Exodus 13:16 kjv
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.
Exodus 13:16 nkjv
It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."
Exodus 13:16 niv
And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."
Exodus 13:16 esv
It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."
Exodus 13:16 nlt
This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of the LORD's mighty hand brought us out of Egypt."
Exodus 13 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 13:9 | And it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead… | Direct parallel to this verse's wording. |
| Deut 6:8 | You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. | Applies same physical remembrance to the Law. |
| Deut 11:18 | You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand... | Reinforces the internalization of God's word. |
| Num 15:39 | ...that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD... | Purpose of tzitzit as a visible reminder. |
| Deut 5:15 | You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there... | Remembering past bondage for Sabbath observance. |
| Ps 77:11 | I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. | Emphasizes active remembering of God's acts. |
| Ps 105:26-45 | He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen. ... He brought his people out with joy... | A psalm recounting God's redemptive work. |
| Prov 3:3 | Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. | Internalization of wisdom and commandments. |
| Isa 49:16 | Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. | God's perpetual remembrance of His people. |
| Jer 31:33 | But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days... I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their heart... | New Covenant promises internal law, not external. |
| Joel 2:27 | ...you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else... | Future realization of God's power and presence. |
| Matt 23:5 | They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long... | Jesus critiques external ritual without internal piety. |
| John 6:28-29 | Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." | Focus shifts from works to faith in the NT. |
| Acts 7:36 | This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea... | Stephen's sermon emphasizes God's mighty deliverance. |
| Rom 10:9-10 | If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead... | Belief in heart (internal) and confession by mouth (external). |
| 1 Cor 11:24-25 | "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."... "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." | Lord's Supper as a New Covenant memorial. |
| Heb 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts... | Law written on the heart under New Covenant. |
| Heb 10:16 | "This is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," | Reiterates internalization of God's law. |
| Rev 7:3 | saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." | God's mark on His people in Revelation. |
| Rev 13:16 | Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor... to be marked on the right hand or the forehead... | Anti-God's mark; perversion of a divine concept. |
| Rev 14:1 | Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. | Believers sealed by God for identification. |
Exodus 13 verses
Exodus 13 16 Meaning
This verse serves as a divine command for perpetual remembrance of the Lord's mighty act of delivering the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The phrases "a sign on your hand" and "a memorial between your eyes" metaphorically, and later literally, instruct them to carry the memory of this redemption constantly—shaping their actions (hand) and their thoughts, perceptions, and identity (between your eyes). It underscores that their liberation was solely by the overwhelming power of YHWH, necessitating a deep, internal, and visibly expressed commitment to Him as their Redeemer.
Exodus 13 16 Context
Exodus chapter 13 immediately follows the devastating tenth plague on Egypt and the subsequent hasty departure of the Israelites. The Lord initiates new ordinances for His people: the consecration of all firstborn and the perpetual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. These commands are fundamentally about remembering and transmitting the story of their liberation. The entire chapter establishes how the nation of Israel is to maintain the memory of God's powerful intervention that transformed them from slaves into a covenant people. Verse 16 specifically reinforces the necessity of making this memory tangible and ever-present, tying it to a personal and national identity forever defined by God's redemptive "strong hand" from their bondage in Egypt. Historically, this laid the foundation for Israel's future identity as a redeemed people and served as a polemic against the numerous Egyptian deities and the Pharaoh who claimed divine status, clearly showing YHWH's supreme and singular power.
Exodus 13 16 Word analysis
- It shall be (וְהָיָה - v'hāyāh): This expresses a definitive and mandatory future action. It's not a suggestion but a divine decree, signaling the establishment of a lasting ordinance.
- as a sign (לְאוֹת - l'oṯ): From the root "אות" (oṯ), meaning a mark, token, ensign, or miracle. It signifies something that points to or reminds of an event, an agreement, or a truth. Here, it denotes a visible, concrete marker that calls to mind God's redemptive power and ownership. This "sign" serves a dual purpose: to remind the individual and to bear witness to others.
- on your hand (עַל־יָדְךָ - ʿal-yādḵā): "Yad" (יָד) often refers to physical power, action, or labor. Placing the sign on the hand implies that one's actions, work, and conduct are to be guided by and reflect the remembrance of God's mighty deliverance. It signifies practical application and lived out faith, influencing all one does.
