Exodus 13:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord 's.

NIV: you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.

NASB: you shall devote to the Lord every firstborn of a womb, and every firstborn offspring of an animal that you own; the males belong to the Lord.

CSB: you are to present to the Lord every firstborn male of the womb. All firstborn offspring of the livestock you own that are males will be the Lord’s.

NLT: you must present all firstborn sons and firstborn male animals to the Lord, for they belong to him.

KJV: That thou shalt set apart unto 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.

NKJV: that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s.

Before giving instructions about the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 13:3–10), the Lord commanded that all Israel's firstborn be consecrated to Himself (Exodus 13:1–2). The first male born to any woman or animal was considered to belong to God. Redemption was required for people and optional for animals. To "redeem" a firstborn required the sacrifice of a lamb. This would remind Israel of the tremendous value which God placed on them. It would also echo the night of the first Passover where the Lord devastated Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 12:29–30) while sparing faithful Israelites (Exodus 11:7) who trusted in lamb's blood (Exodus 12:12–13).

In some rare cases, firstborn were not "redeemed" and kept with the family. A special example is Samuel. His mother, Hannah, dedicated him entirely to God (1 Samuel 1:11). When he was old enough, he went to live and serve with the priests (1 Samuel 1:26–28).

Exodus 13:11–16 expands on the command to consecrate all firstborn of Israel to the Lord. Every male which is the first birthed by any person or animal is considered God's. Animals may be sacrificed, but persons and animals that are to be kept must be "redeemed" by sacrificing a lamb. This reminds Israel of God's work on their behalf (Exodus 12:29–32). It also emphasizes the need for sacrifice in order to be reconciled to God.

God reiterates the requirements of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Israel is to celebrate this every year as a way of remembering their liberation from Egyptian slavery. In addition, the people are to consecrate all of the first-born of any mother—both people and animals. Animals that cannot be sacrificed are to be redeemed. Sons are to be redeemed by an animal sacrifice. The Lord creates a column of clouds for the people to follow during the day, which is lit by fire so they can also follow it at night. This keeps them moving quickly. Soon, Egyptian soldiers will catch up to them and God will once again provide miraculous rescue (Exodus 14).

The Lord has just freed Israel from centuries of Egyptian slavery (Exodus 12). The final blow to Egypt was the death of all firstborn (Exodus 12:29–32) on the night of the first Passover (Exodus 12:12–13). God's guidelines for that night are partly repeated here along with directions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He instructs the nation about consecrating their own firstborn as He guides them. A column of fiery clouds helps the people travel day and night. This haste is important because Egypt's king is about to change his mind. He will soon send the Egyptian military to chase down the Israelites (Exodus 14).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 6/16/2025 4:01:04 PM