1Und JehovaH3068 redeteH1696 zu MoseH4872 und sprachH559 : 2HeiligeH6942 mir alles ErstgeboreneH1060, was irgend die MutterH7358 brichtH6363 unter den KindernH1121 IsraelH3478, an MenschenH120 und an ViehH929; es ist mein. - 3Und MoseH4872 sprachH559 zu dem VolkeH5971 : GedenketH2142 dieses TagesH3117, an welchem ihr ausH3318 ÄgyptenH4714 gezogen seid, ausH3318 dem HauseH1004 derH2088 Knechtschaft; denn mit starker HandH3027 hat JehovaH3068 euch von hier herausgeführt; und es soll nichts GesäuertesH2557 gegessenH398 werden. 4HeuteH3117 ziehet ihr ausH3318, im MonatH2320 AbibH24. 5Und es soll geschehen, wenn JehovaH3068 dich bringt in das LandH776 der KanaaniterH3669 und der HethiterH2850 und der AmoriterH567 und der Hewiter und der JebusiterH2983, das erH935 deinen VäternH1 geschworen hatH7650, dir zu gebenH5414, ein LandH776, das von MilchH2461 und HonigH1706 fließtH2100, so sollst du diesen DienstH5656 in diesem MonatH2320 haltenH5647. 6SiebenH7651 TageH3117 sollst du UngesäuertesH4682 essenH398, und am siebten TageH3117 ist ein FestH2282 dem JehovaH3068. 7Die siebenH7651 TageH3117 sollH7200 UngesäuertesH4682 gegessenH398 werden; und nicht sollH7200 Gesäuertes bei dir gesehen werden, noch soll SauerteigH2557 bei dir gesehen werden in allen deinen GrenzenH1366. 8Und duH559 sollst deinem SohneH1121 an selbigem TageH3117 kundtun und sprechen: Es ist umH5668 deswillen, wasH2088 JehovaH3068 mirH5046 getanH6213 hat, als ich ausH3318 ÄgyptenH4714 zog. 9UndH3068 es sei dir zu einem ZeichenH226 an deiner HandH3027 undH3068 zu einem Denkzeichen zwischen deinen AugenH5869, damit das GesetzH8451 Jehovas in deinem MundeH6310 sei; denn mit starkerH2389 HandH3027 hat Jehova dich ausH3318 ÄgyptenH4714 herausgeführt. 10Und du sollst diese SatzungH2708 beobachten zu ihrer bestimmten ZeitH4150, von Jahr zu Jahr. 11Und es soll geschehen, wenn JehovaH3068 dich in das LandH776 der KanaaniterH3669 bringt, wie erH935 dir und deinen VäternH1 geschworen hatH7650, und es dir gibtH5414, 12so sollst du JehovaH3068 alles darbringen, was dieH5674 MutterH7358 brichtH6363; und alles zuerst Geworfene vom ViehH929, das dir zuteil wird, die Männlichen gehören JehovaH3068. 13Und jedes ErstgeboreneH1060 des Esels sollst du mit einem Lamme lösenH6299, und wenn du es nichtH6299 lösest, so brich ihm das GenickH6202; und jedes Erstgeborene des MenschenH120 unter deinen SöhnenH1121 sollst du lösenH6299. 14Und es soll geschehen, wenn dein SohnH1121 dich künftig fragtH7592 und spricht: Was ist das? so sollst duH559 zu ihm sagenH559 : Mit starker HandH3027 hat JehovaH3068 uns ausH3318 ÄgyptenH4714 herausgeführt, aus dem HauseH1004 der Knechtschaft. 15Und es geschah, da der PharaoH6547 sich hartnäckig weigerte, uns ziehen zu lassenH7971, töteteH2026 JehovaH3068 alle ErstgeburtH1060 im LandeH776 ÄgyptenH4714, vom ErstgeborenenH1060 des MenschenH120 bis zum ErstgeborenenH1060 des Viehes; darum opfere ichH2076 dem JehovaH3068 alles, was die MutterH7358 brichtH6363, die Männlichen, und jeden ErstgeborenenH1060 meiner SöhneH1121 löse ichH6299. 16Und es sei zu einem ZeichenH226 an deiner HandH3027 und zu Stirnbändern zwischen deinen AugenH5869; denn mit starker HandH3027 hat JehovaH3068 uns ausH3318 ÄgyptenH4714 herausgeführt. 17Und esH5162 geschah, als der PharaoH6547 das VolkH5971 ziehen ließH7971, da führteH5148 GottH430 sieH7725 nicht den WegH1870 durch das LandH776 der PhilisterH6430, wiewohl er naheH7138 war; dennH3588 GottH430 sprachH559 : Damit es das VolkH5971 nicht gereue, wenn sie den StreitH4421 sehenH7200, und sie nicht nach ÄgyptenH4714 zurückkehren. 18Und GottH430 führteH5437 das VolkH5971 herum, den WegH1870 der WüsteH4057 des Schilfmeeres; und die KinderH1121 IsraelH3478 zogenH5437 gerüstetH2571 aus dem LandeH776 ÄgyptenH4714 heraufH5927. 19Und MoseH4872 nahmH3947 die GebeineH6106 JosephsH3130 mit sich; denn er hatteH7650 die KinderH1121 IsraelH3478 ausdrücklich schwörenH7650 lassenH5927 und gesagtH559 : GottH430 wirdH6485 euch gewißlich heimsuchenH6485; so führet denn meine GebeineH6106 mit euch von hier hinaufH5927! 20Und sieH5265 brachen auf von SukkothH5523 und lagerten sichH2583 in EthamH864, am Rande der WüsteH4057. 21Und JehovaH3068 zogH1980 vor ihnen her, des TagesH3119 in einer WolkensäuleH6051, um sieH5148 aufH6440 dem WegeH1870 zu leiten, und des NachtsH3915 in einer FeuersäuleH5982, um ihnen zu leuchtenH215, damit sie TagH3119 und NachtH3915 ziehenH3212 könnten. 22Des TagesH3119 wichH4185 nicht die WolkensäuleH6051 noch des NachtsH3915 die FeuersäuleH5982 vorH6440 dem VolkeH5971.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 THE FIRST-BORN SANCTIFIED. (
Exod 13:1-
Exod 13:2)
Sanctify unto me all the first-born--To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a sacred use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their first-born preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare
Heb 12:23).
