Exodus 13:5

The Dedication of the Firstborn · Exodus 13:1–16
Read Exodus 13

Translations

Modern
And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.
Traditional
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
Literal
And it shall come to pass when YHWH brings 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 to give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, and you shall serve this service in this month.
Latin
Cumque introduxerit te Dominus in terram Chananæi, et Hethæi, et Amorrhæi, et Hevæi, et Jebusæi, quam juravit patribus tuis ut daret tibi, terram fluentem lacte et melle, celebrabis hunc morem sacrorum mense isto.

Interlinear

Hebrew
English
And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you shall keep this service in this month.

Notes

a land flowing with milk and honey: This describes a land that is rich and good for farming. There is grass for cattle to eat, and there are many plants and flowers. From these flowers, bees can make honey.

This review of the customs for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread prepares the way for teaching about the dedication of the firstborn (13:11–16).

Like the Passover celebration, the dedication of the firstborn helped the people remember what God did during the Passover. God spared the firstborn sons of Israel. Because of this, those firstborn sons belonged to him and had to be redeemed (bought back with a price).

Each year, the people sacrificed and ate a lamb. This act pointed forward to what God would do by giving his Son, Jesus Christ, as a substitute. All people deserve death because of sin. But God redeems them through a price, the life of his Son.

Events

Parallels

Deuteronomy 15:19–23

People

Amorites: Canaanite people group, enemies of Israel Heth: Son of Canaan and ancestor of the Hittites Hivites: A Canaanite people group Jebusites: Canaanite tribe inhabiting Jerusalem before David's conquest

Places

Canaan: Ancient region; descendants of Ham; promised to Abraham's descendants

Glossary

Aaron Amorites Book of Exodus Chronology of the Bible (New Testament) Deuteronomy, Book of Firstborn Frontlet Jebus, Jebusite Phylactery

Topics

Israel: The Day of Their Deliverance to be a Memorial Milk: Figuratite