Shamuth (Exodus) — 13

Dedication of the Firstborn

1 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to Musha, 

2 “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Yasharalym. The first offspring to be born, of both man and animals belongs to me.”

3 So Musha said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever, the day you left Mitzraym the place of your slavery. Today  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has brought you out by the power of His mighty hand. (Remember, eat no food containing yeast.) 

4 On this day in early spring, in the month of Abib, you have been set free. 

5 You must celebrate this event in this month each year after 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amurites, Hibites, and Yabusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.) 

6 For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. Then on the seventh day, celebrate a feast to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

7 Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time.

8 “On the seventh day you must explain to your children, ‘I am celebrating what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH did for me when I left Mitzraym.’ 

9 This annual festival will be a visible sign to you, like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. Let it remind you always to recite this teaching of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH: ‘With a strong hand, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH rescued you from Mitzraym.’ 

10 So observe the decree of this festival at the appointed time each year.

11 “This is what you must do when 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH fulfills the promise he swore to you and to your ancestors. When he gives you the land where the Canaanites now live, 

12 you must present all firstborn sons and firstborn male animals to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, for they belong to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

13 A firstborn donkey may be bought back from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However you must buy back every firstborn son.

14 “And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of ALUAH's mighty hand, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH brought us out of Mitzraym, the place of our slavery. 

15 Phar'uh stubbornly refused to let us go, so 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH killed all the firstborn males throughout the land of Mitzraym, both people and animals. That is why I now sacrifice all the firstborn males to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, except that the firstborn sons are always bought back.’ 

16 This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s mighty hand brought us out of Mitzraym.”

Yashar'AL’s Wilderness Detour

17 When Pharuh finally let the people go, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Mitzraym.” 

18 So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Yasharalym left Mitzraym like an army ready for battle.

19 Musha took the bones of Ya'asaf with him, for Ya'asaf had made the sons of Yashar'AL swear to do this. He said, “𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

20 The Yasharalym left Succuth and camped at Atham on the edge of the wilderness. 

21 For 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. 

22 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.