How do the firstborn rules and unleavened bread keep Israel’s departure from Egypt in memory?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

They are tied to explanations parents must give their sons: the Lord brought Israel out by a strong hand and struck Egypt’s firstborn when Pharao would not release them. The rites are signs and reminders of that departure.

Chapter breakdown

How do the firstborn rules and unleavened bread keep Israel’s departure from Egypt in memory? They are tied to explanations parents must give their sons: the Lord brought Israel out by a strong hand and struck Egypt’s firstborn when Pharao would not release them. The rites are signs and reminders of that departure.

The Lord tells Moses to set apart every firstborn opening the womb among Israel, both people and beasts, because all are his. Challoner’s note explains this as assigning Israel’s firstborn males to service in divine worship and giving the firstborn beasts for sacrifice.

Moses tells the people to remember the day they came out of Egypt’s house of bondage, because the Lord brought them out by a strong hand. They are to eat no leavened bread. They leave in the month of new corn. When the Lord brings them to the land of the Chanaanite, Hethite, Amorrhite, Hevite and Jebusite, the land flowing with milk and honey sworn to their fathers, they must celebrate these rites in this month. They must eat unleavened bread for seven days, with the Lord’s solemnity on the seventh. Nothing leavened may be seen with them or anywhere in their coasts.

On that day each is to tell his son that this is what the Lord did for him when he came out of Egypt. It is to be a sign in the hand and a reminder before the eyes, with the Lord’s law always in the mouth, because the Lord brought them out by a strong hand. The observance must be kept at its appointed time, from days to days.

When the Lord gives the land of the Chanaanite as sworn to them and their fathers, they must set apart all that opens the womb for the Lord. The firstborn male cattle are to be consecrated to him. A firstborn ass is to be exchanged for a sheep; if it is not redeemed, it must be killed. Every human firstborn must be redeemed with a price.

When a son asks tomorrow what this means, the answer is that the Lord brought them out of Egypt’s house of bondage by a strong hand. When Pharao was hardened and would not release them, the Lord killed Egypt’s firstborn, both people and beasts. Therefore they sacrifice to the Lord the firstborn males opening the womb and redeem their firstborn sons. This is to be a sign in the hand and something hung between the eyes as a reminder, because the Lord brought them out of Egypt by a strong hand.

After Pharao sends the people out, the Lord does not lead them by the nearby way through the Philistines’ land. The stated concern is that perhaps, seeing wars arise against them, they would change their minds and return to Egypt. Instead he leads them around by the desert way by the Red Sea. Israel goes up armed out of Egypt.

Moses takes Joseph’s bones because Joseph had bound Israel by an oath, saying that God would visit them and that they should carry his bones out with them. They march from Socoth and camp at Etham, at the furthest coasts of the wilderness.

The Lord goes before them to show the way, by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire, guiding their journey at both times. The pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night never fail before the people.

The story inside

The chapter joins remembered departure with continued guidance. The unleavened-bread observance is to be explained to a son as what the Lord did when his parent came out of Egypt. The firstborn rules receive a second explanation: Egypt’s firstborn died when Pharao would not release Israel, so firstborn males are offered and sons redeemed. Both explanations return to the strong hand that brought them out. The journey then follows God’s choice of the desert way, with the stated concern that perhaps wars on the nearer way would lead them back to Egypt. Moses carries Joseph’s bones because of the oath, and the Lord guides the journey by cloud and fire. (Exodus 13:1–22.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
The rites have spoken explanations. A parent tells his son what the Lord did in bringing him out, and answers the firstborn question with the account of release from bondage and Egypt’s firstborn deaths. Memory includes these words as well as the signs. (13:8–16.)
2
The firstborn instructions keep separate actions. Male cattle are consecrated, a firstborn ass is exchanged for a sheep or killed if not redeemed, and a human firstborn is redeemed with a price. No killing method or price amount is specified. (13:11–13.)
3
God’s route choice retains its stated possibility. The nearer Philistine way is avoided lest perhaps seeing wars would cause a return to Egypt. The people instead go by the desert way by the Red Sea, guided by the cloud by day and fire by night. (13:17–22.)

Test your recall

Why are firstborn sons redeemed according to the answer given to a child? The explanation recalls the Lord striking Egypt’s firstborn when Pharao would not let Israel go and bringing Israel out by a strong hand. Why does God avoid the nearer way? Perhaps wars would cause the people to change their minds and return to Egypt. Why does Moses take Joseph’s bones?

Show answer

Joseph had bound Israel by an oath to carry them out when God visited them. (13:14–19.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 7340–7345
Exodus Chapter 13 The paschal solemnity is to be observed; and the firstborn are to be consecrated to God. The people are conducted through the desert by a pillar of fire in the night, and a cloud in the day.
Lines 7346–7355
13:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 13:2. Sanctify unto me every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, as well of men as of beasts: for they are all mine. Sanctify unto me every firstborn.... Sanctification in this place means that the firstborn males of the Hebrews should be deputed to the ministry in the divine worship; and the firstborn of beasts to be given for a sacrifice.
Lines 7356–7374
13:3. And Moses said to the people: Remember this day in which you came forth out of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage, for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought you forth out of this place: that you eat no leavened bread. 13:4. This day you go forth in the month of new corn. 13:5. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the Chanaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to thy fathers that he would give thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey, thou shalt celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month. 13:6. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be the solemnity of the Lord. 13:7. Unleavened bread shall you eat seven days: there shall not be seen any thing leavened with thee, nor in all thy coasts.
Lines 7375–7384
13:8. And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: This is what the Lord did to me when I came forth out of Egypt. 13:9. And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a memorial before thy eyes; and that the law of the Lord be always in thy mouth, for with a strong hand the Lord hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 13:10. Thou shalt keep this observance at the set time from days to days.
Lines 7385–7396
13:11. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the Chanaanite, as he swore to thee and thy fathers, and shall give it thee: 13:12. Thou shalt set apart all that openeth the womb for the Lord, and all that is first brought forth of thy cattle: whatsoever thou shalt have of the male sex, thou shalt consecrate to the Lord. 13:13. The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men thou shalt redeem with a price.
Lines 7397–7410
13:14. And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What is this? thou shalt answer him: With a strong hand did the Lord bring us forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13:15. For when Pharao was hardened, and would not let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. 13:16. And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a thing hung between thy eyes, for a remembrance: because the Lord hath brought us forth out of Egypt by a strong hand.
Lines 7411–7419
13:17. And when Pharao had sent out the people, the Lord led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is near; thinking lest perhaps they would repent, if they should see wars arise against them, and would return into Egypt. 13:18. But he led them about by the way of the desert, which is by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
Lines 7420–7426
13:19. And Moses took Joseph’s bones with him: because he had adjured the children of Israel, saying: God shall visit you, carry out my bones from hence with you. 13:20. And marching from Socoth, they encamped in Etham, in the utmost coasts of the wilderness.
Lines 7427–7434
13:21. And the Lord went before them to shew the way, by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire; that he might be the guide of their journey at both times. 13:22. There never failed the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, before the people.