Exodus 13 Regulations Concerning the Firstborn and Unleavened Bread. The First Details of Their Journey
The instruction that follows covers what Israel's immediate response was to be to what had happened on Passover night. They were to ‘sanctify the firstborn' which had been spared, and to ‘continue to eat unleavened bread' until the seven day feast was over. It then covers how both were to be commemorated in the future.
The command are not given haphazardly. They appear to be so to us because we are not used to the chiastic pattern. Note the careful chiastic pattern in the first part of the chapter.
a They were to sanctify the firstborn as a memorial of that first night of deliverance through the mighty hand of God when He delivered their firstborn (Exodus 13:2).
b They were to eat unleavened bread in that day as a memorial of their coming out of Egypt and His deliverance by the strength of His hand (Exodus 13:3-4).
b This sign of unleavened bread was to be backed up in the future by the annual keeping of the feast of unleavened bread in which their sons were to be taught the significance of the feast (Exodus 13:5-10).
a The sign of the offering of the firstborn was to be backed up by the continual offering of all firstborn to Yahweh through which their sons were to be taught the significance of the Passover (Exodus 13:11-15).
Thus ‘a' is expanded in its parallel, and ‘b' the same.
As we consider this chapter we must remember the situation in mind. Israel have just experienced the amazing deliverance of the first Passover. That terrible night has passed and their firstborn alone have been spared of all the firstborn in Egypt. They have now begun their journey with grateful hearts in the midst of ‘the feast of unleavened bread', looking with gratitude at the fact that their firstborn had been spared. Thus they are now given brief instruction on how they are to respond to this situation. Even in the midst of their flight they must not forget their present responsibility towards Yahweh. This is now dealt with in Exodus 13:1-4. The principles are then expanded on in order to tell them how they must similarly behave once they have reached the land God has promised them, so as to be continually reminded of it.
With regard to this second point it may be thought that the instructions were somewhat premature, for we think in terms of a delay of forty years. But we must consider that God wanted them right from the start to recognise that they must perpetually remember their life changing experience.
And we must remember that they were at this stage on the point of leaving Egypt for a journey which could, at least theoretically, have brought them to Canaan within a moon period, depending on how long they spent at their sacrificial feast in the wilderness and how speedily they moved on. For Canaan was theoretically only eleven days journey from Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:2).
So it was quite reasonable that at this stage Moses should encourage the people by indicating both what they should do immediately, the moment that they had the opportunity, and then what they must continue to do on arrival in the land as an indication of their dedication to Yahweh and of their gratitude for their deliverance, connecting it with their current situation. It would be a confirmation to them that their future was assured.
Moses would not, of course, at this point be aware of all that lay before them, nor of the problems and delays that lay ahead. He had himself after all arrived in Egypt from Midian fairly quickly, and he would not learn until later the very great difference there was between that and travelling when accompanied by a huge body of men, women and children with all their household possessions. Thus his view was probably that ‘it will not be long'.
The chapter in English divides into five sections, the initial command concerning what they must now do with regards to their firstborn as a result of the Passover deliverance that had just taken place (Exodus 13:1-2), instructions concerning the feast of unleavened bread that was now in process (Exodus 13:3-4), instruction as to how it was to be kept in better times (Exodus 13:5-10), the detailed law of the firstborn as it was to apply in the future (Exodus 13:11-16), and the initial first details of their journey (Exodus 13:17-22).
Yahweh Lays Claim to the Firstborn of Israel (Exodus 13:1).
The firstborn of the children of Israel had been spared by Yahweh, but now we learn that a price has to be paid. They have, as it were, to be ‘bought back'. This is because Yahweh had sanctified them to Himself by their deliverance (Numbers 3:13) and as a result had delivered them from His judgment and they had therefore become ‘holy', set apart as uniquely His, to be devoted to Him, along with the firstborn of domestic animals. And the only way that this could be accomplished was by death or redemption through the death of a substitute and representative.
So in order that they may once more enter into the mundane world the firstborn sons had to redeemed by a substitutionary death, probably here by offering a lamb in their place, after which they would still be available to serve in the Tent of Meeting and later the Tabernacle. For the firstborn of clean domestic animals, however, there was no alternative. They had to be offered in death. Unclean domestic beasts had also to be redeemed by the provision of a substitute or else had to have their necks broken.
