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Exodus 13 Bible study: It is mine

Israel's firstborn belong to the LORD because of the night he struck Egypt's firstborn, and the sons are redeemed, never sacrificed; this is the Hebrew Bible's first use of padah, "redeem". Jesus was presented as a firstborn under this law (Luke 2:22-23). God led his people the long way so they wouldn't see war and turn back, Joseph's bones went with them, and the pillar didn't leave.

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“The LORD 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, that they might go by day and by night:”
Exodus 13:21 · World English Bible

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“Israel's firstborn sons were to be redeemed, not sacrificed.”

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What's really going on

"It is mine"

In the text

The chapter opens with the LORD's claim: "Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine" (13:2). The answer the fathers are to give their sons explains why: "the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem" (13:15). The LORD says it again later: "On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel" (Numbers 3:13). Before any of the plagues, God had called the whole nation "my son, my firstborn" (4:22).

Where it leads to Jesus

Holy to the Lord

In the text

Exodus 13:2leads toLuke 2:22-23

The LORD says, "Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb" (13:2). Mary "gave birth to her firstborn son" (Luke 2:7), and he was brought to Jerusalem "to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’)" (Luke 2:22-23). Luke's words echo this chapter (13:2, 13:12) and the law's repeat of it in 34:19 rather than quoting one verse. "When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord", they went home to Nazareth (Luke 2:39).

Honest questions

Questions people ask about Exodus 13

That was a taste

The rest of Exodus 13 is waiting in Favor

  • Tell your son
  • The long way round
  • Joseph's bones
  • A pillar that didn't leave
  • Jesus, presented as a firstborn
  • 9 questions as you read
  • 12 more Hebrew words
  • A short check at the end
  • Your notes, saved as you go
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The Hebrew word behind it

פָּדָהpadahsay pa-DAH

"Ransom" (Brown-Driver-Briggs); Strong's gives "to sever, i.e. ransom; generally to release, preserve". This chapter is the first time the Hebrew Bible uses it (the "redeemed" of Genesis 48:16 and "I will redeem you" in 6:6 are a different verb, ga'al): "Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb", and "you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons" (13:13), three times in one verse. The father says it again: "all the firstborn of my sons I redeem" (13:15). Later Moses uses the same verb for the whole nation: the LORD "redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 7:8).

For your group

Exodus 13 Bible study questions

  1. 1The fathers were to tell their children, "the LORD did for me." What has God done in your life that you'd want someone younger to hear from you?
  2. 2God led Israel the long way round so they wouldn't see war and turn back to Egypt. When has a longer road turned out to be a kindness to you?
  3. 3"It is mine," the LORD says of the firstborn. What would change in your week if you lived as someone who belongs to God?

Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Exodus 13 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.

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Questions

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home