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Please read the Introductory Notes to this commentary.

WARNING: The text used for my commentary is my own paraphrase and must not be
considered “a translation” or authorative in any way. It is, in fact, simply my commentary.
Maps, when used, are from BibleAtlas.org. Created using BibleMapper 3.0.
Additional data from OpenBible.info. Source of Dates Used

שְׁמוֹת֙ • Sh'mot
(“Names”)
The Second Book of Moses,
Commonly Called
Exodus

Exodus: Introduction • Videos
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20 
21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40 
Ten Plagues for Ten False “Gods”
Parashot: Index  13. Sh'mot  14. Va'era  15. Bo  16. Beshalach  17.Yitro
  18. Mishpatim  19. Terumah  20. Tetzaveh  21. Ki Tisa  22. Vayek'hel  23. Pekudei
 

Parashah[GN] 15: Bo (continued)
“Go,” Exod. 10:1-13:16
(Small Roman numerals in the text indicate each 'aliyah.)[GN]

~ 13 ~

6. The Exodus from Egypt (12:31-13:22) [ca. 1446 BCE]

c. The Dedication of the Firstborn (13:1-16)

[Egypt • 15 Apr 1462 BCE]

(vii) 1 Then Y^ehovah said to Moshe, 2 “Set aside for Me all the firstborn, whatever first opens the womb among the Isra'elites, both of humans and of animals, belongs to Me.”

3 Moshe said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Y^ehovah brought you out from this place. No hametz[GN] is to be eaten. 4 Today, in the month of Aviv,[4] you are leaving. 5 When Y^ehovah brings you into the land of the Kena‘aniCanaanite, the AmoriteEmori, the HittiHittite, the HiviHivite, and the Y’vusiJebusite, which He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you are to observe this ceremony[5] in this month. 6 For seven days you are to eat matzah,[GN] and on the seventh day shall be a feast to Y^ehovah. 7 Matzah is to be eaten during those seven days; neither hametz nor leavening agents are to be seen with you throughout your territory. 8 On that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what Y^ehovah did for me when I came out of Egypt.’[8] 9 It shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Y^ehovah’s Torah may be in your mouth; for with a mighty hand Y^ehovah has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You are therefore to observe this ordinance at its appointed time[10] from year to year.

11 “In the future, after Y^ehovah brings you into the land of the Kena‘ani and gives it you, as He swore to you and to your fathers, 12 you are to set apart to Y^ehovah everything that is first from the womb; every firstborn male animal you have shall belong to Y^ehovah. 13 Every firstborn from a donkey you are to redeem with a lamb; if you choose not to redeem it, then you must break its neck. But from among the people, you must redeem every firstborn son.

[TO PARASHAH TOP]
 

(Maftir) 14 “In the future when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘By His mighty hand Y^ehovah brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Y^ehovah killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and of animal. This is why I sacrifice every firstborn male to Y^ehovah; but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’ 16 Let it serve as a sign on your hand as a symbol[16] on your forehead that with a mighty hand Y^ehovah brought us out of Egypt.”

[CONTINUE READING CHAPTER 13]

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Now that you’ve read Bo,
watch Rabbi Greg Hershberg’s teaching

 

[TO PARASHAH TOP]
 

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Haftarah

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Haftarah Bo is Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 46:13–28
Listen to it read from the Complete Jewish Bible

13 This word Y^ehovah spoke to Yirmeyahu the prophet about how King N’vukhadretzar of Bavel would come and attack the land of Egypt:

14 “Declare in Egypt, announce in Migdol,

and announce in NofMemphis and in TachpanchesTahpanhes;

say, ‘Stand up! Get ready!

For the sword is destroying around you.’

15 Why are your strong ones overthrown?

They failed to stand because Y^ehovah pushed them down.

16 He caused many to stumble.

Yes, they fell over each other.

They said, ‘Get up! Let’s return to our own people,

to the land of our birth,

away from the sword that destroys.’

