Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Exodus 13:2

"You must give me every male in Israel who is his mother's first child. That means that every firstborn baby boy and every firstborn male animal will be mine."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Firstborn;   Liberality;   Quotations and Allusions;   Sanctification;   Scofield Reference Index - Leaven;   Thompson Chain Reference - First-Born;   Ownership, Divine;   Stewardship-Ownership;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - First Born, the;   Sanctification;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Firstborn;   Frontlets;   Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Consecration;   Dedication;   Firstborn;   Redemption;   Sanctification;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Firstborn;   Sanctification;   Teach, Teacher;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Consecration;   Phylacteries;   Pillar;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Brother;   Census;   Frontlets;   Jephthah;   Levites;   Pentateuch;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Firstborn;   Frontlets;   Hammurabi;   Sanctification;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Phylacteries, Frontlets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Consecrate, Consecration (2);   Demon, Demoniacal Possession, Demoniacs;   Firstborn;   Holiness;   Infancy;   Joseph (2);   Phylacteries ;   Presentation ;   Quotations;   Temple (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sanctification;   1910 New Catholic Dictionary - frontlet;   phylacteries;   tephillim;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Firstborn;   Frontlets;   Sanctification;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Firstborn;   Ouches;   Phylactery;   Smith Bible Dictionary - First-Born;   Frontlets,;   Law of Moses;   Pass'over,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Consecration;   Frontlets;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Exodus, the;   Other Laws;   Property Given to Religion;   Priesthood, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Exodus, the Book of;   Firstborn;   Heir;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Passover;   Primogeniture;   Sanctification;   Talmud;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Birthright;   Child, the;   First-Born, Redemption of;   Holiness;   Law, Reading from the;   Mishnah;   Passover;   Phylacteries;   Primogeniture;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Yisra'el, both of man and of animal. It is mine."
King James Version
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
Lexham English Bible
"Consecrate to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, among humans and among domestic animals; it belongs to me."
New Century Version
"Give every firstborn male to me. Every firstborn male among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal."
New English Translation
"Set apart to me every firstborn male—the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine."
Amplified Bible
"Sanctify to Me [that is, set apart for My purpose] every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal; it is Mine."
New American Standard Bible
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the firstborn of every womb among the sons of Israel, among people and animals alike; it belongs to Me."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne: that is, euery one that first openeth the wombe among the children of Israel, as well of man as of beast: for it is mine.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."
Contemporary English Version
"Dedicate to me the first-born son of every family and the first-born males of your flocks and herds. These belong to me."
Complete Jewish Bible
"Set aside for me all the firstborn. Whatever is first from the womb among the people of Isra'el, both of humans and of animals, belongs to me."
Darby Translation
Hallow unto me every firstborn, whatever breaketh open the womb among the children of Israel, of man and of cattle: it is mine.
English Standard Version
"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
George Lamsa Translation
Sanctify to me every first-born that opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of men and of animals; for they are mine.
Good News Translation
"Dedicate all the first-born males to me, for every first-born male Israelite and every first-born male animal belongs to me."
Christian Standard Bible®
“Consecrate every firstborn male to me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and domestic animal; it is mine.”
Literal Translation
Set apart to Me every first-born, the one opening the womb among the sons of Israel, among men and among livestock; they shall be Mine.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Sanctifie vnto me euery firstborne, yt breaketh all maner of Matrices amonge the childre of Israel, both of men & catell: for they are myne.
American Standard Version
Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
Bible in Basic English
Let the first male child of every mother among the children of Israel be kept holy for me, even the first male birth among man or beast; for it is mine.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Sanctifie vnto me al the first borne, what so euer openeth the wombe among ye chyldren of Israel, aswell of man as of beast, for it is mine.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Sanctify unto Me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is Mine.'
King James Version (1611)
Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne, whatsoeuer openeth the wombe, among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Sanctify to me every first-born, first produced, opening every womb among the children of Israel both of man and beast: it is mine.
English Revised Version
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
Berean Standard Bible
"Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Halewe thou to me ech firste gendrid thing that openeth the wombe among the sones of Israel, as wel of men as of beestis, for whi alle ben myn.
Young's Literal Translation
`Sanctify to Me every first-born, opening any womb among the sons of Israel, among man and among beast; it [is] Mine.'
Update Bible Version
Sanctify to me all the first-born, whatever opens the womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
Webster's Bible Translation
Sanctify to me all the first-born, whatever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, [both] of man and of beast: it [is] mine.
World English Bible
"Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine."
New King James Version
"Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine."
New Living Translation
"Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me."
New Life Bible
"Set apart to Me every first-born male. The first-born male among the people of Israel, and the first-born male animal are Mine."
New Revised Standard
Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hallow to me every firstborn, that which any female first beareth among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - mine! it is.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Sanctify unto me every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, as well of men as of beasts: for they are all mine.
Revised Standard Version
"Consecrate to me all the first-born; whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 "You must give me every male in Israel who is his mother's first child. That means that every firstborn baby boy and every firstborn male animal will be mine." 3 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day. You were slaves in Egypt, but on this day the Lord used his great power and made you free. You must not eat bread with yeast. 4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving Egypt. 5 The Lord made a special promise to your ancestors. He promised to give you the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. After the Lord leads you to the land filled with many good things, then you must remember this day. You must have a special day of worship on this day during the first month of every year. 6 "For seven days, you must eat only bread without yeast. On the seventh day there will be a great festival to show honor to the Lord . 7 So for seven days, you must not eat any bread made with yeast. There must be no bread with yeast any place in your land. 8 On this day you should tell your children, ‘We are having this festival because the Lord took me out of Egypt.' 9 "This festival will help you remember; it will be like a string tied on your hand. It will be like a sign before your eyes. This festival will help you remember the Lord 's teachings. It will help you remember that the Lord used his great power to take you out of Egypt. 10 So remember this festival every year at the right time.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Sanctify: The word kadash is to consecrate, separate, and set apart a person or thing from all common or secular purposes to some religious use; and exactly answers to the Greek בדיבזש, from ב, privative, and דח, the earth; because everything offered or consecrated to God was separated from all earthly uses. Exodus 13:12-15, Exodus 4:22, Exodus 22:29, Exodus 22:30, Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:19, Exodus 34:20, Leviticus 27:26, Numbers 3:13, Numbers 8:16, Numbers 8:17, Numbers 18:15, Deuteronomy 15:19, Luke 2:23, Hebrews 12:23

