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Exodus 13:15

in Exodus 13

And 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.’

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Jehovah slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.

KJV

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

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This verse in Exodus 13

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Mercies to our fathers are mercies to us; we reap the benefit of them, and therefore must keep up a grateful remembrance of them. We stand upon the bottom of former deliverances, and were in the loins of our ancestors when they were delivered. Much more reason have we to say that in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we were redeemed.

This site's exposition

when your son asks you

on Exodus 13:14-15

The father answers that the Lord brought us out, and so counts himself among those who left Egypt whether or not he was born yet. Verse 15 gives the ground, that Egypt's firstborn died and Israel's did not.

This site's exposition

when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go

The Hebrew behind stubbornly refused is the verb of making hard, the one God used of Pharaoh's heart at 7:3. In the father's answer Pharaoh is its subject. Keil and Delitzsch count it among the three Hebrew verbs of the hardening.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

We should all be able to show cause for what we do in religion. As sacraments are sanctified by the word, so they must be explained and understood by it. God's service is reasonable, and it is then acceptable when we perform it intelligently, knowing what we do and why we do it.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi of blessed memory says that the word machar (in time to come) 54 Literally, tomorrow.
Ibn Ezra: Spain, 1089–1167 · Ibn Ezra on Exodus 13:14:1, via Sefaria, Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

29 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיְהִ֗יand it was

    vayhiH1961 →3559 times

  • כִּֽי־that

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • הִקְשָׁ֣הhe made stubborn

    hikshahH7185 →

  • פַרְעֹה֮Pharaoh

    farohH6547 →274 times

  • לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒to let go us

    leshalechenuH7971 →845 times

  • וַיַּהֲרֹ֨גand he killed

    vaiyaharogH2026 →167 times

  • יְהֹוָ֤הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • בְּכוֹר֙firstborn

    bekhorH1060 →122 times

  • בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of

    beeretzH776 →2504 times

  • מִצְרַ֔יִםEgypt

    mitzrayimH4714 →641 times

  • מִבְּכֹ֥רfrom [the] firstborn of

    mibekhorH1060 →122 times

  • אָדָ֖םhumankind

    ʾadamH120 →551 times

  • וְעַד־and unto

    vead-H5704 →1261 times

  • בְּכ֣וֹר[the] firstborn of

    bekhorH1060 →122 times

  • בְּהֵמָ֑הlivestock

    behemahH929 →190 times

  • עַל־there-

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • כֵּן֩-fore

    kenH3651 →771 times

  • אֲנִ֨יI

    ʾaniH589 →874 times

  • זֹבֵ֜חַ[am] sacrificing

    zoveachH2076 →134 times

  • לַֽיהוָ֗הto Yahweh

    layahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • פֶּ֤טֶרfirstborn of

    peterH6363 →12 times

  • רֶ֙חֶם֙a womb

    rechemH7358 →26 times

  • הַזְּכָרִ֔יםthe males

    hazekharimH2145 →82 times

  • וְכָל־and every

    vekholH3605 →5413 times

  • בְּכ֥וֹר<the> firstborn of

    bekhorH1060 →122 times

  • בָּנַ֖יsons my

    banaiH1121 →4930 times

  • אֶפְדֶּֽה׃I redeem

    ʾefdehH6299 →59 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 12:29Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.7 worksPsalms 78:51He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.4 worksExodus 34:20You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before Me empty-handed.4 worksExodus 11:5and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.4 worksNumbers 3:13for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”3 worksPsalms 135:8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.3 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Exodus 7:16Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me in the wilderness. But you have not listened until now.2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Exodus 12:29

    Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon,…

    it leads to

    • Psalms 78:51

      He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.

    • Exodus 4:23

      and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

    • Psalms 135:8

      He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.

    • Psalms 105:36

      Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.

    • Psalms 136:10

      He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.

Where this verse is studied

About Exodus

The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
Exodus: the study guide →Read Exodus 13 →

This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Exodus 13 →