- and as a memorial (וּלְזִכָּרוֹן - ūl'zikkārōn): "Zikkaron" (זִכָּרוֹן) emphasizes remembrance or a means of remembering. It signifies that the purpose of this "sign" is to prevent forgetting the momentous event, ensuring it remains active in their collective consciousness and passed on through generations. It points to the intrinsic need for constant recollection of God's foundational act for Israel.
- between your eyes (בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ - bêyn ʿêyneyḵā): This phrase suggests a prominent, visible location on the forehead, close to the center of thought and perception. It implies that the memory of God's redemptive act should occupy one's thoughts, influence one's worldview, and be a constant front-of-mind reality. It indicates cognitive remembrance and identity.
- for by a strong hand (כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד - kî b'ḥozeq yād): "Khozeq" (חֹזֶק) means strength, might, or hardness. Coupled with "yad" (יָד - hand), it signifies God's overwhelming, irresistible power and sovereign force. This phrase powerfully asserts that Israel's liberation was not by human effort or a weak plea, but by the undeniable, compelling might of YHWH. It highlights divine agency over human strength or Pharaoh's stubbornness.
- the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal relationship with Israel and His active presence as their Redeemer. This name underscores His faithfulness to His promises.
- has brought us out (הוֹצִיאָנוּ - hōṣîʾānū): Emphasizes the definitive action of God's liberation. It's His initiative, His deed. The verb "yatsa" (יָצָא) meaning to go out or bring out, here specifically means that God was the agent of their exodus, transforming their status from slave to free.
- of Egypt (מִמִּצְרָיִם - mimmiṣrāyim): Refers to the oppressive land of bondage, from which YHWH unilaterally rescued them. Egypt here symbolizes all forms of spiritual or physical captivity from which God liberates His people.
Words-group Analysis
- "a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes": This coupling points to a holistic remembrance—one that impacts both one's actions (hand) and one's innermost thoughts and convictions (between the eyes). It signifies that the truth of God's redemption is to be a continuous, defining characteristic of their entire being and daily existence, internally shaping them and externally visible. It prefigures the practice of tefillin (phylacteries).
- "for by a strong hand the Lord has brought us out": This phrase directly attributes the entirety of the liberation to God's unparalleled power. It is a powerful theological statement denying any human contribution to their freedom, underscoring YHWH's sovereignty and unmatched might in overturning the most powerful empire of the ancient world. This foundation is crucial for Israel's future understanding of dependence on God.
Exodus 13 16 Bonus section
The command in Exodus 13:16, alongside Exod 13:9, Deut 6:8, and Deut 11:18, serves as the biblical foundation for the later Jewish practice of wearing tefillin (phylacteries). These are small leather boxes containing scrolls of scripture, worn on the arm (corresponding to the "hand") and forehead (corresponding to "between your eyes") during weekday morning prayers. While the verse initially might have intended a symbolic and internalizing command, it developed into a literal and visible tradition that served as a tangible, physical reminder for countless generations. The emphasis on God's "strong hand" powerfully contrasts with human weakness and serves as a fundamental declaration of God's ultimate power over all earthly forces. This constant remembrance was critical to prevent the Israelites from forgetting God during times of prosperity or hardship, ensuring their distinct covenant identity amidst surrounding polytheistic cultures. It highlights that God's salvation isn't a one-time event but demands perpetual, active recognition.
Exodus 13 16 Commentary
Exodus 13:16 distills the essence of the Israelites' post-Exodus existence: an unbreakable tether to the memory of God's liberating "strong hand." This verse commands a deeply ingrained and continually present remembrance, far exceeding mere intellectual recall. The "sign on your hand" denotes that every action, every work, every facet of their daily lives should bear the mark of having been redeemed. Their choices, their labor, their dealings with others, and their observance of the law were to be tangible expressions of their freedom in God. Similarly, the "memorial between your eyes" implies that their deepest thoughts, their identity, their perspective on the world, and their perception of God should be framed by the miraculous rescue. It ensures that the Exodus story remains at the forefront of their consciousness, influencing their decision-making and shaping their worldview. It's a call to let salvation not just be an historical fact, but a living reality that permeates their being and identity, securing future generations' faith in their covenant Lord.