Exodus

Exodus 13:14–17

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.’ ¹⁶So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

¹⁷When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

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 13:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In the future	מָחָ֖ר	mā·ḥār	Adverb	H4279 tomorrow, in time to come
when	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
your son	בִנְךָ֛	ḇin·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1121 son
asks you	יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥	yiš·’ā·lə·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
does this	זֹּ֑את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
mean	לֵאמֹ֣ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
you are to tell	וְאָמַרְתָּ֣	wə·’ā·mar·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
him	אֵלָ֔יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
With a mighty	בְּחֹ֣זֶק	bə·ḥō·zeq	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2392 strength
hand	יָ֗ד	yāḏ	Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
brought us out	הוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ	hō·w·ṣî·’ā·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common plural	H3318 go or come out
of Egypt	מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם	mim·miṣ·ra·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
out of the house	מִבֵּ֥ית	mib·bêṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of slavery	עֲבָדִֽים׃	‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5650 slave, servant

Exodus 13:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	וַיְהִ֗י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
Pharaoh	פַרְעֹה֮	p̄ar·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
stubbornly refused	הִקְשָׁ֣ה	hiq·šāh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7185 be hard, severe, fierce
to let us go	לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒	lə·šal·lə·ḥê·nū	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; first person common plural	H7971 send
the LORD	יְהֹוָ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
killed	וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג	way·ya·hă·rōḡ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2026 kill, slay
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
firstborn	בְּכוֹר֙	bə·ḵō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H1060 first-born
in the land	בְּאֶ֣רֶץ	bə·’e·reṣ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of Egypt	מִצְרַ֔יִם	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
both	מִבְּכֹ֥ר	mib·bə·ḵōr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1060 first-born
of man	אָדָ֖ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
and	וְעַד־	wə·‘aḏ-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
beast	בְּהֵמָ֑ה	bə·hê·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H929 beast, animal, cattle
This is why	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
I	אֲנִ֨י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
sacrifice	זֹבֵ֜חַ	zō·ḇê·aḥ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the firstborn	פֶּ֤טֶר	pe·ṭer	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6363 that which separates, first opens
male	הַזְּכָרִ֔ים	haz·zə·ḵā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2145 male
of every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
womb	רֶ֙חֶם֙	re·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H7358 womb
but I redeem	אֶפְדֶּֽה׃	’ep̄·deh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6299 ransom
all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the firstborn	בְּכ֥וֹר	bə·ḵō·wr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1060 first-born
of my sons	בָּנַ֖י	bā·nay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1121 son

Exodus 13:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So it shall serve as	וְהָיָ֤ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a sign	לְאוֹת֙	lə·’ō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - common singular	H226 sign
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
your hand	יָ֣דְכָ֔ה	yā·ḏə·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and a symbol	וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת	ū·lə·ṭō·w·ṭā·p̄ōṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural	H2903 fillet
on your forehead	בֵּ֣ין	bên	Preposition	H996 interval, space between
for	כִּ֚י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
with a mighty	בְּחֹ֣זֶק	bə·ḥō·zeq	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2392 strength
hand	יָ֔ד	yāḏ	Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
brought us out	הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ	hō·w·ṣî·’ā·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common plural	H3318 go or come out
of Egypt	מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ס	mim·miṣ·rā·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians

Exodus 13:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹה֮	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
let the people	הָעָם֒	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
go	בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח	bə·šal·laḥ	Preposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H7971 send
God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
did not	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
lead them	נָחָ֣ם	nā·ḥām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5148 lead, guide
along the road	דֶּ֚רֶךְ	de·reḵ	Noun - common singular construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
through the land	אֶ֣רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of the Philistines	פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים	pə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
though	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it	ה֑וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
was shorter	קָר֖וֹב	qā·rō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7138 near
For	כִּ֣י׀	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
said	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
If	בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם	bir·’ō·ṯām	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H7200 see
war	מִלְחָמָ֖ה	mil·ḥā·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H4421 battle, war
might change their minds	יִנָּחֵ֥ם	yin·nā·ḥêm	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5162 be sorry, console
and return	וְשָׁ֥בוּ	wə·šā·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H7725 turn back, return
to Egypt	מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃	miṣ·rā·yə·māh	Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians