The Meaning of Exodus 13:10 Explained

Exodus 13:10

KJV: Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

YLT: and thou hast kept this statute at its appointed season from days to days.

Darby: And thou shalt keep this ordinance at its set time from year to year.

ASV: Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt therefore keep  this ordinance  in his season  from year  to year. 

What does Exodus 13:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 13:1-16 - The First-Born Set Apart Unto Jehovah
Two Hebrew customs dated from the Exodus-first, the dedication of the first-born to God's service, and second, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. See Luke 22:7. The first-born had been especially redeemed and so were especially God's. On them all was branded the one brief word Mine. What a lesson for us all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. We are His by right of purchase; we ought to be His by our own choice and indwelt by His Spirit. Whenever we take up this position with regard to God, we may count on His strong hand. In after years the first-born sons, who performed the priestly rites, were replaced by Levites, Numbers 3:11-13; but still they were ransomed by a slain lamb. Every first-born son lived because a lamb died. In this he stood on the same level as the firstling of an ass. What a parable is here! See Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 13

1  The firstborn are sanctified to God
3  The memorial of the Passover is commanded
11  The firstborn of man and beast are set apart
17  The Israelites go out of Egypt, and carry Joseph's bones with them
20  They come to Etham
21  God guides them by a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire

What do the individual words in Exodus 13:10 mean?

Therefore You shall keep - ordinance this in its season from year to year -
וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־ הַחֻקָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְמוֹעֲדָ֑הּ מִיָּמִ֖ים יָמִֽימָה ס

וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֛  Therefore  You  shall  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֻקָּ֥ה  ordinance 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
הַזֹּ֖את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְמוֹעֲדָ֑הּ  in  its  season 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
מִיָּמִ֖ים  from  year 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
יָמִֽימָה  to  year 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural, third person feminine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation