Exodus 34:20
New International Version
Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

New Living Translation
A firstborn donkey may be bought back from the LORD by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son. “No one may appear before me without an offering.

English Standard Version
The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty-handed.

Berean Standard Bible
You 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.

King James Bible
But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

New King James Version
But the firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. “And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.

New American Standard Bible
You shall redeem with a lamb the firstborn from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None are to appear before Me empty-handed.

NASB 1995
“You shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None shall appear before Me empty-handed.

NASB 1977
“And you shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the first-born of your sons. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None shall appear before Me empty-handed.

Amplified Bible
You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None of you are to appear before Me empty-handed.

Christian Standard Bible
You may redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one is to appear before Me empty-handed.”

American Standard Version
And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Everything opening the womb to me and every firstborn of your cattle of oxen and of sheep.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the first-born of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep, and if thou wilt not redeem it thou shalt pay a price: every first-born of thy sons shalt thou redeem: thou shalt not appear before me empty.

Contemporary English Version
You can save the life of a first-born donkey by sacrificing a lamb; if you don't, you must break the donkey's neck. You must save every first-born son. Bring an offering every time you come to worship.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep: but if thou wilt not give a price for it, it shall be slain. The firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem: neither shalt thou appear before me empty.

English Revised Version
And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It will cost you a sheep or a goat to buy back the firstborn donkey. If you don't buy it back, then you must break the donkey's neck. You must buy back every firstborn of your sons. "No one may come into my presence without an offering.

Good News Translation
but you are to buy back every first-born donkey by offering a lamb in its place. If you do not buy it back, break its neck. Buy back every first-born son. "No one is to appear before me without an offering.

International Standard Version
You are to redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, and if you don't redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn of your sons, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty.

Literal Standard Version
and you ransom the firstling of a donkey with a lamb; and if you do not ransom, then you have beheaded it; you ransom every firstborn of your sons, and they do not appear before Me empty.

Majority Standard Bible
You 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.

New American Bible
The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. The firstborn among your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

NET Bible
Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. "No one will appear before me empty-handed.

New Revised Standard Version
The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

New Heart English Bible
The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty.

Webster's Bible Translation
But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou shalt not redeem him, then shalt thou break his neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

World English Bible
You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty.

Young's Literal Translation
and the firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb; and if thou dost not ransom, then thou hast beheaded it; every first-born of thy sons thou dost ransom, and they do not appear before Me empty.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Renews the Covenant
19The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep. 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. 21Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in the seasons of plowing and harvesting, you must rest.…

Cross References
Exodus 13:13
You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

Exodus 13:15
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.'

Exodus 22:29
You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

Exodus 23:15
You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread as I commanded you: At the appointed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, because that was the month you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before Me empty-handed.

Numbers 3:45
"Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.


Treasury of Scripture

But the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you redeem him not, then shall you break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

firstling

Exodus 13:10
Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

Numbers 18:15
Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

lamb or kid.

Exodus 13:15
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.

Numbers 3:45-51
Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD…

none

Exodus 23:15
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

1 Samuel 9:7,8
Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? …

Jump to Previous
Appear Ass Beheaded Break Broken Donkey Empty Empty-Handed First Firstborn First-Born Firstling Lamb Neck Offering Offspring Payment Redeem Wilt
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Appear Ass Beheaded Break Broken Donkey Empty Empty-Handed First Firstborn First-Born Firstling Lamb Neck Offering Offspring Payment Redeem Wilt
Exodus 34
1. The tablets are replaced
5. The name of the Lord proclaimed
8. Moses entreats God to go with them
10. God makes a covenant with them, repeating certain duties
28. Moses after forty days on the mount, comes down with the tablets
29. His face is radiant, and he covers it with a veil














(20) The firstling of an ass.--See Notes 1-3 on Exodus 13:13.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You must redeem
תִּפְדֶּ֣ה (tip̄·deh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6299: To sever, ransom, gener, to release, preserve

the firstborn
וּפֶ֤טֶר (ū·p̄e·ṭer)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6363: That which separates or first opens

of a donkey
חֲמוֹר֙ (ḥă·mō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass

with a lamb;
בְשֶׂ֔ה (ḇə·śeh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7716: A member of a, flock, a sheep, goat

but if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you do not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

redeem it,
תִפְדֶּ֖ה (ṯip̄·deh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6299: To sever, ransom, gener, to release, preserve

break its neck.
וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ (wa·‘ă·rap̄·tōw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6202: To break the neck, to destroy

You must redeem
תִּפְדֶּ֔ה (tip̄·deh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6299: To sever, ransom, gener, to release, preserve

all
כֹּ֣ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the firstborn
בְּכ֤וֹר (bə·ḵō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1060: Firstborn, chief

of your sons.
בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ (bā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

No
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

one shall appear
יֵרָא֥וּ (yê·rā·’ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

before Me
פָנַ֖י (p̄ā·nay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

empty-handed.
רֵיקָֽם׃ (rê·qām)
Adverb
Strong's 7387: Emptily, ineffectually, undeservedly


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OT Law: Exodus 34:20 The firstborn of a donkey you shall (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 34:19
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