Exodus 13:5 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

Exodus 13:5 kjv

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.

Exodus 13:5 nkjv

And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.

Exodus 13:5 niv

When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites?the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey?you are to observe this ceremony in this month:

Exodus 13:5 esv

And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month.

Exodus 13:5 nlt

You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land ? a land flowing with milk and honey.)

Exodus 13 5 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Gen 12:7	And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land.	God's initial promise of the land to Abraham.
Gen 15:18-21	...I have given this land...of the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.	Lists other tribes of the land.
Gen 26:3	...I will give all these countries to thee, and to thy seed, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father.	God renews the oath to Isaac.
Gen 28:13	...the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.	God renews the oath to Jacob.
Ex 3:8	And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey...	Prior description of the promised land.
Ex 6:8	And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.	God reiterates the oath and heritage.
Lev 20:24	...I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God...	God identifies the land as given by Him.
Num 13:27	And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.	Spies confirm the land's bounty.
Deut 6:3	...that thou mayest go in and possess the land which floweth with milk and honey, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.	Command to obey for possession of land.
Deut 7:1-2	When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land...and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations...	Seven nations explicitly listed for removal.
Deut 7:8-9	But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers...Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy...	God's faithfulness to His oath.
Deut 11:9	...that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, a land that floweth with milk and honey.	Long life connected to the land and oath.
Josh 21:43-45	And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. ... There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.	Fulfillment of the land promise.
Jer 32:22	And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;	God's fulfillment acknowledged in later prophecy.
Neh 9:15	...and gavest them from heaven bread for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.	God's faithfulness to the promise remembered.
Ps 105:8-11	He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations...Even of the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance.	God's eternal remembrance of the covenant.
Ez 20:6	In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:	The land as glorious and chosen by God.
Amos 9:13	Behold, the days come...that the plowman shall overtake the reaper...and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.	Prophecy of future land abundance (messianic era).
1 Cor 5:7-8	Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened...let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.	New Testament application of unleavened bread.
Heb 3:7-4:11	So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief...Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.	Spiritual 'rest' analogous to promised land.

Exodus 13 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Exodus 13 5 Meaning

This verse looks forward to the fulfillment of God's ancient promise to bring the Israelites into the rich and abundant land previously sworn to their patriarchs. It identifies some of the indigenous peoples who currently inhabit this desirable land, characterized by its bountiful provision, emphasizing that upon entering this promised inheritance, the Israelites are commanded to faithfully observe the annual service commemorating their exodus from Egypt during a specific month. This serves as a perpetual reminder of God's delivering power and covenant faithfulness.

Exodus 13 5 Context

Exodus chapter 13 immediately follows the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn, and the initial hurried departure of the Israelites from Egypt. This verse looks ahead, beyond their current state of wilderness wandering, to their arrival in the Promised Land. The preceding verses (13:1-2, 13:3-4) established two key divine mandates: the consecration of the firstborn and the perpetual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This verse specifically ties the fulfillment of the land promise directly to the enduring practice of these newly instituted rituals, emphasizing that their deliverance from Egypt (remembered through the "service") is inextricably linked to their future inheritance of Canaan. It frames the entry into the land not just as a geographical relocation but as the climax of God's redemptive work, requiring continued obedient worship.

Exodus 13 5 Word analysis

And it shall be: Signifies a definite future occurrence and outcome, divinely ordained.
when the LORD (יהוה - YHWH) shall bring thee: Emphasizes God's sovereign initiative and power. It is He, YHWH, the covenant-keeping God, who acts as the deliverer and giver of the land. Not human effort, but divine power, will accomplish this.
into the land (אֶרֶץ - 'erets): Refers to a specific geographical territory, promised and set apart for Israel.
of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: These are prominent indigenous groups in Canaan. The mention of specific nations highlights the reality that the land is currently occupied and will require God's direct intervention to dispossess them. This serves as a polemic against the strength of these nations and their false gods, demonstrating YHWH's absolute superiority. This list, though not exhaustive of all nations typically named, signifies the major obstacles God would overcome.
which he sware (שָׁבַע - shava'): Points to a binding oath or covenant. This solemn divine promise made God's intention irrevocable and underscored His faithfulness and commitment to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
unto thy fathers (אָבוֹת - 'avot): Refers to the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – whose faith initiated the covenant relationship. This establishes historical continuity and anchors the current generation's hope in ancestral promises.
to give thee: Underscores the land as a gift from God, not something earned or conquered by human might alone.
a land flowing with milk and honey (חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ - chalav udevash): A poetic and evocative descriptor of fertility, abundance, and prosperity. "Milk" implies lush pastures for livestock, and "honey" often refers to wild date or fig syrup, indicating fertile crops and natural sweetness. This phrase highlights the stark contrast to their previous enslavement in Egypt and the desolate wilderness they currently occupy, promising a life of ease and divine provision. It evokes imagery of Edenic blessing.
that thou shalt keep this service (עֲבֹדָה - 'avodah): "Service" here refers specifically to the ritual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, including the Passover (Ex 13:3-4). 'Avodah means "work," "labor," or "worship," implying a perpetual duty of devoted worship. This mandate establishes a reciprocal responsibility upon Israel, connecting future blessings to faithful obedience.
in this month (חֹדֶשׁ - chodesh): Refers to Abib (later Nisan), the month of the Exodus, which became the first month of Israel's sacred calendar (Ex 12:2). This fixes the timing for the perpetual observance, rooting their national identity in God's saving act.

Exodus 13 5 Bonus section

The repeated mention of the indigenous tribes to be dispossessed foreshadows God's holiness and His moral claim on the land. Their removal is not arbitrary but tied to their wickedness, underscoring that the land's possession comes with divine expectations for Israel's conduct within it. Furthermore, the explicit link between entering the promised land and keeping the feast highlights the concept of "spiritual pilgrimage" that believers often resonate with today—our "entry into rest" or future inheritance in Christ is inextricably linked to remembering His redemptive work (the ultimate Passover Lamb, 1 Cor 5:7). The land described as flowing with milk and honey serves as an early type for God's ultimate kingdom provision, a state of perfect flourishing and rest.

Exodus 13 5 Commentary

Exodus 13:5 powerfully links God's past deliverance from Egypt with His future fulfillment of the land promise, establishing an enduring covenant responsibility for Israel. It reassures the people that their daunting task of possessing a land held by powerful nations will be accomplished by YHWH Himself, solely based on His unchanging oath to their patriarchs. The imagery of "a land flowing with milk and honey" highlights the divine beneficence and the contrast between their slavery and their destined inheritance. The accompanying command to "keep this service" (Passover/Unleavened Bread) emphasizes that their identity as God's redeemed people is tied to remembering His mighty acts. This annual observance serves not merely as a historical commemoration but as a fundamental act of worship, ensuring that successive generations understand the basis of their unique national existence and their inheritance—a gift conditioned upon remembering their Deliverer. This sets the stage for living in the promised land, not just as inhabitants, but as people consecrated to YHWH, whose presence is acknowledged through ritual and remembrance.