Exodus 13:4

4 Today, in the month of Abib,^[a] you are leaving.

Exodus 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:4

This day came ye out
Out of Egypt, on the fifteenth of Nisan, as the Targum of Jonathan: in the month Abib;
which signifies an ear of corn, because in this month barley was in the ear, see ( Exodus 9:31 ) , the Syriac version renders it, "in the month of flowers"; when the flowers were rising up out of the earth, being spring time, and a very fit time to travel in; and this is observed, not only because they might not know what month it was, in such a state of ignorance, as well as servitude, were they kept in Egypt; but as Jarchi also intimates, to point out to them the mercy and goodness of God to them, in bringing them out at such a seasonable time to travel in, when there were neither heat, nor cold, nor rain. This month answers to part of our March, and part of April.

Exodus 13:4 In-Context

2 "Consecrate every firstborn male to Me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and animal; it is Mine."

3 Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the Lord brought you out of here by the strength of [His] hand. Nothing leavened may be eaten.

4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

5 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you must carry out this ritual in this month.

6 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. March-April; called Nisan in the post-exilic period; Neh 2:1; Est 3:7