17 They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise;

he has let the right time [for action] slip away.’

18 “As surely as I live,” says the King,

whose name is Y^ehovah-Tzva’ot,

will come one like Tabor among the mountains,

and like KarmelCarmel by the sea.

19 You daughter who lives in Egypt,

prepare what you need for exile;

for Nof will become a ruin,

laid waste, without inhabitant.

20 “Egypt is a very beautiful heifer;

but a horsefly has come from the north to attack her.

21 Her mercenaries, too, that she had with her

are like well-fed calves in the stable;

but they also have withdrawn in retreat;

they all fled without standing their ground.

For the day of their disaster has come iver them,

the time of their punishment.

22 Egypt hisses like a serpent,

as the enemy marches ahead,

attacking her with their axes

like lumberjacks chopping trees.

23 They will cut down her forest,” says Y^ehovah,

“for they cannot be numbered;

because they are more numerous than the locusts,

and are innumerable.

24 The daughter of Egypt will be disgraced,

delivered over into the hand of the people from the north.”

25 Y^ehovah-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra'el, says: “Hinneh,^[GN] I will punish Amon, god of NoThebes, along with Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of King N’vukhadretzar of Bavel, and into the hand of his servants. But after this, [Egypt] will be inhabited again as in ancient days,” says Y^ehovah.

27 “But don’t you be afraid, Ya'akov my servant.

Don’t be distressed, Isra'el;

for, Hinneh, I will save you from far away places,

and your offspring from the lands where they are held captive.

Ya'akov will return and will be at peace,

quiet, with no one to make him afraid.

28 Don’t be afraid, Ya'akov My servant,”

declares Y^ehovah,

“for I am with you.

I will bring total distruction on all the nations to which I have banished you,

but I will not totally destroy you,

but I will discipline you, but with justice;

I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

[TO PARASHAH TOP]
 

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Ketuvei HaShalichim (Apostolic Writings)

 

Luke 2:22–24; Yochanan (John) 19:31–37

Luke

2 22When the forty days of her purification were completed according to the Torah of Moshe, they took Him up to YerushalayimJerusalem, to present Him to Y^ehovah 23(as it is written in the Torah of Y^ehovah, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to Y^ehovah”), 24and to offer the sacrifice required by the Torah of Y^ehovah, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

Yochanan

19 31It was the Preparation Day and the next day was a High Sabbath. So that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the stauros during the Sabbath, the Judeans asked Pilate to have their legs broken and the bodies removed. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who had been crucified with Him. 33But when they came to Yeshua and saw that He was already dead, they didn’t break His legs. 34However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

35The one who witnessed this has testified so that also you may believe. His testimony is true and he knows that he is telling the truth. 36All these things happened so that the Scripture would fulfilled: “Not one of His bones is to be broken.” 37Again another Scripture says, “They will look at the One Whom they pierced.”

[TO PARASHAH TOP]
 

Kepherim (Letters, optional)

Acts 13:16-17

13 16Sha'ul stood up, beckoned with his hand, and said, “Men of Yisra'el, and you God-fearers[GN], hinneh.[GN] 17The God of the people of YIsra'el chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, He led them out from it.

Revelation 8:6-9:12; 16:1-21

8 6The seven angels who had the seven shofars prepared themselves to sound.

7The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

8The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 9and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.

10The third angel sounded, and a great star] fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

12The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of them would be darkened; and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way. 13I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the other blasts of the shofarim of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”

9 1The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 2He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 3Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads. 5They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person. 6In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Could this be the “locust” that Yochanan saw?

7The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces. 8They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses rushing to war. 10They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon,” but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon.”

12The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

16 1 I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!”

2 The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You have judged these things. 6 For they poured out the blood of holy ones and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.”

7 I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

8 The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give Him glory.

10 The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They still didn’t repent of their works.

12 The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the east. 13 I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty.

