Shemot 13:5

5 And it shall be when Hashem shall bring thee into the land of the Kena’ani, and the Chitti, and the Emori, and the Chivi, and the Yevusi, which He swore unto thy Avot to give thee, an eretz flowing with cholov and devash, that thou shalt observe this avodah (service) in this month.

Shemot 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:5

And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of
the Canaanites
Though the whole land was called the land of Canaan, yet there was one tribe or nation of them particularly so called as here, distinct from those that follow: and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;
there were seven nations in all, but two are here omitted, the Girgashites and Perizzites, but they are added in the Septuagint version, see ( Deuteronomy 7:1 ) which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee;
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; so that they might be assured they would be brought into it, since they had both the word and oath of God for it; and which is the rather mentioned now for their encouragement, since they were at this time set forward in their journey thitherwards: a land flowing with milk and honey; (See Gill on Exodus 3:8), that thou shalt keep this service in this month;
the month of Abib; that is, the following service concerning unleavened bread; it is concluded from hence by some, that those laws concerning the passover, and eating unleavened bread, and sanctifying the firstborn, did not oblige the Israelites, while in the wilderness, only when they came into the land of Canaan; and it seems pretty clear that this was the case with respect to the two latter, but not the former, since it is certain they did keep the passover in the wilderness, and were obliged to it, ( Numbers 9:1-5 ) but then it may be observed, that there is no mention there of their keeping the feast of unleavened bread, only of the passover, as here no mention is made of the feast of the passover, which, though they followed one another, were, two distinct feasts.

Shemot 13:5 In-Context

3 And Moshe said unto HaAm, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Mitzrayim, out of the bais avadim; for by chozek yad Hashem brought you out from this place; there shall no chametz be eaten.
4 This day came ye out in the month Aviv.
5 And it shall be when Hashem shall bring thee into the land of the Kena’ani, and the Chitti, and the Emori, and the Chivi, and the Yevusi, which He swore unto thy Avot to give thee, an eretz flowing with cholov and devash, that thou shalt observe this avodah (service) in this month.
6 Shivat yamim thou shalt eat matzot, and in the seventh day shall be a Chag (Feast) to Hashem.
7 Matzot shall be eaten shivat hayamim; and there shall no chametz be seen with thee, neither shall there be se’or seen with thee within all thy borders.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.