Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 13:13
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
13. The ass, not less than the ox and sheep, was a common domestic animal (Exo 20:17, Exo 22:9-10, &c.): but it was regarded as ‘unclean’ (the terms of Lev 11:3 P exclude it from the ‘clean’ animals), and could not consequently be either eaten, or offered in sacrifice (Lev 1:2; Lev 22:19). Nevertheless its firstling was claimed by Jehovah, and could only be retained for its owner’s use by being redeemed with a lamb. ‘The present law must date from a time when the ass was the only unclean domestic animal: the later, but juristically more exact P, puts for it (Lev 27:27, Num 18:15) unclean beast generally’ (Di.). The lamb would be of less value than the ass: the provision of Lev 27:27, which prescribes that the firstling of an unclean animal, unless it is sold, is to be valued, and redeemed at 11/5 of its valuation, is more favourable to the priests.
redeem ] Heb. pdh (not g’al, as Exo 6:6), the word used regularly of redeeming a person, or animal, from death or servitude (cf. Exo 21:8, and, as here, Num 18:15-17, Lev 27:27 a; also Exo 1Sa 14:45, Psa 49:7; Psa 49:15).
lamb ] marg. Or, kid: see on Exo 12:3.
break its neck ] Unless redeemed, it could not be retained for use by its owner. It was not to be killed by shedding of blood, because in old Israel ‘the slaughter of an animal in the ordinary way implied a sacrifice, which was impossible in the case of an ass’ (B.).
all the firstborn of man, &c.] The price of their redemption is not fixed: perhaps in early times it varied (as offerings also did, Deu 16:10; Deu 16:16 f.), according to the position and circumstances of the father. In a later age, the price was fixed definitely at 5 shekels a head (Num 18:15, cf. Num 3:12; Num 8:18, all P).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
An ass – The ass could not be offered in sacrifice, being an unclean animal: possibly the only unclean animal domesticated among the Israelites at the time of the Exodus. This principle was extended to every unclean beast; see Num 18:15.
Thou shalt redeem – The lamb, or sheep, was given to the priest for the service of the sanctuary.
Firstborn of man – The price of redemption was fixed at five shekels of the sanctuary: Num 3:47, where see the note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb] Or a kid, as in the margin. In Nu 18:15, it is said: “The first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem; and the firstling of an unclean beast shalt thou redeem.” Hence we may infer that ass is put here for any unclean beast, or for unclean beasts in general. The lamb was to be given to the Lord, that is, to his priest, Nu 18:8; Nu 18:15. And then the owner of the ass might use it for his own service, which without this redemption he could not do; see De 15:19.
The first-born of man – shalt thou redeem.] This was done by giving to the priests five standard shekels, or shekels of the sanctuary, every shekel weighing twenty gerahs. What the gerah was, See Clarke on Ge 20:16. And for the shekel, See Clarke on Ge 20:16.
It may be necessary to observe here that the Hebrew doctors teach, that if a father had neglected or refused thus to redeem his first-born, the son himself was obliged to do it when he came of age. As this redeeming of the first-born was instituted in consequence of sparing the first-born of the Israelites, when the first-born both of man and beast among the Egyptians was destroyed, on this ground all the first-born were the Lord’s, and should have been employed in his service; but he permitted the first-born of a useful unclean animal to be redeemed by a clean animal of much less value. And he chose the tribe of Levi in place of all the first-born of the tribes in general; and the five shekels were ordered to be paid in lieu of such first-born sons as were liable to serve in the sanctuary, and the money was applied to the support of the priests and Levites. See this subject at large in Nu 3:12-13; Nu 3:41; Nu 3:43; Nu 3:45; Nu 3:47-51.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The ass was an unclean creature, and therefore this rule was to be observed in all other unclean creatures, as appears,
1. Because the reason of this law is common to all such.
2. By comparing this place with Num 18:15.
3. Because the first-born of all beasts were appropriated to God; and because many of them were unclean, and so could not be sacrificed, there was no other way of offering them to God, but by redemption, or a price paid for them. And the single exception of the price of a dog in this case, Deu 23:18, doth sufficiently intimate that the price of all other unclean creatures was allowed and required. The ass alone is here named for all the rest, because this creature was most common, and most useful, and yet was not to be spared; whence it was easy to infer, that this course was much rather to be observed in other creatures which were of less use.