3 MEMORIAL OF THE PASSOVER. (
Exod 13:3-
Exod 13:10)
Moses said unto the people, Remember this day--The day that gave them a national existence and introduced them into the privileges of independence and freedom, deserved to live in the memories of the Hebrews and their posterity; and, considering the signal interposition of God displayed in it, to be held not only in perpetual, but devout remembrance.
house of bondage--literally, "house of slaves"--that is, a servile and degrading condition.
for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place--The emancipation of Israel would never have been obtained except it had been wrung from the Egyptian tyrant by the appalling judgments of God, as had been at the outset of his mission announced to Moses (
Exod 3:19).
There shall no leavened bread, &c.--The words are elliptical, and the meaning of the clause may be paraphrased thus:--"For by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place, in such haste that there could or should be no leavened bread eaten."
4 month Abib--literally, "a green ear," and hence the month Abib is the month of green ears, corresponding to the middle of our March. It was the best season for undertaking a journey to the desert region of Sinai, especially with flocks and herds; for then the winter torrents had subsided, and the wadies were covered with an early and luxuriant verdure.
5 when the Lord shall bring thee--The passover is here instituted as a permanent festival of the Israelites. It was, however, only a prospective observance; we read of only one celebration of the passover during the protracted sojourn in the wilderness [
Num 9:5]; but on their settlement in the promised land, the season was hallowed as a sacred anniversary [
Josh 5:10], in conformity with the directions here given.
8 thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying--The establishment of this and the other sacred festivals presented the best opportunities of instructing the young in a knowledge of His gracious doings to their ancestors in Egypt.
9 it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, &c.--There is no reason to believe that the Oriental tattooing--the custom of staining the hands with the powder of Hennah, as Eastern females now do--is here referred to. Nor is it probable that either this practice or the phylacteries of the Pharisees--parchment scrolls, which were worn on their wrists and foreheads--had so early an existence. The words are to be considered only as a figurative mode of expression.
that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth, &c.--that is, that it may be the subject of frequent conversation and familiar knowledge among the people.
12 FIRSTLINGS OF BEASTS. (
Exod 13:11-
Exod 13:16)
every firstling, &c.--the injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born, as here repeated, with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Those unclean beasts, as the ass's colt, being unfit for sacrifice, were to be redeemed (
Num 18:15).
17 JOURNEY FROM EGYPT. (
Exod 13:17-
Exod 13:21)
God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, &c.--The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, for between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (
1Chr 7:21-22); and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened, and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state, as the gracious Lord shows to His people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.
18 God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.--This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced. Some think it was given from its contiguity to the countries of Edom ("red"); others derive it from its coral rocks; while a third class ascribe the origin of the name to an extremely red appearance of the water in some parts, caused by a numberless multitude of very small mollusca. This sea, at its northern extremity, separates into two smaller inlets--the eastern called anciently the Elanitic gulf, now the gulf of Akaba; and the western the Heroopolite gulf, now the gulf of Suez, which, there can be no doubt, extended much more to the north anciently than it does now. It was toward the latter the Israelites marched.
went up harnessed--that is, girded, equipped for a long journey. (See
Ps 105:37). The Margin renders it "five in a rank," meaning obviously five large divisions, under five presiding officers, according to the usages of all caravans; and a spectacle of such a mighty and motley multitude must have presented an imposing appearance, and its orderly progress could have been effected only by the superintending influence of God.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him--in fulfilment of the oath he exacted from his brethren (
Gen 50:25-
Gen 50:26). The remains of the other patriarchs (not noticed from their obscurity) were also carried out of Egypt (
Acts 7:15-
Acts 7:16); and there would be no difficulty as to the means of conveyance--a few camels bearing these precious relics would give a true picture of Oriental customs, such as is still to be seen in the immense pilgrimages to Mecca.
20 encamped in Etham--This place is supposed by the most intelligent travellers to be the modern Ajrud, where is a watering-place, and which is the third stage of the pilgrim-caravans to Mecca. "It is remarkable that either of the different routes eastward from Heliopolis, or southward from Heroopolis, equally admit of Ajrud being Etham. It is twelve miles northwest from Suez, and is literally on the edge of the desert" [Pictorial Bible].
21 the Lord went before them--by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (
Ps 78:14;
Neh 9:12;
1Cor 10:1), called "the angel of God" (
Exod 14:19;
Exod 23:20-
Exod 23:23;
Ps 99:6-
Ps 99:7;
Isa 63:8-
Isa 63:9).