Exodus

the LORD spoke to Moses and said,

"[1] (Sanctify) every firstborn male to me. Every firstborn male among the Israelites, whether human or animal, belongs to me."

Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, the land where you were slaves. the LORD brought you out from this place with a powerful hand. During this time, you must not eat any bread made with yeast."

"You are leaving today, in the month of Abib."

"When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, the land He promised to your ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, you must perform this ceremony every year during this same month."

"For seven days, you are to eat bread without yeast, and on the seventh day, you must hold a festival to the LORD."

"Eat only unleavened bread for those seven days. No yeast or bread made with yeast should be seen anywhere in your territory."

"On that day, explain to your children, 'We do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'"

"This practice will be like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead, so that the LORD's teachings will always be on your lips. Remember, the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a powerful hand."

"You must follow these regulations at the proper time every single year."

"When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, just as He promised you and your ancestors,"

"you are to give every firstborn male animal to the LORD. Every firstborn male of your livestock belongs to Him."

"You can buy back every firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. You must also buy back every firstborn son among your children."

"In the future, when your children ask you, 'Why do we do this?' you should tell them, 'the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the land where we were slaves, with a powerful hand.'"

" 'When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn male in Egypt, both human and animal. That is why I sacrifice all firstborn male animals to the LORD and buy back my firstborn sons.'"

"This will be like a sign on your hand and [2] (frontlets) between your eyes, reminding you that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a powerful hand."

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them through the land of the Philistines, even though that was the shortest route. God said, "If they face a war, they might change their minds and try to go back to Egypt."

So God led the people on a longer route through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites left Egypt prepared for the journey.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. Joseph had made the Israelites promise to do this, saying, "God will surely come to your rescue, and when He does, you must carry my bones out of this place with you."

After leaving Succoth, they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

During the day, the LORD went ahead of them in a [3] (pillar of cloud) to show them the way. During the night, He went ahead of them in a [4] (pillar of fire) to give them light, so they could travel by day or by night.

The pillar of cloud stayed in front of them during the day, and the pillar of fire stayed in front of them at night. Both remained with the people always.