“Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.”
Cross references: : Exod. 22:29 ; Exod. 34:19 ; Lev. 27:26 ; Num. 3:13 ; Num. 8:16 ; Luke 2:23
“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. bondage: Heb. servants”
To signify that they had not leisure to leaven their bread. Exod. 23:23 Hebrew, house of servants . Where they were in most cruel slavery.
“This day came ye out in the month Abib.”
Containing part of March and part of April, when corn began to ripe in that country.
“Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.”
Both the seventh and the first day were holy, as Exod. 12:16 .
“And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.”
When thou dost celebrate the feast of unleavened bread.
“And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.”
Thou shalt have continual remembrance thereof, as thou wouldest of a thing that is in thine hand, or before thine eyes.
“That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. set: Heb. cause to pass over”
Exod. 22:29 ; Exod. 34:19 ; Ezek. 44:30
“And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. lamb: or, kid”
Hebrew, that first cometh forth . This is also understood of the horse and other beasts which were not offered in sacrifice. By offering a clean beast in sacrifice, Lev. 12:6 .
“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:”
Or, because. Which the Philistines would have made against them by stopping them the passage.
“But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. harnessed: or, by five in a rank”
That is, not privily, but openly and as the word doth signify, set in order by five and five.
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:”
To defend them from the heat of the sun. Num. 14:14 ; Deut. 1:33 ; Ps. 78:14 ; 1 Cor. 10:1