It should be noted that the firstborn represents the whole, for they were potential heads of their families. As such they would serve in the Tent of Meeting as representing the whole of Israel. Thus the whole of Israel were seen as involved in this sanctification (Exodus 19:5-6).
The Sanctifying of the Firstborns and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 13:1-10)
The passage that follows is revealed to be a unity by the chiastic pattern:
a They were to sanctify the firstborn as a memorial of that first night of deliverance through the mighty hand of God when He delivered their firstborn (Exodus 13:2).
b They were to eat unleavened bread in that day as a memorial of their coming out of Egypt and His deliverance by the strength of His hand (Exodus 13:3-4).
b This sign of unleavened bread was to be backed up in the future by the annual keeping of the feast of unleavened bread in which their sons were to be taught the significance of the feast (Exodus 13:5-10).
a The sign of the offering of the firstborn was to be backed up by the continual offering of all firstborn to Yahweh through which their sons were to be taught the significance of the Passover (Exodus 13:11-15).
In ‘a' the command is given to sanctify the firstborn and in the parallel instructions are given concerning its future observance. In ‘b' the command is given concerning not eating leavened bread at this time, and in the parallel instructions are given concerning its future observance.
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Sanctify to me all the firstborn. Whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is mine.”
So the command is now given, as a result of the deliverance of the firstborn that has just occurred, to ‘sanctify' them, that is, to offer them to Yahweh, to set them apart as holy to Him. Yahweh has ‘sanctified them' (set them apart as holy) to Himself and now His people must make that sanctification effective. Each firstborn of both man and beast that had been delivered was thus to be seen as ‘holy' to Yahweh. They were to be seen as especially Yahweh's because as a result of His actions He had spared them from judgment. In this context the firstborn beasts which had been spared were now to be set aside and offered as a sacrifice to Yahweh because they were holy to Him, with those that were unfit for sacrifice being redeemed or killed, while the firstborn sons were to be bought back by substituting a lamb (Exodus 13:13-15). This was then to be a principle that would continue on into the future.
This sanctification of the firstborn had put the whole of Israel under obligation. From Passover onwards (and in each Passover celebration thereafter) Israel were Yahweh's as never before. They had been declared to be His firstborn son (Exodus 4:22) and as such had been redeemed, now they were His redeemed people.
We are not told at what point in their opening journey this initial ‘sanctification' of the firstborn was to be carried out, but the instruction is recorded here so as vividly and directly to connect it with the Passover that had just taken place. Vividly aware that their firstborn had been spared, it was intended to bring home to them just what had happened, and what their reaction must immediately be. It was presumably to be carried out at the first point at which they felt that they were safe to do so. That may have been on arrival at Sinai which was the place at which they were to ‘serve Yahweh' (Exodus 3:12).
The decision was not just arbitrary. The point behind it was that Israel were now Yahweh's people in a way that they had not even been before (compare Exodus 19:5-6), and their firstborn especially so. The firstborn were the heart of the nation, which was why they were to serve in the Tent of Meeting (until replaced by the Levites later). Instead of losing them by judgment, as the Egyptians had done, Israel would be offering them as a symbol of joy, gratitude and dedication to their covenant God, in loving worship.
Note that it is assumed that ‘males' will be understood, (it does in fact later in the verse say ‘man'). The ancients were to some extent all chauvinistic and just assumed it. Compare Exodus 13:12 where ‘all that opens the womb' is specifically qualified by ‘the males'. In Numbers 3:12 it speaks of ‘all the firstborn who open the womb' and again ‘man' and beast are mentioned. That it means males comes out in that it is compared with ‘all the firstborn in the land of Egypt' which also meant males. Numbers 3:43 confirms that this means firstborn males. Females who opened the womb did not need to be redeemed. These firstborn were probably determined on the strict basis mentioned earlier, the firstborns of the first wife only.
We have in this fact of the ‘sanctification' of the firstborn a reminder that all Israel were intended to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6). God had delivered them because He had a purpose for them, that by being His servants to the nations they might bring the nations under His sway. They were not to live to themselves, but to Him Who had called and chosen them.
