Exodus 12:37-13:22
Dear RTB’ers,
Today, Israel’s departure from Egypt and instructions for celebrating the Passover and for setting aside the firstborn. As far as I know, our reading yesterday and today are the only Biblical instructions for how the Israelites were to celebrate the Passover. By contrast, the setting aside of the firstborn males is a topic covered extensively in Leviticus, where the Lord “takes” the entire tribe of Levi for Himself in place of the firstborn Hebrew males.
Israel’s departure, 600,000 men – possibly 2.5 million people total, including that “mixed multitude” (Ex. 12:37-38) that might have included a number of Egyptians who had come to fear the Lord. A few important verses concerning their departure: When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. … And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. (Ex. 13:17-18a, 21) Here we see God’s protection of His people. The direct route to the Promised Land would have been to go east along the Mediterranean coast. Instead God sent them south (more on that tomorrow), guiding them by those twin pillars, a cloud by day and fire by night.
One interesting little tidbit: Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb… (Ex. 13:13a) Pack animals were important for the Israelites to carry their belongings, so donkey firstborn sacrifices were replaced by lambs. Carol and I saw firsthand how important donkeys are even today when we were in Morocco and in the Balkans – donkeys were loaded down with heavy burdens, often with their owner riding atop! Interesting!
Blessings!