The Dedication of the Firstborn
(Deuteronomy 15:19–23)

1  וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (And spoke) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses), לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 2  קַדֶּשׁ־ (Sanctify) לִ֨י (to Me) כָל־ (every) בְּכ֜וֹר (firstborn). פֶּ֤טֶר (The one opening) כָּל־ (every) רֶ֙חֶם֙ (womb) בִּבְנֵ֣י (among the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), בָּאָדָ֖ם (among the man) וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה (and among the beast), לִ֖י (belongs to Me) הֽוּא׃ (it).

3  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) מֹשֶׁ֜ה (Moses) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֗ם (the people), זָכ֞וֹר (Remember) אֶת־ (-) הַיּ֤וֹם (the day) הַזֶּה֙ (this) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) יְצָאתֶ֤ם (you⁺ came out) מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ (of Egypt) מִבֵּ֣ית (out of the house) עֲבָדִ֔ים (of slavery); כִּ֚י (for) בְּחֹ֣זֶק (by strength) יָ֔ד (of hand) הוֹצִ֧יא (brought out) יְהֹוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) מִזֶּ֑ה (from this place) וְלֹ֥א (and nothing) יֵאָכֵ֖ל (shall be eaten) חָמֵֽץ׃ (leavened).

4  הַיּ֖וֹם (On this day) אַתֶּ֣ם (you⁺) יֹצְאִ֑ים (are going out) בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ (in the month) הָאָבִֽיב׃ (of Abib). 5  וְהָיָ֣ה (And it shall come to pass) כִֽי־ (when) יְבִֽיאֲךָ֣ (brings you) יְהוָ֡ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (into) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) הַֽ֠כְּנַעֲנִי (of the Canaanite), וְהַחִתִּ֨י (and the Hittite), וְהָאֱמֹרִ֜י (and the Amorite), וְהַחִוִּ֣י (and the Hivite), וְהַיְבוּסִ֗י (and the Jebusite), אֲשֶׁ֨ר (which) נִשְׁבַּ֤ע (He swore) לַאֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ (to your fathers) לָ֣תֶת (to give) לָ֔ךְ (to you), אֶ֛רֶץ (a land) זָבַ֥ת (flowing with) חָלָ֖ב (milk) וּדְבָ֑שׁ (and honey), וְעָבַדְתָּ֛ (and you shall serve) אֶת־ (-) הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה (the service) הַזֹּ֖את (this) בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ (in the month) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this).

6  שִׁבְעַ֥ת (Seven) יָמִ֖ים (days) תֹּאכַ֣ל (you shall eat) מַצֹּ֑ת (unleavened bread), וּבַיּוֹם֙ (and on the day) הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י (the seventh) חַ֖ג (is a feast) לַיהוָֽה׃ (to YHWH). 7  מַצּוֹת֙ (Unleavened bread) יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל (shall be eaten) אֵ֖ת (-) שִׁבְעַ֣ת (seven) הַיָּמִ֑ים (days), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יֵרָאֶ֨ה (shall be seen) לְךָ֜ (with you) חָמֵ֗ץ (leavened bread), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יֵרָאֶ֥ה (shall be seen) לְךָ֛ (with you) שְׂאֹ֖ר (leaven) בְּכָל־ (in all) גְּבֻלֶֽךָ׃ (your borders).

8  וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ (And you shall declare) לְבִנְךָ֔ (to your son) בַּיּ֥וֹם (in the day) הַה֖וּא (that), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying) בַּעֲב֣וּר (It is because) זֶ֗ה (of what) עָשָׂ֤ה (did) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) לִ֔י (for me) בְּצֵאתִ֖י (in my going out) מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (from Egypt). 9  וְהָיָה֩ (And it shall be) לְךָ֨ (for you) לְא֜וֹת (for a sign) עַל־ (on) יָדְךָ֗ (your hand) וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ (and for a memorial) בֵּ֣ין (between) עֵינֶ֔יךָ (your eyes), לְמַ֗עַן (so that) תִּהְיֶ֛ה (may be) תּוֹרַ֥ת (the law) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) בְּפִ֑יךָ (in your mouth); כִּ֚י (for) בְּיָ֣ד (by a hand) חֲזָקָ֔ה (mighty) הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ (brought you out) יְהֹוָ֖ה (YHWH) מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (from Egypt). 10  וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֛ (And you shall keep) אֶת־ (-) הַחֻקָּ֥ה (the statute) הַזֹּ֖את (this) לְמוֹעֲדָ֑הּ (at its appointed time) מִיָּמִ֖ים (from days) יָמִֽימָה׃ס (to days).

11  וְהָיָ֞ה (And it shall be), כִּֽי־ (when) יְבִֽאֲךָ֤ (brings you) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶל־ (into) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י (of the Canaanite) כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (as) נִשְׁבַּ֥ע (He swore) לְךָ֖ (to you) וְלַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ (and to your fathers), וּנְתָנָ֖הּ (and He gives it) לָֽךְ׃ (to you), 12  וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥ (that you shall cause to pass over) כָל־ (every) פֶּֽטֶר־ (one opening) רֶ֖חֶם (a womb) לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה (for YHWH), וְכָל־ (and every) פֶּ֣טֶר׀ (one opening) שֶׁ֣גֶר (of the offspring) בְּהֵמָ֗ה (of a beast) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) יִהְיֶ֥ה (is) לְךָ֛ (unto you), הַזְּכָרִ֖ים (the males), לַיהוָֽה׃ (belong to YHWH). 13  וְכָל־ (And every) פֶּ֤טֶר (firstborn) חֲמֹר֙ (of a donkey) תִּפְדֶּ֣ה (you shall redeem) בְשֶׂ֔ה (with a lamb); וְאִם־ (and if) לֹ֥א (not) תִפְדֶּ֖ה (you do redeem it), וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ (then you shall break its neck); וְכֹ֨ל (and every) בְּכ֥וֹר (firstborn) אָדָ֛ם (of man) בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ (among your sons) תִּפְדֶּֽה׃ (you shall redeem).

