The Dedication of the Firstborn (Deuteronomy 15:19–23)
1 WBS And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 WBS Sanctify to me all the first-born, whatever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is 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 WBS And Moses said to the people, Remember this day, in which 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. 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 WBS This day ye came out in the month Abib. BSB BSB: Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.
5 WBS 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. 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 WBS Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. BSB BSB: Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.
11 WBS 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, 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 WBS That thou shall set apart to the LORD all that openeth the matrix; and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast, the males shall be the LORD'S. 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 WBS And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the first-born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. 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 WBS 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: 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 WBS And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the first-born of my children 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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 peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to 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 WBS But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up harnassed from 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 WBS And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had strictly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones 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 WBS And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. BSB BSB: They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.
21 WBS 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. 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 WBS He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from 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.