Bound for the Promised Land. 

Exodus 12:31-13:22

Bible Stories

 

Exodus 12:31 And Pharaoh, calling Moses and Aaron in the night, said: “Rise up and go forth from among my people, you and the sons of Israel. Go, sacrifice to the Lord, just as you say.

Exodus 12:32 Your sheep and herds take along with you, as you requested, and as you go away, bless me.”

Exodus 12:33 And the Egyptians urged the people to go away from the land quickly, saying, “We will all die.”

Exodus 12:34 Therefore, the people took bread dough before it was leavened. And tying it in their cloaks, they placed it on their shoulders.

Exodus 12:35 And the sons of Israel did just as Moses had instructed. And they petitioned the Egyptians for vessels of silver and of gold, and very many garments.

Exodus 12:36 Then the Lord granted favor to the people in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they bestowed on them. And they despoiled the Egyptians.

Exodus 12:37 And the sons of Israel set out from Rameses to Soccoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides little ones.

Exodus 12:38 But also an innumerable mix of common people ascended with them, sheep and herds and animals of diverse kinds, exceedingly many.

Exodus 12:39 And they baked the bread, which a little while ago they had taken out of Egypt as dough. And they made unleavened bread baked under ashes. For it was not able to be leavened, with the Egyptians compelling them to leave and not permitting them to cause any delay. Neither did they have occasion to prepare any meat.

Exodus 12:40 Now the habitation of the sons of Israel, while they remained in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

Exodus 12:41 Having been completed, on the same day all the army of the Lord departed from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:42 This night is a worthy observance of the Lord, when he led them out of the land of Egypt. This all the sons of Israel must observe in their generations.

Exodus 12:43 And the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: “This is the religious observance of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat from it.

Exodus 12:44 But every bought servant shall be circumcised, and so he may eat from it.

Exodus 12:45 The newcomer and the hired hand shall not eat from it.

Exodus 12:46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry its flesh outside, nor shall you break its bone.

Exodus 12:47 The entire assembly of the sons of Israel shall do this.

Exodus 12:48 And if any sojourner will be willing to cross over into your settlement, and to keep the Passover of the Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then he shall celebrate the rite. And he shall be just like a native of the land. But if any man is not circumcised, he shall not eat from it.

Exodus 12:49 The law shall be the same for the native born and for the settler who sojourns with you.”

Exodus 12:50 And all the sons of Israel did just as the Lord had instructed Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 12:51 And on the same day, the Lord led the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their companies.

Exodus 13:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Exodus 13:2 “Sanctify to me every firstborn which opens the womb among the sons of Israel, as much of men as of cattle. For they are all mine.”

Exodus 13:3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day, on which you were taken away from Egypt and from the house of servitude. For with a strong hand the Lord has led you away from this place. Thus, you shall eat no leavened bread.

Exodus 13:4 Today, you go forth in the month of new grain.

Exodus 13:5 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers that he would give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month.

Exodus 13:6 For seven days, you shall feed on unleavened bread. And on the seventh day, it will be the solemnity of the Lord.

Exodus 13:7 You shall consume unleavened bread for seven days. There shall not be seen anything leavened with you, nor in all your parts.

Exodus 13:8 And you will explain to your son in that day, saying: ‘This is what the Lord did for me when I was taken away from Egypt.’

Exodus 13:9 And it will be like a sign in your hand and like a memorial before your eyes. And so may the law of the Lord be always in your mouth. For with a strong hand, the Lord led you away from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 13:10 You will keep this observance, at the established time, from day to day.

Exodus 13:11 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, just as he swore to you and to your fathers, and when he will give it you,

Exodus 13:12 then you shall set aside for the Lord all that opens the womb and all that is first to go forth among your cattle. Whatever you will have of the male sex, you shall consecrate to the Lord.

Exodus 13:13 The firstborn of a donkey you will exchange for a sheep. And if you will not redeem it, you shall put it to death. But every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem with a price.

Exodus 13:14 And when your son will question you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you will respond, ‘With a strong hand the Lord led us away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude.

Exodus 13:15 For when Pharaoh had been hardened and was unwilling to release us, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man, even to the firstborn of beasts. For this reason, I immolate to the Lord all of the male sex that opens the womb, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

Exodus 13:16 Therefore, it will be like a sign in your hand and like something hanging between your eyes as a remembrance, because with a strong hand the Lord has led us away from Egypt.”

Exodus 13:17 And so, when Pharaoh had sent the people away, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is nearby, considering that perhaps they might relapse, if they saw wars rise up against them, and then they might return to Egypt.

Exodus 13:18 But he led them around by the way of the desert, which is next to the Red Sea. And so the sons of Israel ascended, armed, out of the land of Egypt.

Exodus 13:19 Also, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because he had sworn to the sons of Israel, saying: “God will visit you. Carry my bones away from here with you.”

Exodus 13:20 And setting out from Soccoth, they encamped at Etham, in the most distant parts of the wilderness.

Exodus 13:21 Now the Lord preceded them to show them the way, by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, so that he might be the leader of their journey at both times.

Exodus 13:22 These never failed: a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, in the sight of the people.