The Meaning of Exodus 13:2 Explained

Exodus 13:2

KJV: Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, 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.'

Darby: Hallow unto me every firstborn, whatever breaketh open the womb among the children of Israel, of man and of cattle: it is mine.

ASV: Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Sanctify  unto me all the firstborn,  whatsoever openeth  the womb  among the children  of Israel,  [both] of man  and of beast:  it [is] mine. 

What does Exodus 13:2 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 13:2 mean?

Consecrate to Me all the firstborn opens whatever the womb among the sons of Israel [both] of man and beast is Mine it
קַדֶּשׁ־ לִ֨י כָל־ בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־ רֶ֙חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא

קַדֶּשׁ־  Consecrate 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
לִ֨י  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בְּכ֜וֹר  the  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
פֶּ֤טֶר  opens 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּטֶר 
Sense: firstborn, firstling, that which separates or first opens.
כָּל־  whatever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
רֶ֙חֶם֙  the  womb 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶחֶם  
Sense: womb.
בִּבְנֵ֣י  among  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בָּאָדָ֖ם  [both]  of  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה  and  beast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
לִ֖י  is  Mine 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular