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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 13:11-16

Here we have, I. Further directions concerning the dedicating of their firstborn to God. 1. The firstlings of their cattle were to be dedicated to God, as part of their possessions. Those of clean beasts?calves, lambs, and kids?if males, were to be sacrificed, Exod. 22:30; Num. 18:17, 18. Those of unclean beasts, as colts, were to be redeemed with a lamb, or knocked on the head. For whatsoever is unclean (as we all are by nature), if it be not redeemed, will be destroyed, Exod. 13:11, 13. 2.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 13:13

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 F6 Misn. Becorot, sect. 1. sect. 5. , 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:1-16

The Dedication and Redemption of the First-born. In commemoration of the great mercy whereby their first-born sons were spared, when all those of the Egyptians were slain, God required the Israelites to do two things:— I. THAT CHRISTIAN PARENTS ARE REQUIRED TO DEDICATE , NOT THEIR FIRST - BORN SONS ONLY , BUT ALL THEIR CHILDREN , TO GOD IN BAPTISM . All have deserved death. All have been in danger of it. All have been spared by the mercy of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:1-17

The sanctification of the first-born. This command has its basis in the fact that on the night when God executed his tremendous judgment against Egypt, the first-born of Israel was spared. Because this great mercy had been shown to Israel, the first-born of man and beast were ever afterwards to be reckoned as specially belonging to Jehovah. The first-born of the generation then living was his by direct purchase; all later first-borns were to be his by grateful dedication. It was required,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:3-16

The rightful use of Church ordinances. Church ordinances are The benefits derivable from them depend mainly upon their rightful use. We learn from the instructions hero given to the Israelites by Moses, that their rightful use consists especially— I. IN THE REGULAR KEEPING OF THEM . "Thou shalt keep this ordinance in his season from year to year." Spasmodic observance, enthusiastic and frequent at one time, perfunctory and infrequent at another, ten times this year, once... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:3-16

How to declare God's salvation. I. BY THE REMEMBRANCE OF HIS MERCIES . 1 . "Remember this day in which ye came out from Egypt." 2 . The celebration of the Passover awoke inquiry among those who had not witnessed God's deeds ( Exodus 13:8 ).—True gratitude, heartfelt thanksgiving, will make the reality of God's love to be felt by those who have not known him. II. BY THE DOING OF HIS WILL . The Israelites, in sacrificing or redeeming the first-born,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:13

Every firstling of an ass . The ass was the sole beast of burthen taken by the Israelites out of Egypt. (See Exodus 20:17 .) Neither the horse nor the camel was among their possessions in the wilderness. This is agreeable to the Egyptian monuments, by which the camel appears to have been rare in Egypt at this time, and the horse as yet mainly used for war and by the nobles in their chariots. With a lamb . A lamb or a kid. The word used is the generic one. (See the comment on Exodus... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 13:13

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. read more

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