Exodus

Exodus 13:12–15

12you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. 13You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

14In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’

Read all of Exodus 13

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 13:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
you are to presentוְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥wə·ha·‘ă·ḇar·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
to the LORDלַֽיהֹוָ֑הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the firstborn maleפֶּֽטֶר־pe·ṭer-Noun - masculine singular constructH6363 that which separates, first opens
of everyכָל־ḵālNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
wombרֶ֖חֶםre·ḥemNoun - masculine singularH7358 womb
Allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the firstbornפֶּ֣טֶר׀pe·ṭerNoun - masculine singular constructH6363 that which separates, first opens
malesהַזְּכָרִ֖יםhaz·zə·ḵā·rîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH2145 male
of yourיִהְיֶ֥הyih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
livestockבְּהֵמָ֗הbə·hê·māhNoun - feminine singularH929 beast, animal, cattle
the LORDלַיהוָֽה׃Yah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

Exodus 13:13

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
You must redeemתִּפְדֶּ֣הtip̄·dehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6299 ransom
everyוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
firstbornפֶּ֤טֶרpe·ṭerNoun - masculine singular constructH6363 that which separates, first opens
donkeyחֲמֹר֙ḥă·mōrNoun - masculine singularH2543 heap
with a lambבְשֶׂ֔הḇə·śehPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)
and ifוְאִם־wə·’im-ConjunctionH518 if
you do notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
redeem itתִפְדֶּ֖הṯip̄·dehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6299 ransom
you are to break its neckוַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹwa·‘ă·rap̄·tōwConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH6202 break the neck
And everyוְכֹ֨לwə·ḵōlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
firstbornבְּכ֥וֹרbə·ḵō·wrNoun - masculine singular constructH1060 first-born
of your sonsבְּבָנֶ֖יךָbə·ḇā·ne·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH1121 son
you must redeemתִּפְדֶּֽה׃tip̄·dehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6299 ransom

Exodus 13:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
In the futureמָחָ֖רmā·ḥārAdverbH4279 tomorrow, in time to come
whenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
your sonבִנְךָ֛ḇin·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1121 son
asks youיִשְׁאָלְךָ֥yiš·’ā·lə·ḵāVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH7592 ask, inquire
Whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
does thisזֹּ֑אתzōṯPronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
meanלֵאמֹ֣רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
you are to tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֣wə·’ā·mar·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himאֵלָ֔יו’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
With a mightyבְּחֹ֣זֶקbə·ḥō·zeqPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH2392 strength
handיָ֗דyāḏNoun - feminine singularH3027 hand
the LORDיְהוָ֛הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
brought us outהוֹצִיאָ֧נוּhō·w·ṣî·’ā·nūVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common pluralH3318 go or come out
of Egyptמִמִּצְרַ֖יִםmim·miṣ·ra·yimPreposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
out of the houseמִבֵּ֥יתmib·bêṯPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of slaveryעֲבָדִֽים׃‘ă·ḇā·ḏîmNoun - masculine pluralH5650 slave, servant

Exodus 13:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Andוַיְהִ֗יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
whenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Pharaohפַרְעֹה֮p̄ar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
stubbornly refusedהִקְשָׁ֣הhiq·šāhVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7185 be hard, severe, fierce
to let us goלְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒lə·šal·lə·ḥê·nūPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; first person common pluralH7971 send
the LORDיְהֹוָ֤הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
killedוַיַּהֲרֹ֨גway·ya·hă·rōḡConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2026 kill, slay
everyכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
firstbornבְּכוֹר֙bə·ḵō·wrNoun - masculine singularH1060 first-born
in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbə·’e·reṣPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH776 earth, land
of Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
bothמִבְּכֹ֥רmib·bə·ḵōrPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH1060 first-born
of manאָדָ֖ם’ā·ḏāmNoun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
beastבְּהֵמָ֑הbə·hê·māhNoun - feminine singularH929 beast, animal, cattle
This is whyעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
Iאֲנִ֨י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
sacrificeזֹבֵ֜חַzō·ḇê·aḥVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to the LORDלַֽיהוָ֗הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the firstbornפֶּ֤טֶרpe·ṭerNoun - masculine singular constructH6363 that which separates, first opens
maleהַזְּכָרִ֔יםhaz·zə·ḵā·rîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH2145 male
of everyכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
wombרֶ֙חֶם֙re·ḥemNoun - masculine singularH7358 womb
but I redeemאֶפְדֶּֽה׃’ep̄·dehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH6299 ransom
allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the firstbornבְּכ֥וֹרbə·ḵō·wrNoun - masculine singular constructH1060 first-born
of my sonsבָּנַ֖יbā·nayNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH1121 son

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 13:12 Numbers 18:15 · Exodus 34:19 · Leviticus 27:26 · Ezekiel 44:30 · Exodus 22:29 · Exodus 13:2 · Deuteronomy 15:19 · Numbers 8:17 · Numbers 3:12

Exodus 13:13 Exodus 34:20 · Numbers 18:15–17

Exodus 13:14 Joshua 4:6 · Exodus 13:3 · Psalm 145:4 · Exodus 13:9 · Exodus 12:26–27 · Deuteronomy 6:20–24

Exodus 13:15 Exodus 12:29

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.