Exodus 13:1

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Moses to deliver a direct command regarding the consecration of the firstborn. This occurs immediately before the instruction in Exodus 13:2 to set apart every firstborn male among the Israelites and their livestock.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְדַבֵּר (va/y.da.Ber) literally means "and he spoke," marking the initiation of divine speech. The prepositional phrase אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵ/אמֹר (el-moshe le/mor) translates to "to Moses, saying," structuring the following directive as an authoritative utterance.

The thread — This verse functions as the opening formula for the firstborn consecration legislation that continues in Exodus 13:2 and repeats throughout the biblical legal corpus. It bridges the narrative of the Exodus deliverance with the statutory requirement to redeem or dedicate the firstborn.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to acknowledge the divine source of the command before examining its specific stipulations. The text demands immediate attention to the authority behind the instruction, leaving no ambiguity about who issues the mandate.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.