Exodus 13 · Verse 2

Exodus 13:2

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, King James Version

Exodus 13:2 in other translations

BSB“Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”
WEB“Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”
ASVSanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
YLT‘Sanctify to Me every first-born, opening any womb among the sons of Israel, among man and among beast; it is Mine.'
DARBYHallow unto me every firstborn, whatever breaketh open the womb among the children of Israel, of man and of cattle: it is mine.
BBELet the first male child of every mother among the children of Israel be kept holy for me, even the first male birth among man or beast; for it is mine.
WebsterSanctify to me all the first-born, whatever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

What does Exodus 13:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Ex 13:1, 2. The First-born Sanctified. 2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born--To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a sacred use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their first-born preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare He 12:23).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Sanctify unto me all the first-born - To sanctify, קדש kadash, signifies to consecrate, separate, and set apart a thing or person from all secular purposes to some religious use; and exactly answers to the import of the Greek ἁγιαζω, from a, privative, and γη, the earth, because every thing offered or consecrated to God was separated from all earthly uses. Hence a holy person or saint is termed ἁγιος, i.e., a person separated from the earth; one who lives a holy life, entirely devoted to the service of God. Thus the persons and animals sanctified to God were employed in the service of the tabernacle and temple; and the animals, such as were proper, were offered in sacrifice. The Hindoos frequently make a vow, and devote to an idol the first-born of a goat and of a man. The goat is permitted to run wild, as a consecrated animal. A child thus devoted has a lock of hair separated, which at the time appointed is cut off and placed near the idol. Hindoo women sometimes pray to Gunga (the Ganges) for children, and promise to devote the first-born to her. Children thus devoted are cast into the Ganges, but are generally saved by the friendly hand of some stranger - Ward's Customs. Whatsoever openeth the womb - That is, the first-born, if a male; for females were not offered, nor the first male, if a female had been born previously. Again, if a man had several wives, the first-born of each, if a male, was to be offered to God. And all this was done to commemorate the preservation of the first-born of the Israelites, when those of the Egyptians were destroyed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 13:1-10

Chapter Outline The first-born sanctified to God, The remembrance of the passover commanded. (1-10) The firstlings of beasts set apart. (11-16) Joseph's bones carried with the Israelites, They come to Etham. (17-20) God guideth the Israelites by a pillar of cloud fire. (21-22) Verses 1-10 In remembrance of the destruction of the first-born of Egypt, both of man and of beast, and the deliverance of the Israelites out…

Read the full comment on Exodus 13:1-10 →

Exodus 13:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

קַדֶּשׁ\־ka.desh-consecrateH6942
לִ֨יlito me
כָל\־khol-everyH3605
בְּכ֜וֹרbe.KhorfirstbornH1060
פֶּ֤טֶרPe.ter[the] firstborn ofH6363
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
רֶ֙חֶם֙re.chemwombH7358
בִּבְנֵ֣יbiv.Neiamong [the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
בָּאָדָ֖םba.'a.Damamong <the> humankindH120
וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑הu.va.be.he.Mahand among the livestockH929
לִ֖יli[belongs] to me
הֽוּא\׃Hu'itH1931

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 13:2

  • Luke 2:23

    (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

  • Numbers 3:13

    Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.

  • Deuteronomy 15:19

    All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

  • Exodus 22:29-30

    Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

  • Numbers 8:16-17

    For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

  • Numbers 18:15

    Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

  • Exodus 13:12-15

    That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s. 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. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

  • Exodus 34:19-20

    All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

  • Leviticus 27:26

    Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the Lord’s firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the Lord’s.

  • Exodus 4:22

    And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

  • Exodus 23:19

    The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.

  • Hebrews 12:23

    To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Sanctify.The word {kadash} is to consecrate, separate, and set apart a person or thing from all common or secular purposes to some religious use; and exactly answers to the Greek [hagiazo,] from [a,] privative, and [gé,] the earth; because everything offered or consecrated to God was separated from all earthly uses.
12-15; 4:22; 22:29,30; 23:19; 34:19,20; Le 27:26; Nu 3:13; 8:16,17
Nu 18:15; De 15:19; Lu 2:23; Heb 12:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 13:1

    And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

  • Exodus 13:2

    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 13:3

    And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

Read all of Exodus 13

Exodus 13:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Santifícame todo primogénito, cualquiera que abre matriz entre los hijos de Israel, así de los hombres como de los animales: mío es.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Sanctifie-moi tout premier-né, tout ce qui ouvre la matrice parmi les fils d’Israël, tant des hommes que des bêtes; il est à moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Heilige mir alles Erstgeborene, was irgend die Mutter bricht unter den Kindern Israel, an Menschen und an Vieh; es ist mein. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sanctifica mihi omne primogenitum quod aperit vulvam in filiis Israël, tam de hominibus quam de jumentis: mea sunt enim omnia.