King James Version

Exodus 13:15

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

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Hebrew

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וַיְהִ֗יvayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…הִקְשָׁ֣הhiqshahbe cruelקָשָׁהverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be cruel”, a completed actionH7185properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications)be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, (labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, (-necked)).פַרְעֹה֮faroPharaohפַּרְעֹהnoun, proper name — “Pharaoh”H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kingsPharaoh.לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒leshalchenvto sendשָׁלַחpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “to send”, the to-form of the verbH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…וַיַּהֲרֹ֨גvayaharogand destroyהָרַגconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and destroy”, the next action in the storyH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.יְהֹוָ֤הyehovahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).בְּכוֹר֙bekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “firstborn”, the ordinary formH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).בְּאֶ֣רֶץbeeretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מִצְרַ֔יִםmitsrayimEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.מִבְּכֹ֥רmibkhorfrom firstbornבְּכוֹרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).אָדָ֖םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.וְעַדveadand evenעַדconjunction, preposition — “and even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.בְּכ֣וֹרbekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).בְּהֵמָ֑הbehemahbeastבְּהֵמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “beast”, the ordinary formH929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)beast, cattle.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…כֵּן֩kenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…אֲנִ֨יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.זֹבֵ֜חַzovechasacrificeזָבַחverb, qal, participle, absolute — “sacrifice”, a verb used as a describing wordH2076to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.לַֽיהוָ֗הlayhvahto Jehovahיְהֹוָהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).פֶּ֤טֶרpeterfirstlingפֶּטֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstling”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6363a fissure, i.e. (concretely) firstling (as opening the matrix)firstling, openeth, such as open.רֶ֨חֶם֙rechemwombרֶחֶםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “womb”, the ordinary formH7358the wombmatrix, womb.הַזְּכָרִ֔יםhazkharimthe maleזָכָרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the male”, the ordinary formH2145properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)[idiom] him, male, man(child, -kind).וְכָלvekhaland allכֹּלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).בְּכ֥וֹרbekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).בָּנַ֖יbanaysonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […אֶפְדֶּֽהefdehransomפָּדָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “ransom”, an unfinished actionH6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve[idiom] at all, deliver, [idiom] by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, [idiom] surely.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Jehovah slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.

Young’s Literal Translation

yea, it cometh to pass, when Pharaoh hath been pained to send us away, that Jehovah doth slay every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of man even unto the first-born of beast; therefore I am sacrificing to Jehovah all opening a womb who [are] males, and every first-born of my sons I ransom;

World English Bible

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

Darby Translation

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, that Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of men and the firstborn of cattle: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that breaketh open the womb — being males; and every firstborn of my children I ransom.

Douay-Rheims

For when Pharao was hardened, and would not let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And when Pharao hardened his heart so as not to send us away, he slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and the first-born of beast; therefore do I sacrifice every offspring that opens the womb, the males to the Lord, and every first-born of my sons I will redeem.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἡνίκα δὲ ἐσκλήρυνε Φαραὼ ἐξαποστεῖλαι ἡμᾶς, ἀπέκτεινε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκων ἀνθρώπων ἕως πρωτοτόκων κτηνῶν· διὰ τοῦτο ἐγὼ θύω πᾶν διανοῖγον μήτραν, τὰ ἀρσενικὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ πᾶν πρωτότοκον τῶν υἱῶν μου λυτρώσομαι.