The Meaning of Exodus 13:9 Explained

Exodus 13:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: and it hath been to thee for a sign on thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, so that the law of Jehovah is in thy mouth, for by a strong hand hath Jehovah brought thee out from Egypt;

Darby: And it shall be for a sign to thee on thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth; for with a powerful hand hath Jehovah brought thee out of Egypt.

ASV: And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath Jehovah brought thee out of Egypt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 13:9 Mean?

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 13:9 mean?

And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes that may be law of Yahweh in your mouth for with a hand mighty has brought you Yahweh out of Egypt
וְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־ יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם

וְהָיָה֩  And  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְךָ֨  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
לְא֜וֹת  as  a  sign 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
יָדְךָ֗  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙  and  as  a  memorial 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זִכָּרֹון  
Sense: memorial, reminder, remembrance.
בֵּ֣ין  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
עֵינֶ֔יךָ  your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
לְמַ֗עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תִּהְיֶ֛ה  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
תּוֹרַ֥ת  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּפִ֑יךָ  in  your  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
בְּיָ֣ד  with  a  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
חֲזָקָ֔ה  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥  has  brought  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
יְהֹוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִמִּצְרָֽיִם  out  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.