Exodus 13:14

Exo 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What [is] this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

Ver. 14. That thou shalt say unto him.] Plantas tenellas frequentius adaguare proderit, young plants must be often watered. {a}

{a} Primas. Greg. Mag.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo_13:14-16

When thy son asketh thee.

The Book of Exodus introduces that new epoch in the scriptural history of sacrifices when they began to be regulated by fixed laws, to be part of a national economy.

I. The offering of the firstborn was the deification and consecration of the whole Jewish nation. The firstborn represented its strength, its vitality, its endurance. This act signified that its strength lay only in its dependence on Gods strength, that its vitality came from the life which is in Him, that it would endure from generation to generation, because He is the same and His years fail not. The calling of the Israelites was the calling to confess a Redeemer of Israel, a righteous Being who had brought out their fathers from the house of bondage.

II. Moses taught the people that by looking upon themselves as beings surrendered and sacrificed to the God of truth, the Deliverer of men, by feeling that they held all the powers of their minds and bodies as instruments for the great work in which He is engaged, thus they might be a nation indeed, one which would be a pattern to the nations, one which, in due time, would break the chains which bound them to visible and invisible oppressors.

III. When once we understand that we are witnesses for God, and do His work, self-sacrifice can never be an ambitious thing--a fine way to get the reputation of saints or the rewards of another world. It will be regarded as the true ground of all action; that on which all the blessed relations of life stand; that which is at the same time the only impulse to and security for the hard and rough work of the world. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)

Meaning of ordinances to be explained

1. Ancient ordinances may be justly questioned in succeeding ages to know the meaning of them.

2. Reason is to be given of our religion to such as reasonably demand it.

3. Children may ask of parents and they must inform them of the ordinances of God.

4. Redemption-mercies are to be recorded and reported as just ground of Gods ordinance (verse 14).

5. Opposition against redemptions are justly declared to make the work glorious, and Gods people obedient.

6. Vengeance upon the enemies of the Churchs redemption is fit to be known to quicken them to duty.

7. The Churchs reason for its religion to God is rightly taken from its redemption (verse 15).

8. Gods redeeming mercies ought to work in the Church eternal memorials of Him (verse 16). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Lessons

1. After redemption of His Church God provideth for guiding them in the way to rest.

2. Nearest ways to rest with men are not always approved by God for His people.

3. Gods foreknowledge of dangerous ways to His Church doth prevent them.

4. God will not put His people upon war or hard trials until He have fitted them for it.

5. Gods special care of His Church is to keep them from a retreat to bondage after redemption (verse 17). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Imparting knowledge

Knowledge cannot be stolen by or from you. It cannot be sold or bought. You may be poor, and be troubled by the sheriff on the journey of life. He may break into your house and sell your furniture at auction; drive away your cow; take away your ewe lamb, and leave you homeless and penniless; but he cannot lay the laws hand upon the jewellery of your mind. This cannot be taken for debt; neither can you give it away, though you give enough of it to fill a million minds. In getting rich in the things which perish with the using, men have often obeyed to the letter that first commandment of selfishness: Keep what you can get, and get what you can. In filling your minds with the wealth of knowledge, you must reverse this rule, and obey this law: Keep what you give, and give what you can. The fountain of knowledge is filled by its outlets, not by its inlets. You can learn nothing which you do not teach; you can acquire nothing of intellectual wealth except by giving. (Elihu Burritt.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

כי ישאלך בנך מחר WHEN THY SON ASKETH THEE מחר — There is a usage of the word מחר that refers to “now” (i. e. to the period of time that is nearest to “now” viz., to-morrow), and there is another usage of מחר that refers to a day following after the lapse of some time, as, for example, this מחר here and as, for example, (Joshua 22:27) “That your children may not say to our children in time to come (מחר)” which occurs in the chapter about the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben (Mekhilta).

מה זאת WHAT IS THIS? — This is the question of a dull child who has not sufficient understanding to question very profoundly and who therefore asks in an indefinite fashion, “What is this?” In another passage (Deuteronomy 6:20) it states, “[When thy son asketh thee…], What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments … [which the Lord our God hath commanded you?]” This, however, is the question of a wise son. The Torah in mentioning four different explanations of the Passover sacrifice-rite to be given by a father to his children, is speaking in reference to four different types of son: the wicked son (12:25 and in the second half of 13:8), and one who has not sufficient understanding how to ask (in the first half of 13:8), and one who asks in an indefinite manner (13:14), and one who asks in a wise fashion (Deuteronomy 6:20) (cf. Mekhilta; Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 10:4).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Or, hereafterwards.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

14. in time to come] Heb. to-morrow: so Gen_30:33, Deu_6:20, Jos_4:6; Jos_4:21; Jos_22:24; Jos_22:27-28 †.

By strength of hand, &c.] See on v. 3.

14–15. The children to be instructed (as in v. 8) on the meaning of the observance: it is a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt, and of Jehovah’s slaughter of the firstborn of the Egyptians at the time.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come,.... Or "on the morrow" (h), the day following such a separation of the firstborn of clean creatures, or such a redemption of the firstborn of unclean ones, and of man, or in any later time:

saying, what is this? what is the meaning of this? for what reason are such things done?

that thou shall say unto him, by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt from the house of bondage: by laying his mighty hand upon the firstborn of Egypt, and destroying them, which made the king of Egypt, and his people, willing to let Israel go; See Gill on Exo 13:3.

(h) "eras", Pagninus, Montanus, Tiguriue version.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To-morrow. At any future period, Matthew vi. 2. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Which is added to teach parents in all succeeding ages, that it is their duty to instruct their children in the word and works of God, and in the nature and reasons of every particular kind or part of God’s worship and service. See Deu 15:5; Psa 66:4; Hos 2:14.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

When thy son asketh thee. Compare Exo_12:26, and the comment ad loc.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When your son asks you later, 'What does this mean?' then you are to tell him

The first quotation can be stated as an indirect quotation. AT: "When your son asks you later what this means, then you are to tell him" (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations)

strong hand

The word "hand" here represents God's actions or works. See how you translated this in Exodus 6:1. AT: "the power I show in my works" (See: Metonymy)

the house of slavery

Moses speaks of Egypt as if it were a house where people keep slaves. See how you translated this in Exodus 13:3. AT: "the place where you were slaves" (See: Metaphor)

become a reminder on your hands, and a reminder on your forehead

This expresses two ways to remember the importance of the passover event. See how you translated a similar phrase in Exodus 13:8-10. (See: Parallelism)

translationWords

house

servant

Pharaoh

stiff-necked

firstborn

sacrifice

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.