Reciprocal: Numbers 7:1 - sanctified them Nehemiah 10:36 - the firstborn Ezekiel 16:20 - thy sons Ezekiel 44:30 - all the firstfruits Matthew 1:25 - she

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt. He traveled through the Negev with his wife and everything he owned. Lot was also with them.
Genesis 13:3
Abram continued traveling around. He left the Negev and went back to Bethel. He went to the place between the city of Bethel and Ai, where he and his family had camped before.
Genesis 13:9
We should separate. You can choose any place you want. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left."
Genesis 13:10
Lot looked and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. At that time the Jordan Valley all the way to Zoar was like the Lord 's Garden. This was good land, like the land of Egypt.)
Genesis 13:12
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities in the valley. Lot moved as far as Sodom and made his camp there.
Genesis 13:13
The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.
Genesis 24:35
The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a great man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has much silver and gold and many servants. He has many camels and donkeys.
Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the Lord your God is the one who gives you power to do these things. He does this because he wants to keep the agreement that he made with your ancestors, as he is doing today!
1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord makes some poor, and he makes others rich. He humbles some people, and he honors others.
Job 1:3
He owned 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 1000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He had many servants. He was the richest man in the east.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Sanctify unto me all the firstborn,.... That is, of males, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, for those, and not females, were only either sacrificed or redeemed, see Exodus 13:12, and this sanctification of them to the Lord signifies the separation or devoting of them to the service of God; if the firstborn of clean creatures they were to be sacrificed, if unclean to be redeemed with a price, and so the firstborn of men, because it was not lawful to sacrifice them; and the money for the redemption of them was given to the priests, the ministers of the Lord, and so to him; who these first, born were is further explained:

whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast; that is, if a male; for, if a female, though it openeth the womb, was not reckoned a firstborn, because not to be offered; nor even a male after the birth of a female, because that openeth not the womb; and so if a man married a widow, and she had had children by her former husband, though she should bring him a son, which was his firstborn, yet not being her's, and not opening the womb, was not subject to this law; but if a man married several wives one after another, or together, who had never been married before, or had had no children; if each of them brought him a son at first birth, they were all of them firstborn, and to be sanctified to the Lord; but the Jews say u, if a woman at her first birth brought forth a male and a female, the father was free from this law of the redemption of the firstborn, because the female might come forth first: this phrase, "among the children of Israel", shows that this law only belonged to them, and not to the Gentiles; wherefore the Jewish doctors say w, if a man buys cattle of an Heathen, and sells to him, or is in partnership with him, and gives and takes of him, he is free from the law of the firstborn; for it is said "among the Israelites", and not among others:

it is mine: all creatures, man and beast, are the Lord's by creation; but these firstborn were his in a peculiar manner, and which he reserved to himself, to his own use and service; and the people of Israel were under great obligation to devote them to him, since he had spared all their firstborn, when all the firstborn of the Egyptians, both man and beast, were destroyed: this may denote the special and peculiar interest the Lord has in the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, through the special, particular, and eternal choice of them in Christ, and the redemption of them to him by the price of his blood; and who, on account both of their election of God, and redemption by Christ, are laid under obligation to give up themselves to God, a holy, living, and acceptable sacrifice, which is but their reasonable service.

u Misn. Becorot, c. 8. sect. 4, 5. & Bartenora in ib. w lbid. c. 2. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sanctify unto me - The command is addressed to Moses. It was to declare the will of God that all firstborn were to be consecrated to Him, set apart from all other creatures. The command is expressly based upon the Passover. The firstborn exempt from the destruction became in a new and special sense the exclusive property of the Lord: the firstborn of man as His ministers, the firstborn of cattle as victims. In lieu of the firstborn of men the Levites were devoted to the temple services.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 13:2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born — To sanctify, קדש kadash, signifies to consecrate, separate, and set apart a thing or person from all secular purposes to some religious use; and exactly answers to the import of the Greek αγιαζω, from a, privative, and γη, the earth, because every thing offered or consecrated to God was separated from all earthly uses. Hence a holy person or saint is termed αγιος, i.e., a person separated from the earth; one who lives a holy life, entirely devoted to the service of God. Thus the persons and animals sanctified to God were employed in the service of the tabernacle and temple; and the animals, such as were proper, were offered in sacrifice.

The Hindoos frequently make a vow, and devote to an idol the first-born of a goat and of a man. The goat is permitted to run wild, as a consecrated animal. A child thus devoted has a lock of hair separated, which at the time appointed is cut off and placed near the idol. Hindoo women sometimes pray to Gunga (the Ganges) for children, and promise to devote the first-born to her. Children thus devoted are cast into the Ganges, but are generally saved by the friendly hand of some stranger. - Ward's Customs.

Whatsoever openeth the womb — That is, the first-born, if a male; for females were not offered, nor the first male, if a female had been born previously. Again, if a man had several wives, the first-born of each, if a male, was to be offered to God. And all this was done to commemorate the preservation of the first-born of the Israelites, when those of the Egyptians were destroyed.


 
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