11 DRA 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: BSB BSB: And after the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as He swore to you and your fathers,
12 DRA 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. BSB BSB: you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.
13 DRA 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. BSB BSB: You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
14 DRA And when thy son shall ask thee tomorrow, 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. BSB BSB: In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
15 DRA 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. BSB BSB: And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’
16 DRA 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. BSB BSB: So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”
The Pillars of Cloud and Fire 17 DRA 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. BSB BSB: When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
18 DRA 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. BSB BSB: So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.
19 DRA 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. BSB BSB: Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.”
20 DRA And marching from Socoth they encamped in Etham in the utmost coasts of the wilderness. BSB BSB: They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.
21 DRA 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. BSB BSB: And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
22 DRA There never failed the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, before the people. BSB BSB: Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.