1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and of beast; for it is mine.
3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD has brought you out of here with a strong hand; therefore, ye shall not eat with leaven. 4 This day ye came out in the month Abib. 5 And when the LORD shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt do this service in this month. 6 Thou shalt eat without leaven for seven days, and the seventh day shall be a feast unto the LORD. 7 Bread without leaven shall be eaten the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen with thee, neither shall there be any leaven in all thy borders. 8 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when he brought me out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand and for a memorial before thine eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought thee out of Egypt. 10 Thou shalt, therefore, keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
11 And it shall be when the LORD shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it to thee, 12 that thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that opens the womb and in the same manner every firstborn that opens the wombs of thy animals; the males shall be the LORD’s. 13 And every firstborn of an ass thou shalt ransom with a lamb; and if thou wilt not ransom it, then thou shalt cut off its head; and in the same manner thou shalt ransom all the human firstborn among thy sons. 14 And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Thou shalt say unto him, With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery; 15 and it came to pass when Pharaoh was hardening himself to not let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt from the human firstborn to the firstborn of the beast; therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD every male that opens the womb, and I ransom every firstborn of my sons. 16 And it shall be for a token upon thy hand, and for a memorial before thine eyes: That the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.
17 And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God did not lead them through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt; 18 but God led the people round about through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea. And the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses also took the bones of Joseph with him, who had made the sons of Israel swear, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away from here with you. 20 And they took their journey from Succoth and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light that they might walk by day and by night. 22 He never took away the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.