The First-Born (EXO 13:11-16)

[13:11] “The Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, which he solemnly promised to you and your ancestors. When he gives it to you,

[13:12] you must offer every first-born male to the Lord. Every first-born male of your animals belongs to the Lord,

[13:13] but you must buy back from him every first-born male donkey by offering a lamb in its place. If you do not want to buy back the donkey, break its neck. You must buy back every first-born male child of yours.

[13:14] In the future, when your son asks what this observance means, you will answer him, ‘By using great power the Lord brought us out of Egypt, the place where we were slaves.

[13:15] When the king of Egypt was stubborn and refused to let us go, the Lord killed every first-born male in the land of Egypt, both human and animal. That is why we sacrifice every first-born male animal to the Lord, but buy back our first-born sons.

[13:16] This observance will be a reminder, like something tied on our hands or on our foreheads; it will remind us that the Lord brought us out of Egypt by his great power.’”