Exodus 13:2 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

Exodus 13:2 kjv

Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Exodus 13:2 nkjv

"Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine."

Exodus 13:2 niv

"Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal."

Exodus 13:2 esv

"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."

Exodus 13:2 nlt

"Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me."

Exodus 13 2 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Exo 12:29-30	At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn...	Context of God sparing Israel's firstborn.
Exo 13:13	Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem...	Specifies the redemption of unclean firstborn.
Exo 34:19-20	All that open the womb are mine...	Reiteration of the law of the firstborn.
Num 3:13	For all the firstborn are mine...	God re-emphasizes ownership of all firstborn.
Num 3:40-51	The Levites shall be mine instead of all the firstborn...	Levites taken as substitutes for the firstborn.
Num 8:16-17	The Levites are wholly given to me... because all the firstborn are mine.	Further clarification on the Levites' role.
Num 18:15-16	Everything that opens the womb... belongs to the Lord.	Law regarding priests receiving firstborn dues.
Lev 27:26-27	No one may dedicate a firstborn animal... for it is the Lord's.	Prohibition of vowing firstborn, as they are God's.
Deut 15:19	Every firstborn male... you shall consecrate to the Lord.	Command to set apart firstborn livestock.
Deut 7:6	You are a people holy to the Lord your God.	Principle of Israel as a consecrated people.
Psa 24:1	The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof...	Declaration of God's universal ownership.
Psa 78:51	He struck down every firstborn in Egypt...	Remembering God's judgment in Egypt.
Mal 3:10	Bring the full tithe into the storehouse...	Principle of giving the "first" or best to God.
Lk 2:22-23	When the time came for their purification... every male who opens the womb.	Jesus' dedication fulfilling the law for firstborn.
Rom 8:29	To be conformed to the image of his Son, who is the firstborn among many.	Christ as the "Firstborn" with preeminence.
Col 1:15	He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.	Christ's supreme authority as the firstborn.
Heb 1:6	When he brings the firstborn into the world...	Christ as God's unique "firstborn" Son.
Heb 12:23	The assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven...	Believers, through Christ, identified with the firstborn.
1 Pet 1:16	Be holy, for I am holy.	God's call for His people to be set apart.
Jas 1:18	That we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.	Believers as "firstfruits" to God.
Rev 1:5	And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead...	Christ's victory over death and preeminence.

Exodus 13 verses

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Exodus 13 2 Meaning

Exodus 13:2 commands the people of Israel to dedicate all their firstborn to the Lord, both human and animal. This divine declaration stems from God's proprietorship over all life, especially after His miraculous deliverance of Israel's firstborn during the Tenth Plague in Egypt. It signifies a profound act of consecration, acknowledging God's unique claim and covenant relationship with His people, reminding them perpetually of their salvation and His power.

Exodus 13 2 Context

Exodus 13:2 immediately follows the catastrophic Tenth Plague, where the firstborn of Egypt were struck down, while the firstborn of Israel were spared through the blood of the Passover lamb. This divine judgment paved the way for Israel's liberation. Therefore, this verse initiates a perpetual ordinance, establishing the foundational principle that God has a special claim on those He delivered. The laws given in this chapter are not merely arbitrary rules but are directly linked to the recent historical event of the Exodus, serving as a lasting memorial and a means of instruction for future generations to remember God's mighty hand. It is part of the initial set of commandments given to Israel as they begin their journey out of Egypt, emphasizing God's ownership and their covenant responsibilities.

Exodus 13 2 Word analysis

"Consecrate" (קַדֶּשׁ - qaddesh): A strong imperative meaning "to make holy," "to set apart," or "to sanctify." It implies dedication and devotion to God for sacred use, distinguishing what is ordinary from what is special for Him.
"to me": Specifies the divine recipient of the consecration. It emphasizes that this setting apart is exclusively for Yahweh, preventing any dedication to other deities.
"all the firstborn" (כָּל-בְּכוֹר - kol-bekhor): "All" signifies the universality of the command, covering every instance without exception. "Firstborn" refers to the initial male offspring. In ancient cultures, the firstborn held a position of honor and inheritance; here, God reclaims this preeminent position for Himself.
"whatever opens the womb" (פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם - peter rechem): This specific Hebrew idiom (literally "opening of the womb" or "that which breaks forth from the womb") clarifies what "firstborn" truly means. It refers not merely to the oldest existing offspring but precisely the inaugural birth event from a particular mother, establishing the birthright or "first-fruits" status for that animal or human lineage. It emphasizes that life's beginning, particularly the first manifestation of it, belongs to God.
"among the people of Israel": This defines the exclusive scope of this command. It is a covenant obligation specific to God's chosen nation, differentiating them from other peoples.
"both of man and of beast": Specifies the comprehensive breadth of the command. It covers all living firstborn beings within the Israelite community, from their livestock to their children, highlighting God's dominion over all forms of life.
"it is mine": A forceful, unqualified divine declaration of ownership. This declarative statement underlies the entire command; the firstborn belong to God not by human dedication but by His inherent claim and His redemptive act during the Exodus. It is the fundamental theological basis for the subsequent requirements concerning the firstborn.

Exodus 13 2 Bonus section

The command to "consecrate" the firstborn stands in stark contrast to pagan practices where firstborn were sometimes sacrificed to gods for fertility or appeasement. Yahweh claims His rightful due, not by demanding the literal human sacrifice, but by commanding a separation unto holiness and, in the case of humans, redemption. This signifies God's valuing of human life. The repeated emphasis on "it is mine" throughout various chapters reinforces a central biblical theme: all life, especially what is initially blessed and first-fruit, ultimately belongs to the Creator. This dedication was meant to serve as a constant teaching tool for future generations, ensuring that the miraculous deliverance from Egypt would never be forgotten (Exo 13:8-9, 14-16). It highlights a core aspect of biblical economics – that the "first" and "best" of all increase, whether in livestock or produce, is owed to the Lord as an acknowledgement of His blessing and ownership, a principle echoed in later tithes and offerings.

Exodus 13 2 Commentary

Exodus 13:2 establishes a profound and foundational law in Israel's relationship with God. It mandates the perpetual dedication of all firstborn life—human and animal—to Yahweh. This command is a direct response to, and a lasting memorial of, God's mighty act of salvation during the Tenth Plague, where He spared Israel's firstborn while judging Egypt's. By claiming the firstborn, God reminds Israel of His unique ownership and the price of their deliverance. It teaches them that their very lives, particularly the 'first and best', belong to Him as a debt of gratitude and recognition of His sovereign power over life and death. For humans, this implied a principle of redemption rather than sacrifice, laying the groundwork for the later institution of the Levites as substitutes and the financial redemption for firstborn sons. Practically, it instilled in every family a continuous remembrance of God's grace and a sense of belonging entirely to Him.