Exodus 13:13

Complete Jewish Bible

Every firstborn from a donkey, you are to redeem with a lamb; but if you choose not to redeem it, you must break its neck. But from people, you are to redeem every firstborn son.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.

King James Version
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

Lexham English Bible
And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem it, then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.

New Century Version
Buy back every firstborn donkey by offering a lamb. But if you don't want to buy the donkey back, then break its neck. You must buy back from the Lord every firstborn of your sons.

New English Translation
Every firstling of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, then you must break its neck. Every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

Amplified Bible
"Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem by [substituting] a lamb [as a sacrifice for it], but if you do not [wish to] redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn among your sons you shall redeem [that is, 'buy back' from God with a suitable sacrifice].

New American Standard Bible
"But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn among your sons you shall redeem.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But euery first foale of an asse, thou shalt redeeme with a lambe: and if thou redeeme him not, then thou shalt breake his necke: likewise all the first borne of man among thy sonnes shalt thou bye out.

Legacy Standard Bible
But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

Contemporary English Version
You can save the life of a first-born donkey by sacrificing a lamb; if you don't, you must break the donkey's neck. You must save every first-born son.

Darby Translation
And every firstling of an ass shalt thou ransom with a lamb; and if thou do not ransom it, thou shalt break its neck; and every firstborn of a man among thy sons shalt thou ransom.

Easy-to-Read Version
Every firstborn donkey can be bought back. You can offer a lamb and keep the donkey. If you don't want to buy back the donkey like this, then you must break its neck to kill it. But every firstborn baby boy must be bought back from the Lord.

English Standard Version
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

George Lamsa Translation
And every firstling male of the cattle you shall redeem with a lamb; but if you do not wish to redeem it, then you must kill it: and every first-born of men among your sons you shall redeem.

Good News Translation
but you must buy back from him every first-born male donkey by offering a lamb in its place. If you do not want to buy back the donkey, break its neck. You must buy back every first-born male child of yours.

Christian Standard Bible®
You must redeem every firstborn of a donkey with a flock animal, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. However, you must redeem every firstborn among your sons.

Literal Translation
And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a flock animal. And if you do not redeem, you shall break its neck. And every first-born of men among your sons you shall redeem.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The firstborne of the Asse shalt thou bye out with a shepe: but yf thou redeme it not, then breake his neck. All the firstborne of men amonge thy children shalt thou redeme.

American Standard Version
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

Bible in Basic English
And for the young of an ass you may give a lamb in payment, or if you will not make payment for it, its neck is to be broken; but for all the first sons among your children, let payment be made.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And euery firstlyng of an asse, thou shalt redeeme with a lambe: yf thou redeeme hym not, thou shalt breake his necke: All the first borne amongst thy chyldren also shalt thou bye out.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck; and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

King James Version (1611)
And euery firstling of an asse thou shalt redeeme with a lambe: and if thou wilt not redeeme it, then thou shalt breake his necke, and all the first borne of man amongst thy children shalt thou redeeme.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Every offspring opening the womb of the ass thou shalt change for a sheep; and if thou wilt not change it, thou shalt redeem it: every first-born of man of thy sons shalt thou redeem.

English Revised Version
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.

Berean Standard Bible
You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou schalt chaunge the firste gendrid of an asse for a scheep, that if thou ayen biest not, thou schalt sle; forsothe thou schalt ayen bie with prijs al the firste gendrid of man of thi sones.

Young's Literal Translation
`And every firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb, and if thou dost not ransom [it], then thou hast beheaded it: and every first-born of man among thy sons thou dost ransom.

Update Bible Version
And every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck: and all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.

Webster's Bible Translation
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the first-born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

World English Bible
Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.

New King James Version
But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

New Living Translation
A firstborn donkey may be bought back from the Lord by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son.

New Life Bible
But you may buy every first-born donkey by giving a lamb for it. But if you do not buy it, then you must break its neck. You must buy with a gift of money every first-born male among your sons.

New Revised Standard
But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But every firstling of an ass, shalt thou redeem with a lamb or if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck, - but every firstborn of men among thy sons, shalt thou redeem.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men thou shalt redeem with a price.

Revised Standard Version
Every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ When Adonai brings you into the land of the Kena‘ani, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, ¹² you are to set apart for Adonai everything that is first from the womb. Every firstborn male animal will belong to Adonai . ¹³ Every firstborn from a donkey, you are to redeem with a lamb; but if you choose not to redeem it, you must break its neck. But from people, you are to redeem every firstborn son. ¹⁴ (Maftir) When, at some future time, your son asks you, ‘What is this?' then say to him, ‘With a strong hand Adonai brought us out of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh was unwilling to let us go, Adonai killed all the firstborn males in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of humans and the firstborn of animals. This is why I sacrifice to Adonai any male that is first from the womb of an animal, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' ¹⁶ This will serve as a sign on your hand and at the front of a headband around your forehead that with a strong hand Adonai brought us out of Egypt." Haftarah Bo: Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 46:13–28 B'rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Bo: Luke 2:22–24; Yochanan (John) 19:31–37; Acts 13:16 –17; Revelation 8:6–9:12; 16:1–21 After Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them to the highway that goes through the land of the P'lishtim, because it was close by — God thought that the people, upon seeing war, might change their minds and return to Egypt. Rather, God led the people by a roundabout route, through the desert by the Sea of Suf. The people of Isra'el went up from the land of Egypt fully armed. Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him, for Yosef had made the people of Isra'el swear an oath when he said, "God will certainly remember you; and you are to carry my bones up with you, away from here." They traveled from Sukkot and set up camp in Etam, at the edge of the desert. Adonai went ahead of them in a column of cloud during the daytime to lead them on their way, and at night in a column of fire to give them light; thus they could travel both by day and by night. Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire at night went away from in front of the people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of an ass: Exodus 34:20, Numbers 18:15-17