15 “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.” 16 He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, “Har Megiddo.” [MAP]

17 The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is finished!” 18 There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not happened since there were men on the earth—so great an earthquake and so mighty. 19 The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, [A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds.] came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague was exceedingly severe.

 

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The Blessing After the Ketuvei HaShalichim Click here to listen to this canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur.
Ba-rookh ah-tah, Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo, meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-sher na-tahn la-noo Ha-d'var Ha-eh-met v'cha-yaye oh-lahm na-ta b'toe-chey-noo. Ba-rooch ah-ta Adonai, no-tain Ha-breet Ha-cha-da-sha. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has given us the Word of Truth and has planted life everlasting in our midst. Blessed are you O Lord, Giver of the New Covenant.

The Blessing of the Messiah Click here to listen to this canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur.
Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo, meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-sher na-tahn la-noo ha-deh-rech l'y'shoo-ah b'ma-she-ahch Yeshua. Ah-mein. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has given us the way to salvation in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.

[TO PARASHAH TOP]
 

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Listen to B’shallach read from the CJB

d. The Bones of Joseph (13:17-19)

(i) 17 After Pharaoh had let the people go, Elohim didn’t guide them to the highway that goes through the land of the P’lishtimPhilistines, although that was shorter; for Elohim thought that the people, when faced with war, might change their minds and return to Egypt. 18 Instead, Elohim led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea of Suf; and the Isra'elites went up out of the land of Egypt arrayed for battle. 19 Moshe took the bones of YosefJoseph with him, for he had made the Isra'elites swear, “Elohim will surely visit you, and you must take my bones away from here with you.”[19]

e. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire (13:20-22)

[Egypt • 15 Apr 1462 BCE]

“… Y^ehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way …”
 

20 They traveled from Succoth [MAP] and camped in Etham, [MAP] at the edge of the wilderness. 21 Y^ehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire[21] to give them light, so that they could travel both by day and by night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left from in front of the people.

Chapter 14

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  4. Aviv (אָבִיב), (“spring” or “fresh, young ears,” [of grain]), called Nisan (נִיסָן) on the “secular” calendar, is the first month of the Hebrew ecclesiastical year. It is called the “first of the months of the year” (Exodus 12:1-2), “first month” (Ex 12:14), and the month of Aviv (Ex 13:4) בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הָאָבִֽיב (ḥōḏeš hā-’āḇîḇ). It is called Nisan in the Book of Esther and later in the Talmud, which calls it the “New Year,” Rosh HaShana (Head of the Year), for kings and pilgrimages. It is a month of 30 days. Nisan usually falls in March-April on the Gregorian calendar. Counting from 1 Tishrei, the civil new year, it would be the seventh month (eighth, in leap year), but this is not done in current Jewish culture. It is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. [BACK]

 5. “Ceremony” translates the Hebrew word עֲבֹדָה (abodah), a service, labor, rite, or ritual. This is God’s instruction to Isra'el regarding corporate worship. [BACK]

 8. Generation after generation until Yeshua returns to reign, every Hebrew male is to explain the miracle of the exodus as if he himself was there that day. It is to be extremely personal for every Isra'elite, whether native-born or adopted. [BACK]

10. “Appointed time” is מוֹעֵד (moed), appointed time, place, or meeting. See “The Moadim: God’s Appointed Times.” [BACK]

16. “Symbol” is Hebrew טוֹפָפָה (totaphoth), bands, tefillin (תְּפִלִּין), phylacteries, frontlets, marks. [BACK]

19. Gen 50:24-25. [BACK]

21. See “Theophany” [BACK]

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Other commentaries on Exodus 13
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Pulpit Commentary
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Originally posted on Monday, 17 January 2022

Page last updated on Monday, 02 October 2023 12:52 PM
(Updates are generally minor formatting or editorial changes.
Major content changes are identified as "Revisions”)

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