1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2Sanctify unto me all the firstborn: that is, every one that first openeth the womb among the children of Israel, as well of man as of beast: for it is mine.
3Then Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in the which ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: for by a mighty hand the Lord brought you out from thence: therefore no leavened bread shall be eaten.
4This day come ye out in the month of Abib.
5Now when the Lord hath brought thee into the land of the Canaanites, and Hittites, and Amorites, and Hivites, and Jebusites, (which he sware unto thy fathers, that he would give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey) then thou shalt keep this service in this month.
6Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall be the feast of the Lord.
7Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days, and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, nor yet leaven be seen with thee in all thy quarters.
8And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying, This is done, because of that which the Lord did unto me, when I came out of Egypt.
9And it shall be a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a remembrance between thine eyes, that the Law of the Lord may be in thy mouth: for by a strong hand the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.
10Keep therefore this ordinance in his season appointed from year to year.
11And when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
12Then shalt thou set apart unto the Lord all that first openeth the womb: also everything that first doth open the womb, and cometh forth of thy beast: the males shall be the Lord’s.
13But every first foal of an ass, thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck: likewise also the firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou buy out.
14And when thy son shall ask thee tomorrow, saying, What is this? thou shalt then say unto him, With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
15For when Pharaoh was hard hearted against our departing, the Lord then slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice unto the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.
16And it shall be as a token upon thine hand, and as frontlets between thine eyes, that the Lord brought us out of Egypt by a mighty hand.
17Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God carried them not by the way of the Philistines’ country, though it were nearer: (for God said, Lest the people repent when they see war, and turn again to Egypt).
18But God made the people to go about by the way of the wilderness of the red sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
19(And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall take my bones away hence with you.)
20So they took their journey from Succoth, and camped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness.
21And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might go both by day and by night.
22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.