14  וְהָיָ֞ה (And it shall be), כִּֽי־ (when) יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ (asks you) בִנְךָ֛ (your son) מָחָ֖ר (in time to come), לֵאמֹ֣ר (saying), מַה־ (What) זֹּ֑את (is this)?’ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (That you shall say) אֵלָ֔יו (to him), בְּחֹ֣זֶק (By strength) יָ֗ד (of hand) הוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ (brought us out) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם (from Egypt), מִבֵּ֥ית (out of the house) עֲבָדִֽים׃ (of slavery). 15  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), כִּֽי־ (when) הִקְשָׁ֣ה (hardened himself) פַרְעֹה֮ (Pharaoh) לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒ (to sending us out), וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג (that killed) יְהֹוָ֤ה (YHWH) כָּל־ (every) בְּכוֹר֙ (firstborn) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) מִצְרַ֔יִם (of Egypt), מִבְּכֹ֥ר (from the firstborn) אָדָ֖ם (of man) וְעַד־ (and to) בְּכ֣וֹר (the firstborn) בְּהֵמָ֑ה (of beast). עַל־ (Upon) כֵּן֩ (thus) אֲנִ֨י (I) זֹבֵ֜חַ (am sacrificing) לַֽיהוָ֗ה (to YHWH) כָּל־ (all) פֶּ֤טֶר (opening) רֶ֙חֶם֙ (a womb) הַזְּכָרִ֔ים (the males); וְכָל־ (and all) בְּכ֥וֹר (the firstborn) בָּנַ֖י (of my sons) אֶפְדֶּֽה׃ (I redeem). 16  וְהָיָ֤ה (And it shall be) לְאוֹת֙ (for a sign) עַל־ (on) יָ֣דְכָ֔ה (your hand) וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת (and for frontlets) בֵּ֣ין (between) עֵינֶ֑יךָ (your eyes), כִּ֚י (for) בְּחֹ֣זֶק (by strength) יָ֔ד (of hand) הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ (brought us out) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ס (from Egypt).

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח (when sent out) פַּרְעֹה֮ (Pharaoh) אֶת־ (-) הָעָם֒ (the people) וְלֹא־ (that not) נָחָ֣ם (did lead them) אֱלֹהִ֗ים (God) דֶּ֚רֶךְ (by way) אֶ֣רֶץ (of the land) פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (of the Philistines), כִּ֥י (although) קָר֖וֹב (near) ה֑וּא (it was). כִּ֣י׀ (For) אָמַ֣ר (said) אֱלֹהִ֗ים (God), פֶּֽן־ (Lest) יִנָּחֵ֥ם (repent) הָעָ֛ם (the people) בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם (when they see) מִלְחָמָ֖ה (war), וְשָׁ֥בוּ (and they return) מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (to Egypt). 18  וַיַּסֵּ֨ב (And turned) אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ (God) אֶת־ (-) הָעָ֛ם (the people) דֶּ֥רֶךְ (by the way) הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר (of the wilderness) יַם־ (of the Sea) ס֑וּף (Red), וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים (and in battle array) עָל֥וּ (went up) בְנֵי־ (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (out of the land) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt).

19  וַיִּקַּ֥ח (And took) מֹשֶׁ֛ה (Moses) אֶת־ (-) עַצְמ֥וֹת (the bones) יוֹסֵ֖ף (of Joseph) עִמּ֑וֹ (with him), כִּי֩ (for) הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ (swearing) הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ (had sworn) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵ֤י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), פָּקֹ֨ד (Attending) יִפְקֹ֤ד (will attend to) אֱלֹהִים֙ (God) אֶתְכֶ֔ם (to you⁺), וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֧ם (and you⁺ shall carry up) אֶת־ (-) עַצְמֹתַ֛י (my bones) מִזֶּ֖ה (from this place) אִתְּכֶֽם׃ (with you⁺).

20  וַיִּסְע֖וּ (And they journeyed) מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת (from Succoth) וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ (and camped) בְאֵתָ֔ם (in Etham), בִּקְצֵ֖ה (at the edge) הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (of the wilderness). 21  וַֽיהוָ֡ה (And YHWH) הֹלֵךְ֩ (went) לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם (before their faces) יוֹמָ֜ם (by day) בְּעַמּ֤וּד (in a pillar) עָנָן֙ (of cloud) לַנְחֹתָ֣ם (to lead them) הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (in the way), וְלַ֛יְלָה (and by night) בְּעַמּ֥וּד (in a pillar) אֵ֖שׁ (of fire) לְהָאִ֣יר (to give light) לָהֶ֑ם (to them), לָלֶ֖כֶת (to go) יוֹמָ֥ם (by day) וָלָֽיְלָה׃ (and by night). 22  לֹֽא־ (Not) יָמִ֞ישׁ (He did take away) עַמּ֤וּד (the pillar) הֶֽעָנָן֙ (of the cloud) יוֹמָ֔ם (by day) וְעַמּ֥וּד (or the pillar) הָאֵ֖שׁ (of the fire) לָ֑יְלָה (by night) לִפְנֵ֖י (from before the faces) הָעָֽם׃פ (of the people).