The First-Born Set Apart Unto Jehovah. Sanctify to Me [that is, set apart for My purpose] every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal; it is Mine.” Exo 13:2
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Nation Israel Delivered and Organized
II. FROM EGYPT TO SINAI, Exodus 12:37-18:27
1. The Departure, Exodus 12:37-42
27. Why did Jehovah claim the first-born
CONSECRATION OF THE FIRSTBORN
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
“Sanctify to Me [that is, set apart for My purpose] every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal; it is Mine.”
THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
Moses said to the people, “Remember [solemnly observe and commemorate] this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage and slavery; for by a strong and powerful hand the LORD brought you out of this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.
On this day in the month Abib, you are about to go onward.
And it shall be when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land [of abundance] flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep and observe this rite (service) in this month.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.
Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, nor shall there be leaven within the borders of your territory.
You shall explain this to your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
It shall serve as a sign to you on your hand (arm), and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the instruction (law) of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong and powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.
Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at this time from year to year.
“Now it shall be when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,
you shall set apart and dedicate to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock shall be the LORD’S.
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem by [substituting] a lamb [as a sacrifice for it], but if you do not [wish to] redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn among your sons you shall redeem [that is, “buy back” from God with a suitable sacrifice].
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘With a strong and powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage and slavery.
For it happened, when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, that the LORD struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animal. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD all the males, the first [to be born] of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
So it shall serve as a sign and a reminder on your [left] hand (arm) and as frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong and powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Exodus 13:1-16
THE FIRST-BORN SET APART UNTO JEHOVAH
Two Hebrew customs dated from the Exodus-first, the dedication of the first-born to God’s service, and second, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. See Luk_22:7. The first-born had been especially redeemed and so were especially God’s. On them all was branded the one brief word Mine. What a lesson for us all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. We are His by right of purchase; we ought to be His by our own choice and indwelt by His Spirit. Whenever we take up this position with regard to God, we may count on His strong hand. In after years the first-born sons, who performed the priestly rites, were replaced by Levites, Num_3:11-13; but still they were ransomed by a slain lamb. Every first-born son lived because a lamb died. In this he stood on the same level as the firstling of an ass. What a parable is here! See Rom_3:22; Rom_10:12.
Comments by
WILLIAM MACDONALD
Believers Bible Commentary
On
Exodus 13:1-16
VII. THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT (12:31–15:21)
A. Flight toward the Sea (12:31–13:22)
13:1-15 God had saved the firstborn of the Israelites from death in Egypt; therefore, the firstborn of humans and of animals were to be consecrated to God, as belonging to Him. The firstborn sons became priests of God, until the tribe of Levi was later set apart for this service. The firstborn of clean animals were to be sacrificed to God within a year. The firstborn of unclean animals, such as a donkey, could not be sacrificed to the Lord; therefore, it had to be redeemed by the death of a lamb; that is, a lamb had to die in its place. If the donkey was not redeemed, then its neck had to be broken. It was a choice between redemption and destruction. Later, provision was made for the donkey to be redeemed with money (Lev_27:27; Num_18:15). The firstborn child, born in sin, also had to be redeemed, the payment being five shekels (Num_18:16). This was a solemn reminder of man’s unclean moral condition before God.
Just as the sanctification of the firstborn spoke of dedication to God, so the Feast of Unleavened Bread spoke of the moral purity that was expected of a redeemed people. For seven days the people were to eat unleavened bread, and their houses were to be leaven-free. Both the sanctification of the firstborn and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to be object lessons to future generations of how the Lord had delivered His people from Egypt.
13:16 The Jews later followed verses 9 and 16 literally by making phylacteries, or little leather boxes containing portions of God’s Word, and tying them to their foreheads and wrists. But the spiritual meaning is that all we do (hand) and all we desire (eyes) should be in accordance with God’s Word.
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
On MeWe join our group at Friends in Jesus
We also have a Page about Creation Ministries International.
See also Young Earth Creationists
You can also find us on Parler.
On Facebook;
Join our closed group at : Quo Vadis Christian Community Group to read and partake in the Bible study to learn to know Jesus Christ. To know Him is to Love Him.
We also have an open Page at Quo Vadis Christian Community you might want to know more about.
Please ad yourself to our Messenger group to receive notification and chat to other members of the group.
You may however wish to disable notification and look at post when you have the time.
Join our messenger group at Friends in Jesus.
If you want a Bible please contact: Please let me have a Bible.
If you want a Bible in Pakistan.
You may also want to join Creation Ministries International.
Find more Study topics at Quo Vadis World
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
We give thanks and acknowledgement to Rick Meyers from e-Sword.
P.O. Box 1626
Franklin, TN 37065
United States of America
www.e-sword.net
