“Sanctify to me all of the firstborn. Whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal, it is mine.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Moses said to the people, “Remember this day when you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread may be eaten.
This day you go out in the month Abib.
And when Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite that he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you must keep this service in this month.
Seven days you must eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day there is to be a feast to Yahweh.
Unleavened bread is to be eaten throughout the seven days, and no leavened bread is to be seen with you, nor may yeast be seen with you within all your territory.
You will tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
It will be for a sign to you on your hand and for a memorial between your eyes, so that the law of Yahweh will be in your mouth. For with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt.
You must therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
“Now when Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,
you are to set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb. And every firstborn that you have that comes from an animal, the males will be Yahweh’s.
Every firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb, and if you will not redeem it then you must break its neck. And all the human firstborn among your sons you must redeem.
It will be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you will tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of slavery.
And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animal. That is why I sacrifice to Yahweh every male that opens the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
It will be for a sign on your hand and for symbols between your eyes, for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.”
Pillars of Cloud and Fire
And when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war and they return to Egypt.”
But God led the people around by the road of the wilderness by the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you must carry up my bones away from here with you.”
They took their journey from Sukkoth and encamped in Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night.
The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from the presence of the people.