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"Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel solemnly swear, saying, 'God will surely attend to you, and you shall carry my bones away from here with you.'"
- Exodus 13: 19, Modern English Version, see link below.
Review of the situation.
The firstborn of Egypt, from farm animals to humans, may still be lying where they fell dead the previous night. Israel has not, as yet, left Egyptian territory. They are 'going', at least they're getting ready to start walking, but they haven't vacated the premises just yet. And, as this chapter starts, Moses is going to make another speech.
1 - 2
And Spoke YHWH to Moses saying.
"qadash" (sanctify / consecrate / set apart) "kol" (all / every) "bekor" (firstborn), "peter" (first opening) the "rechem" (womb) among the sons of Israel, "adam" (man) or "behemah" (animal / cattle) Mine it is.
3 - 9 Extended Summary:
And said Moses to the people....
"zakar" (remember / mention / 'call to mind') this day in which you went out....
Everything in this section has been said at least once before, most of which was covered IN DEPTH in chapter 12. Including that it was the power of God that brought them out (see chapter 7). Don't eat leavened bread during the memorial meal (12:8). This is now the first month of your calendar (12:2). You're going to the land of the Canaanite and 'friends', with milk and honey(chapter 3), that was promised, that you will keep in this month with this "abodah" (service / worship) this month (12:16). Seven days of unleavened bread, then the feast (12:18). Don't keep any leavening in your house (12:19). Tell your kids, and it will be a sign and memorial to you (12:14), and so on....
"maan" (in order) "hayah" (to may / become) "Torah" (Law) of YHWH in your "peh" (mouth) ....
10
"shamar" (keep / observe / guard / etc) this "chuqqah" (statute / law / decree / etc) in its "moed" (appointed time) from "yom" (today / day) to "yom" (days (the repetition implies 'in perpetuity' / forever)).
We don't know if Moses made this speech as they were walking out of Goshen, or later, or at all. This is more information for the coming generations of the people.... and us.
... and it continues as such:
11 - 13 Summary:
And it shall be when YHWH brings you into the land of the Canannite...
... set apart to YHWH the firstborn....
... the firstborn males of livestock, if you don't "padah" (redeem...) the firstborn donkey with a lamb, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
Time Out!
"What? Break the baby donkey's neck?"
That's what it says. Now exactly how this "padah" (ransom / 'to redeem' / release) is to be accomplished is not here specified. One has to think that it is through the process of the sacrifice which was to slaughter the animal and then burn it on the altar.
Now, why would it specify a donkey? Well, there's some deep symbolism there that begins with Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, and ends up in the Minor Prophets with Zechariah's mentioning it in 9 : 9 and following, which then shows up in spectacular fashion in the Gospels. First on the trip to Bethlehem, then to Egypt, then when HE rides into Jerusalem. But that's getting us way ahead of ourselves.
Donkeys were the beast of burden of the common people. In Egypt you had oxen for plowing, camels for taking loads over the desert in caravan, horses pulled chariots into war, but if a peasant had a load to take to market, it was carried by a donkey.
Except that "once upon a time", perhaps a thousand years before the Exodus, donkeys had a special status in Egypt, to the point of being buried with an early king in Abydos. See link below. Which explains why a later King would have any interest in the animal.
"time in"
14 - 15 Summary:
This section continues the statements about what they should say when 'their son' asks them about why they do.... whatever. And refers directly to the Exodus from Egypt. And it goes on to say that all firstborn of His sons are to be 'redeemed / ransomed' to the Lord.
Again, it could be read that it is only the males that belong to God, but it could also be that ALL First Born are His. And that this point perhaps we should be reminded of something else that is His, see Ezekiel 18: 4.
16
It shall be a "oth" (sign / token / mark) on your "yad" (hand) and your "totaphoth" (front / frontals / phylacteries (the word means 'to bind around')) "bayin" (between / among)) "ayin" (eyes) - for by "chozeq" (strength / might / power) of "yad" (hand) "yatsa" (came out / bring forth / depart) us YHWH out of Egypt.
The phylactery (tefillin) is a small case (usually made of 'kosher' leather, although wooden ones can be seen) that are attached to the forehead and the inside of left (usually) upper arm of Orthodox, and usually very traditional / conservative, Jewish men. As you can see at the links below, the boxes contain paper strips with four specific verses of Scripture, hand written. And ALL of it, including the ink, the length of the straps, how they are tied, and all the rest of it is prescribed by long tradition.
17 - 18 Travel Summary:
They didn't take the direct route between Egypt and Canaan along the Mediterranean coast, which, according to the text, was the land of the Philistines. Because God didn't want the people to be discouraged when they ended up in a war.
At least not yet.
So they turned south and headed down toward the Red Sea... in "chamushim" ('in battle array' (the term implies an orderly group, such as an army)).
19 Summary:
And "laqach" (took / bring / acquire) Moses the "etsem" (bones / essence) of "yoseph" (Joseph) ....
The oath being restated here is from the end of Genesis 50. Now, just how that was remembered for four centuries, and somebody kept track of where 'Ol Joe had been buried in his "coffin in Egypt", and then stop on their way out of town and dig him up and carry him out.
By tradition, the ones that relocated the patriarch should have been the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim, the two sons of Jacob, who founded two of the twelve tribes. Instead the text says it was Moses, who was a Levite, picked him up from wherever he had been spending the last four centuries, and moved him out.
20 Summary:
They "nasa / nasah" (travel / journey / set out) from Succoth (in eastern the Nile Delta) and camped in Etham (exact location unknown, but probably near the Bitter Lakes south of the Delta and Goshen) 'at the edge of the wilderness'.
While we do not know where this camp was, it is important later as if they were just east of the lakes, and journeyed south, they would have been on the Sinai side of the Gulf of Suez, but still in Egypt. And which we'll look at further when we cross the sea.
21
And YHWH "halak" (proceeded / moved) "panim" (before) them "yomam" (daytime / in day) "ammud" (column / pillar / post) of "anan" (cloud), "nachah" (to lead / guide / direct) them, and by "layil" (night) a "ammud" (column...) "esh" (flame / fire) to "or" (shine / 'give light') for them, to "halak" (proceed) day and night.
These are the two symbols of the Presence of God. In Exodus 24, which we will get to, when God is on the mountain with Moses, and then Isaiah sees the temple filled with smoke, and in Revelation 15 and 16, the temple in heaven is filled with smoke. And in Exodus 19 God appeared on the mountain as fire, and then in Hebrews 12 : 29, we are told that directly.
22
"lo" (not) He "mush" (move / depart / remove) the pillar of cloud by day or of fire by night, from "panim" (front / before / face) of the "am" (people).
End Chapter 13
Selected Resources:
All links will open in a new tab/window, all were working as of original date of posting:
Interlinear English / Hebrew: Chapter 13 https://biblehub.com/interlinear/exodus/13.htm
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Exodus-Chapter-13/
The Modern English Version https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2013&version=MEV
"Wild ass tamed, buried with Egyptian king
One of the earliest Egyptian kings carried his 'beasts of burden' into the afterlife. Paleoscientists discovered the skeletons of 10 donkeys nestled in three mud graves dating back 5,000 years ago when Egypt was just forming a state...."
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna23564736
An in depth discussion of Phylacteries ("tefillin"). https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12125-phylacteries
More at:
"The phylacteries contain four sections of the Torah: 'Sanctify to Me...', 'When Ha-Shem brings you...', 'Hear, O Israel...', and 'If you listen...'" https://torah.org/learning/halacha-overview-chapter8/
NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.
http://centralparkchurchofchrist.org
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