The firstborn are dedicated to God. God leads Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and the people carry Joseph's bones with them.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses , saying ,
2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn , whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel , both of man and of beast : it is mine.
3 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 .
4 This day came ye out in the month Abib .
5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites , and the Hittites , and the Amorites , and the Hivites , and the Jebusites , which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey , that thou shalt keep this service in this month .
6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread , and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD .
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days ; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters .
8 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 .
9 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 .
10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year .
11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites , as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers , and shall give it thee,
12 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 .
13 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 .
14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come , saying , What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt , from the house of bondage :
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 .
16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand , and for frontlets between thine eyes : for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt .
17 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 :
18 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 .
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel , saying , God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
20 And they took their journey from Succoth , and encamped in Etham , in the edge of the wilderness .
21 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 :
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day , nor the pillar of fire by night , from before the people .