Exodus 13:14 Meaning and Explanation
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A child's plain question, "What is this?", receives a story rather than a bare rule. The verse shows how God-given practices can carry memory across generations. Israel's children were meant to learn why their families set apart and redeemed the firstborn, and to locate their own lives within the LORD's saving work.
Exodus 13:14 teaches Israel to answer a child's question about the firstborn ordinance by remembering that the LORD powerfully delivered the whole people from Egypt's house of bondage.
The Context of Exodus 13:14
After the departure from Egypt, the LORD commands Moses to sanctify every firstborn to him. Moses joins this command to the annual feast of unleavened bread, so Israel will remember the day the LORD brought them out. Verses 11-13 look ahead to life in the promised land and give directions concerning firstborn animals and children. Verse 14 anticipates a son seeing these practices and asking what they mean. Verse 15 supplies further explanation: Pharaoh resisted Israel's release, the LORD struck Egypt's firstborn, and Israel therefore offered firstborn males to the LORD while redeeming their own sons. The chapter then turns to the wilderness journey under God's guidance.
What Does Exodus 13:14 Mean?
The question, "What is this?", arises from something visible in family life: the setting apart of firstborn animals and the redemption of firstborn sons. The commanded answer begins with the LORD's action, "By strength of hand the LORD brought us out." Israel's worship and household obedience were rooted in deliverance received from God. The speaker says "us," even when speaking to a child born after the exodus. That language welcomes the next generation into the remembered people of God. Egypt is named again as "the house of bondage," identifying the burden from which the LORD freed them. The ordinance keeps gratitude attached to a concrete act of rescue.
Within this chapter, the firstborn belongs to the LORD because the final plague distinguished Israel from Egypt and opened Israel's way out of slavery. The redemption of Israel's firstborn children is therefore a serious, merciful provision, while the offering of firstborn male animals acknowledges the LORD's claim. Verse 14 ensures that the practice will be taught rather than performed without understanding. Its setting in the promised land matters as well. When settled life could make Egypt seem distant, parents were to recount the LORD's strong hand. The memory preserves humility, gratitude, and covenant identity. God had acted before Israel possessed land, security, or freedom of its own.
This family instruction belongs to a wider biblical pattern in which God's saving deeds are rehearsed so that later generations may know him. Moses had already told Israel to explain the feast of unleavened bread to a son in terms of what the LORD did when Israel came forth from Egypt. Here the same testimony interprets the firstborn ordinance. The verse also prepares us to hear later biblical accounts of parents bringing a firstborn child before the LORD according to the law. Such obedience honors God's holiness and remembers his mercy. Christ's presentation in the temple stands within this scriptural world of faithful remembrance and consecration.
Bible Verses Related to Exodus 13:14
“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?”
- Exodus 12:26
“And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?”
- Deuteronomy 6:20
“He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.”
- Psalm 105:37
“(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)”
- Luke 2:23
Where Exodus 13:14 Echoes in Scripture
Luke 2:23 deliberately recalls the law concerning a firstborn male when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to Jerusalem. The echo shows that Jesus' early life was received within Israel's God-given ordinances, including the setting apart of the firstborn. Exodus 13:14 gives the saving memory behind that law: the LORD brought Israel out of bondage with a strong hand. Luke's reference invites readers to see the family's obedience as part of Israel's continuing remembrance of the LORD's deliverance.
How to Apply Exodus 13:14 Today
We can make room for honest questions about practices, prayers, family habits, and gatherings that shape our faith. A child, friend, or newcomer may ask what a practice means because they have noticed that it matters. Exodus 13:14 encourages an answer centered on God's deeds rather than personal preference alone. We can tell the stories of mercy that have formed our people and households, especially the biblical story of God's deliverance. We can also receive questions patiently. Clear remembrance helps ordinary acts of obedience become occasions for gratitude, instruction, and shared worship.
Reflection & Prayer
What visible practice in our home or community could become an occasion to remember the LORD's deliverance, and how would we explain it to someone asking for the first time? Pray: "LORD, give us grateful memory and truthful words. Help us to tell the next generation what you have done, and to receive your gifts with reverence."