lamb: or, kid, Exodus 12:3, Exodus 12:21

shalt thou: Numbers 3:46-51, Numbers 18:15, Numbers 18:16, Revelation 14:4

Reciprocal: Leviticus 27:26 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 6:11
The earth was corrupt before God, the earth was filled with violence.

Genesis 10:9
He was a mighty hunter before Adonai — this is why people say, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Adonai ."

Genesis 13:4
where he had first built the altar; and there Avram called on the name of Adonai .

Genesis 13:6
But the land could not support their living together, because their possessions were too great for them to remain together.

Genesis 13:8
Avram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we're kinsmen.

Genesis 13:9
Isn't the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me — if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left."

Genesis 13:11
So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other.

Genesis 15:16
Only in the fourth generation will your descendants come back here, because only then will the Emori be ripe for punishment."

Genesis 18:20
Adonai said, "The outcry against S'dom and ‘Amora is so great and their sin so serious

Genesis 38:7
But ‘Er, Y'hudah's firstborn, was evil from Adonai 's perspective, so Adonai killed him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb,.... Which was given to the priest for it; and according to the Jewish canon f, it might be redeemed with that only;

"not with a calf, nor with an animal (a goat or a ram, as Bartenora interprets it), nor with a lamb slain, or torn to pieces.''

Jarchi thinks the ass only was to be redeemed, and not the firstling of any other unclean creature, but his reasons are insufficient; all unclean creatures, as horses, camels, dogs, swine, c. are included in it, as should seem from Numbers 18:15 and this is the rather particularly mentioned, because there was a greater plenty of them than of horses and camels, and because they were very useful creatures and if these were to be redeemed, then much more those of less value, and less useful. Hence might arise the story and calumny, as some have thought, of the Jews worshipping an ass's head:

and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shall break its neck; cut off its head on the back of the neck with a knife or cleaver, such as butchers use, as the Misnah g, and its commentators, interpret it, so that the owner should have no profit by it:

and all the firstborn of man amongst thy children shall thou redeem; with the price of five shekels of the sanctuary, and within thirty days of the birth of it, Numbers 18:16 and these being to be redeemed as the unclean beasts were, shows that men are by nature unclean, and even the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, the elect of God, and need redemption by the blood of the Lamb.

f Misn. Becorot, sect. 1. sect. 5. g lbid. sect. 7. Maimon & Bartenora in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An ass - The ass could not be offered in sacrifice, being an unclean animal: possibly the only unclean animal domesticated among the Israelites at the time of the Exodus. This principle was extended to every unclean beast; see Numbers 18:15.

Thou shalt redeem - The lamb, or sheep, was given to the priest for the service of the sanctuary.

Firstborn of man - The price of redemption was fixed at five shekels of the sanctuary: Numbers 3:47, where see the note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 13:13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb — Or a kid, as in the margin. In Numbers 18:15, it is said: "The first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem; and the firstling of an unclean beast shalt thou redeem." Hence we may infer that ass is put here for any unclean beast, or for unclean beasts in general. The lamb was to be given to the Lord, that is, to his priest, Numbers 18:8; Numbers 18:15. And then the owner of the ass might use it for his own service, which without this redemption he could not do; see Deuteronomy 15:19.

The first-born of man - shalt thou redeem. — This was done by giving to the priests five standard shekels, or shekels of the sanctuary, every shekel weighing twenty gerahs. What the gerah was, Genesis 20:16. And for the shekel, Genesis 20:16.

It may be necessary to observe here that the Hebrew doctors teach, that if a father had neglected or refused thus to redeem his first-born, the son himself was obliged to do it when he came of age. As this redeeming of the first-born was instituted in consequence of sparing the first-born of the Israelites, when the first-born both of man and beast among the Egyptians was destroyed, on this ground all the first-born were the Lord's, and should have been employed in his service; but he permitted the first-born of a useful unclean animal to be redeemed by a clean animal of much less value. And he chose the tribe of Levi in place of all the first-born of the tribes in general; and the five shekels were ordered to be paid in lieu of such first-born sons as were liable to serve in the sanctuary, and the money was applied to the support of the priests and Levites. See this subject at large in Numbers 3:12-13; Numbers 3:41; Numbers 3:43; Numbers 3:45; Numbers 3:47-51.