Exodus 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The LORD spoke to Moses and said,	1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites, both of man and beast, for it belongs to me."	2 “Sanctify to me every firstborn which opens the womb among the sons of Israel, as much of men as of cattle. For they are all mine.”
3 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, that place of slavery. It was with a strong hand that the LORD brought you away. Nothing made with leaven must be eaten.	3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day, on which you were taken away from Egypt and from the house of servitude. For with a strong hand the Lord has led you away from this place. Thus, you shall eat no leavened bread.
4 This day of your departure is in the month of Abib.	4 Today, you go forth in the month of new grain.
5 Therefore, it is in this month that you must celebrate this rite, after the LORD, your God, has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers he would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey.	5 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers that he would give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month.
6 For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall also be a festival to the LORD.	6 For seven days, you shall feed on unleavened bread. And on the seventh day, it will be the solemnity of the Lord.
7 Only unleavened bread may be eaten during the seven days; no leaven and nothing leavened may be found in all your territory.	7 You shall consume unleavened bread for seven days. There shall not be seen anything leavened with you, nor in all your parts.
8 On this day you shall explain to your son, 'This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'	8 And you will explain to your son in that day, saying: ‘This is what the Lord did for me when I was taken away from Egypt.’
9 It shall be as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead; thus the law of the LORD will ever be on your lips, because with a strong hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.	9 And it will be like a sign in your hand and like a memorial before your eyes. And so may the law of the Lord be always in your mouth. For with a strong hand, the Lord led you away from the land of Egypt.
10 Therefore, you shall keep this prescribed rite at its appointed time from year to year.	10 You will keep this observance, at the established time, from day to day.
11 "When the LORD, your God, has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, which he swore to you and your fathers he would give you,	11 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, just as he swore to you and to your fathers, and when he will give it you,
12 you shall dedicate to the LORD every son that opens the womb; and all the male firstlings of your animals shall belong to the LORD.	12 then you shall set aside for the Lord all that opens the womb and all that is first to go forth among your cattle. Whatever you will have of the male sex, you shall consecrate to the Lord.
13 Every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a sheep. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. Every first-born son you must redeem.	13 The firstborn of a donkey you will exchange for a sheep. And if you will not redeem it, you shall put it to death. But every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem with a price.
14 If your son should ask you later on, 'What does this mean?' you shall tell him, 'With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, that place of slavery.	14 And when your son will question you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you will respond, ‘With a strong hand the Lord led us away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude.
15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every first-born in the land of Egypt, every first-born of man and of beast. That is why I sacrifice to the LORD everything of the male sex that opens the womb, and why I redeem every first-born of my sons.'	15 For when Pharaoh had been hardened and was unwilling to release us, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man, even to the firstborn of beasts. For this reason, I immolate to the Lord all of the male sex that opens the womb, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
16 Let this, then, be as a sign on your hand and as a pendant on your forehead: with a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."	16 Therefore, it will be like a sign in your hand and like something hanging between your eyes as a remembrance, because with a strong hand the Lord has led us away from Egypt.”
17 Now, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the Philistines' land, though this was the nearest; for he thought, should the people see that they would have to fight, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.	17 And so, when Pharaoh had sent the people away, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is nearby, considering that perhaps they might relapse, if they saw wars rise up against them, and then they might return to Egypt.
18 Instead, he rerouted them toward the Red Sea by way of the desert road. In battle array the Israelites marched out of Egypt.	18 But he led them around by the way of the desert, which is next to the Red Sea. And so the sons of Israel ascended, armed, out of the land of Egypt.
19 Moses also took Joseph's bones along, for Joseph had made the Israelites swear solemnly that, when God should come to them, they would carry his bones away with them.	19 Also, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because he had sworn to the sons of Israel, saying: “God will visit you. Carry my bones away from here with you.”
20 Setting out from Succoth, they camped at Etham near the edge of the desert.	20 And setting out from Soccoth, they encamped at Etham, in the most distant parts of the wilderness.
21 The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night.	21 Now the Lord preceded them to show them the way, by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, so that he might be the leader of their journey at both times.
22 Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people.	22 These never failed: a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, in the sight of the people.