Moses Informs the People What God Had Ordained About The Feast of Unleavened Bread Previously Described In Exodus 12:15-20 (Exodus 13:2-10).
Here we have a chiasmus within a chiasmus.
a They were to remember this time in which they came out of Egypt (Exodus 13:3 a).
b The people were to remember that they were delivered by the strength of the hand of Yahweh (Exodus 13:3 b).
c They were to keep this service in the month of Abib (Exodus 13:4-5).
d They were to eat unleavened bread for seven days with the seventh day a special feast (Exodus 13:6).
d They were to eat unleavened bread for seven days throughout their tents (Exodus 13:7).
c The keeping of this service was to be explained to their sons (Exodus 13:8).
b It was to be a memorial that Yahweh had delivered them with a strong hand (Exodus 13:9).
a The ordinance was to be kept year by year in its season (Exodus 13:10).
It will be noted that in ‘a' Yahweh commands that they were to remember this day in which they came out of Egypt, while in the parallel the ordinance was to be kept year by year in its season. In ‘b' The people were to ‘remember' that they were delivered by the strength of the hand of Yahweh, while in the parallel it was to be a memorial of His deliverance of them by a strong hand. In ‘c' the ‘service' was to be kept in the month of Abib, whereas in the parallel the ‘service' was to be explained to their sons. In ‘d' they were to eat unleavened bread for seven days, with the seventh day a special feast and in the parallel they were to eat unleavened bread throughout their tents.
‘And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen. For by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. There shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day in the month of Abib you go out.” '
Moses then tells the people to remember this day in which they have been freed from bondage and ceased to be bondmen, and to remember that it was Yahweh Who by His strong arm has delivered them. This is what the eating of unleavened cakes, which they are to continue for the next few days, is to remind them of, the haste with which they have left Egypt, and the reason for that haste, their own salvation. This emphasis on deliverance from bondage will reoccur again and again. It was an essential part of the covenant (Exodus 20:2).
“By strength of hand.” The reference is to all the signs and wonders that He has carried out.
“This day in the month of Abib.” Later the month would be called Nisan, but this is the more ancient name for the month. It indicates ‘greenness' or ‘ripening of corn'. This was the ancient name in use from the time of the patriarchs, referring to the time of ripening corn in Canaan. The first bread fully made with newly ripened corn would then necessarily have been unleavened. It would only be by adding ‘old dough' that they could have leavened it, and that would spoil the picture of the newness of the bread. So unleavened bread may have been connected with this month from those days and here simply be given a new significance.
“And it shall be that when Yahweh brings 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 to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will keep this service in this month.”
Moses had no doubt now that somehow Yahweh would ensure that they were going forward to freedom, to the land of plenty. Although he was not sure how He would bring it about, for they only had permission to enter the wilderness a short way in order to offer sacrifices. And the border posts would know where they were. But he knew Yahweh would find a way. He was only there to obey. And possibly he considered that the children of Israel were under no obligation to a Pharaoh who had turned them into bondmen and constantly broken his treaties concerning them. For the details in this verse see on Exodus 3:8.
“You will keep this service.” This means ‘observe this act of worship'.
It will be noted that only five nations are mentioned compared with the more usual six or seven. This may because here the description is within a covenant and five is the covenant number. Or it may be because, as we know from elsewhere, in Egypt five was seen as a number of completeness. This would stress the early nature of this section, being written while the influence of Egypt was still very much evident.
Note that the seeming deprivation resulting from bread being unleavened is counteracted by the description of the blessings that will be theirs, a land flowing with milk and honey.
“Seven days you will eat unleavened cakes, and in the seventh day will be a feast to Yahweh. Unleavened cakes will be eaten throughout the seven days, and no leavened bread will be seen with you, neither will leaven be seen with you in all your borders.”
This is a brief summary of the feast. It was spoken on the day that they left Egypt (Exodus 13:4), which was the first day of the feast, which is why Moses does not mention the first day as a special day. They were already observing it (a clear indication that this was said at that time), and besides it was the day which continued the Passover and therefore clearly special and to be observed as a memorial into the future. It did not require further mention. What is stressed is that the seventh day is also a special day as God had previously told Moses (Exodus 12:16).
