Exodus 13

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” Naming Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of…” Naming Israel and Sanctify keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“This day came ye out in the month Abib.” Naming Abib keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD .” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’s law may…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his…” The line’s distinctive content terms include redeem, break, children. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.” Naming Etham and Succoth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire…” The line’s distinctive content terms include night, pillar, cloud. Its relationship to verses 20 and 22 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” The line’s distinctive content terms include pillar, cloud, fire. Its relationship to verses 21 shows what work it does in this passage.