Exodus 13:16
in Exodus 13So 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt.
KJV
And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt.
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This verse in Exodus 13
Commentary
5 notes on this verseMercies 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
for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets
The word frontlets occurs here for the first time in Scripture and only twice more, at Deuteronomy 6:8 and Deuteronomy 11:18, both of them repeating this same instruction. Where verse 9 said sign and memorial, this verse says token and frontlets, and it closes with the line verses 3 and 14 already carried, that by strength of hand the Lord brought them out. Three statements of one sentence in fourteen verses is the chapter telling the reader what it wants kept.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And it shall be for a token upon thine head, and for frontlets between thine eyes,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
It shall be for a token, etc. - See Clarke’s note on Exo 13:9.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֤ה | vehayah | and it will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְאוֹת֙ | leot | <into> a sign | H226 → | 80 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יָ֣דְכָ֔ה | yadekhah | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת | uletotafot | and <into> marks | H2903 → | |
| בֵּ֣ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| עֵינֶ֑יךָ | ʾeineikha | eyes your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בְּחֹ֣זֶק | bechozek | with strength of | H2392 → | 5 times |
| יָ֔ד | yad | hand | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ | hotzianu | he brought out us | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ ס | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
וְהָיָ֤הand it will become
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
לְאוֹת֙<into> a sign
leotH226 →80 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יָ֣דְכָ֔הhand your
yadekhahH3027 →1618 times
וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖תand <into> marks
uletotafotH2903 →
בֵּ֣יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
עֵינֶ֑יךָeyes your
ʾeineikhaH5869 →887 times
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בְּחֹ֣זֶקwith strength of
bechozekH2392 →5 times
יָ֔דhand
yadH3027 →1618 times
הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּhe brought out us
hotzianuH3318 →1067 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ סfrom Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Deuteronomy 11:18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
- Deuteronomy 6:6–9
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
- Proverbs 3:1
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
- 2 Peter 3:1–2
Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
- Psalms 119:11
I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Colossians 3:16
Through
Exodus 13:14In 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.
it leads to
- Exodus 13:3
So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 13:3
Through
Exodus 13:9It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 6:8
Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
- Deuteronomy 11:18–19
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
- Deuteronomy 6:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.