Moses & The Exodus

This was a night when ADONAI kept vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt, and this same night continues to be a night when ADONAI keeps vigil for all the people of Isra'el through all their generations.

ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "This is the regulation for the Pesach lamb: no foreigner is to eat it.

But if anyone has a slave he bought for money, when you have circumcised him, he may eat it.

Neither a traveler nor a hired servant may eat it.

It is to be eaten in one house. You are not to take any of the meat outside the house, and you are not to break any of its bones.

The whole community of Isra'el is to keep it.

If a foreigner staying with you wants to observe ADONAI's Pesach, all his males must be circumcised. Then he may take part and observe it; he will be like a citizen of the land. But no uncircumcised person is to eat it.

The same teaching is to apply equally to the citizen and to the foreigner living among you."

All the people of Isra'el did just as ADONAI had ordered Moshe and Aharon.

On that very day, ADONAI brought the people of Isra'el out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.

ADONAI said to Moshe,

"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."

Moshe said to the people, "Remember this day, on which you left Egypt, the abode of slavery; because ADONAI, by the strength of his hand, has brought you out of this place. Do not eat hametz.

You are leaving today, in the month of Aviv.

When ADONAI brings you into the land of the Kena'ani, Hitti, Emori, Hivi and Y'vusi, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you are to observe this ceremony in this month.

For seven days you are to eat matzah, and the seventh day is to be a festival for ADONAI.

Matzah is to be eaten throughout the seven days; neither hametz nor leavening agents are to be seen with you throughout your territory.

On that day you are to tell your son, 'It is because of what ADONAI did for me when I left Egypt.'

"Moreover, it will serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, so that ADONAI's Torah may be on your lips; because with a strong hand ADONAI brought you out of Egypt.

Therefore you are to observe this regulation at its proper time, year after year.

When ADONAI brings you into the land of the Kena'ani, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you,

you are to set apart for ADONAI everything that is first from the womb. Every firstborn male animal will belong to ADONAI.

Every firstborn from a donkey, you are to redeem with a lamb; but if you choose not to redeem it, you must break its neck. But from people, you are to redeem every firstborn son.

When, at some future time, your son asks you, 'What is this?' then say to him, 'With a strong hand ADONAI brought us out of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery.

When Pharaoh was unwilling to let us go, ADONAI killed all the firstborn males in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of humans and the firstborn of animals. This is why I sacrifice to ADONAI any male that is first from the womb of an animal, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'