All leaven was to be excluded from their dwellings. The word for ‘borders' may simply mean the ‘bounds' within which each family dwelt. To exclude leaven within the whole land would be very difficult as there would be traders passing through to say nothing of foreign settlers who would not (and were not allowed to) keep the feast of Passover. Nor is it expected for it is specifically said ‘with you'. If we take ‘borders' to mean the borders of the land at any time, the ‘with you' could still exclude universal application to non-Israelites.
The feast was in the month of Abib which has now been designated the first month of the year because of the deliverance from Egypt. It is possible that up to this time the New Year was seen as commencing in the Autumn. Thus in Exodus 12 the emphasis is on the fact that this was now the first month (in March/April). Here it is assumed. The author knows he has already stressed it enough. Later in Canaan there will be a ‘new year' celebration in the Autumn. This would arise because of their contact with the inhabitants of the land. There are indications that there was thereafter both an agricultural year, based on the observation by surrounding nations among whom they dwelt, and a festal year, based on the month of the Passover. At different times different ones would be emphasised. We should appreciate that in their ‘primitive' state the Israelites would not be calendar minded and would be likely to fall in with whoever they lived among for their general calendar, while when at their best also observing Yahweh's instructions. Calendars were theoretical. The Israelites were practical. The point about Abib being the first month of the year simply indicated that it would commence the round of feasts which it naturally continued to do. But as with many things Yahweh's instructions were not specifically and rigidly applied once they had settled in the land, especially as they never actually rid the land of Canaanites.
“And in the seventh day will be a feast to Yahweh.” The whole seven days was to be a feast. This therefore means that the seventh day was to be a special feast, a day set apart. In the words of Yahweh it was ‘a holy assembly' (Exodus 12:16) in which no manner of work was to be done except what men must eat. Moses does not mention this latter fact to the people at this point but it has to be assumed that something made the day special as it is a feast to Yahweh, and as we shall see a rest day was part of Israel's tradition. Moses was at this stage only summarising what Yahweh had said. The main aim was that the hearers who were listening to the narrative were reminded of the gist of what had been said before (the usual reason for so-called ‘doubletons' which were common in ancient literature).
“And you will tell your son in that day, saying, “It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.”
The eating of unleavened cakes would raise questions among the young and they were then to be reminded of the deliverance from Egypt (compare Exodus 12:26; Exodus 13:14; also Joshua 4:6). Great stress was laid in Israel on communication to the young.
“Did for me.” For the first generation this would literally be true. But when that had died out these words would probably be used by custom with the idea that they had been delivered when their forebears were delivered. Had it not been for this deliverance they would still be slaves in Egypt. Each generation symbolically experienced the Passover and deliverance afresh, just as we symbolically experience the Lord's death afresh in the Lord's Supper.
“And it will be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the instruction of Yahweh may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand has Yahweh brought you out of Egypt. You will therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.”
When they see the unleavened cakes in their hands and before their eyes it will speak to them of the great deliverance and remind them of what God has done. Thus the requirements were to be fulfilled year by year as a constant reminder of that deliverance, and instruction on them must be given as from Yahweh.
“A sign to you on your hand and for a memorial between your eyes.” They will see and will remember. The unleavened bread will also be the equivalent of a sign on the hand or a mark between the eyes demonstrating that they are the redeemed of Yahweh (compare Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18). This probably had in mind that elsewhere men wore on their arms and foreheads symbols of their gods. This is elsewhere also applied spiritually in the Old Testament (compare Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 3:21-22). For Yahweh's signs and wonders see Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:3. The Pharisees took this literally and carried parts of God's word in cases bound between the eyes and on the left arm by leather straps. But by that it soon became a token of superiority and therefore lost its meaning.
Many ancient peoples (and some modern) also carried marks and tattoos which demonstrated their dedication to some deity or society, or carried as amulets spells in papyrus or rolled up cloth. But the main reference is possibly to special bangles and headbands, or may simply be metaphorical. Eating unleavened cakes is thus the ‘mark' on the children of Israel showing that they belong to Yahweh. No physical marks were therefore required. Elsewhere they were forbidden as indicating subservience to other gods and superstitions (Leviticus 19:28).