The Meaning of Exodus 13:13 Explained

Exodus 13:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: And every firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb, and if thou dost not ransom it, then thou hast beheaded it: and every first-born of man among thy sons thou dost ransom.

Darby: And every firstling of an ass shalt thou ransom with a lamb; and if thou do not ransom it, thou shalt break its neck; and every firstborn of a man among thy sons shalt thou ransom.

ASV: And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 13:13 Mean?

Study Notes

firstling
The redemption of firstlings made a memorial sign to Israel of their own redemption.

Context Summary

Exodus 13:1-16 - The First-Born Set Apart Unto Jehovah
Two Hebrew customs dated from the Exodus-first, the dedication of the first-born to God's service, and second, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. See Luke 22:7. The first-born had been especially redeemed and so were especially God's. On them all was branded the one brief word Mine. What a lesson for us all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. We are His by right of purchase; we ought to be His by our own choice and indwelt by His Spirit. Whenever we take up this position with regard to God, we may count on His strong hand. In after years the first-born sons, who performed the priestly rites, were replaced by Levites, Numbers 3:11-13; but still they were ransomed by a slain lamb. Every first-born son lived because a lamb died. In this he stood on the same level as the firstling of an ass. What a parable is here! See Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 13

1  The firstborn are sanctified to God
3  The memorial of the Passover is commanded
11  The firstborn of man and beast are set apart
17  The Israelites go out of Egypt, and carry Joseph's bones with them
20  They come to Etham
21  God guides them by a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire

What do the individual words in Exodus 13:13 mean?

But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb and if not you will redeem [it] then you shall break its neck and all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem
וְכָל־ פֶּ֤טֶר חֲמֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־ לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֨ל בְּכ֥וֹר אָדָ֛ם בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ תִּפְדֶּֽה

וְכָל־  But  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
פֶּ֤טֶר  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּטֶר 
Sense: firstborn, firstling, that which separates or first opens.
חֲמֹר֙  of  a  donkey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.
תִּפְדֶּ֣ה  you  shall  redeem 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּדָה  
Sense: to ransom, redeem, rescue, deliver.
בְשֶׂ֔ה  with  a  lamb 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׂה  
Sense: one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat.
וְאִם־  and  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
תִפְדֶּ֖ה  you  will  redeem  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּדָה  
Sense: to ransom, redeem, rescue, deliver.
וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ  then  you  shall  break  its  neck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: עָרַף  
Sense: (Qal) to break the neck (of an animal).
וְכֹ֨ל  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּכ֥וֹר  the  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
אָדָ֛ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ  among  your  sons 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
תִּפְדֶּֽה  you  shall  redeem 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּדָה  
Sense: to ransom, redeem, rescue, deliver.