1 The LORD said to Moses: 2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn, all that opens the womb among the Israelites, both human and animal. It is mine.” 3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out of here. Nothing leavened shall be eaten. 4 Today you are going out, in the month of Abib. 5 When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month. 6 For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for the seven days. Nothing leavened shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you throughout all your territory. 8 On that day you shall tell your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder between your eyes, so that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

11 When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the womb. Every firstborn of the livestock that you have, the males, shall be the LORD’s. 13 Every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep or goat. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. You shall also redeem every firstborn among your sons. 14 When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of people and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD every male that opens the womb, but I redeem all the firstborn among my sons.’ 16 It shall be a sign on your hand and bands between your eyes, for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although it was near. For God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the wilderness route toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt in battle formation. 19 Moses took Joseph’s bones with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry my bones up from here with you.” 20 They journeyed from Succoth and camped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. 21 The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night. 22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.