Thou shalt break his neck; or, cut off his neck, or head, as the word is used, Deu 21:4; Isa 66:3; because being consecrated. to God, it was not to be applied to any profane or common use.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb,…. Which was given to the priest for it; and according to the Jewish canon f, it might be redeemed with that only;
“not with a calf, nor with an animal (a goat or a ram, as Bartenora interprets it), nor with a lamb slain, or torn to pieces.”
Jarchi thinks the ass only was to be redeemed, and not the firstling of any other unclean creature, but his reasons are insufficient; all unclean creatures, as horses, camels, dogs, swine, c. are included in it, as should seem from Nu 18:15 and this is the rather particularly mentioned, because there was a greater plenty of them than of horses and camels, and because they were very useful creatures and if these were to be redeemed, then much more those of less value, and less useful. Hence might arise the story and calumny, as some have thought, of the Jews worshipping an ass’s head:
and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shall break its neck; cut off its head on the back of the neck with a knife or cleaver, such as butchers use, as the Misnah g, and its commentators, interpret it, so that the owner should have no profit by it:
and all the firstborn of man amongst thy children shall thou redeem; with the price of five shekels of the sanctuary, and within thirty days of the birth of it, Nu 18:16 and these being to be redeemed as the unclean beasts were, shows that men are by nature unclean, and even the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, the elect of God, and need redemption by the blood of the Lamb.
f Misn. Becorot, sect. 1. sect. 5. g lbid. sect. 7. Maimon & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) Every firstling of an ass.It is observable that nothing is said of the Israelites possessing horses. Horses were well known in Egypt at the time, but were kept only by the kings and the great men. The Hebrews had not been in a position ever to have possessed any. Asses, on the contrary, were exceedingly common, and formed the ordinary beasts of burden in the country. In default of camels, which they seem not to have owned, the Israelites must have carried their tents and other baggage on asses.
Thou shalt redeem.Since the ass was unclean. In Egypt he is said to have been Typhonian; and Set, the Evil Principle, is represented with long ears, which may be those of an ass, cropped towards the upper extremity. The redeeming of an ass with a lamb (or kid) was favourable to the owner, since the ass colt must have been of considerably more value.
If thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck.There will always be in every nation those who grudge to make any offering to God, and who will seek to evade every requisition for a gift. To check such niggardliness, the present law was made. It would be effectual without requiring to be put in force.
All the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.This was declared in anticipation of the arrangement afterwards to be made, whereby the tribe of Levi was taken in lieu of the firstborn for the service Of the sanctuary (Num. 3:40-45), and an obligation was imposed on Israelites of other tribes to redeem their sons by a payment of five shekels for each to the priests (Num. 18:15-16).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 13:13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb Or kid. Margin of our Bibles. It appears, from Num 18:15 that this was to be understood of all unclean beasts in the general. It is not easy to say why the ass particularly is specified; perhaps this creature, being the most numerous, and the most useful of their beasts of burden, is therefore mentioned, as they might be more inclined to preserve it. He-asses, according to Phornutus, were sacrificed among the heathen to Mars, on account of their turbulent nature and frightful braying. Selden conjectures, that, from this law of redeeming asses, the Gentiles took up that groundless and ridiculous calumny, which was current among them, that the Jews worshipped an ass. See Job 11:12. The heathens appear to have had some knowledge of this law of redemption of the first-born. The inhabitants of Tanguth in India redeemed their sons with a ram, which they offered after the manner of the Hebrews; and what makes it probable that the law of Moses had reached these regions is, that we find, in the language of the people who inhabit these coasts of India, many evident traces of the Hebrew language and original; as Huet has observed, Demonstr. Evang. proposit. iv. c. 6.
REFLECTIONS. The first-born of beasts, as well as of men, are God’s: the clean must be sacrificed, the unclean killed; or, as the children, redeemed. Note; Children are not innocents, but unclean things; and were it not for the redemption of Jesus must perish. Repeated injunctions are given to instruct their children, to encourage and answer their inquiries; talking with them is the best way of teaching them. Thus the remembrance will be preserved, and each succeeding generation count the deliverance their own. We reap the blessings of our fathers’ mercies even in temporals, and how much more of the promises made to our fathers in spirituals, and accomplished in the glorious salvation of our Redeemer Jesus, which deserves, and shall have, a remembrance to eternity.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
Ver. 13. And every firstling of an ass. ] This God would not have paid him in kind, eo quod asinus tardum et pigrum auimal, as Bellarmine gives the reason. The zealous God hates dulness. Tardis mentibus virtus non facile committitur. a
a Tusc. Quaest., lib. v.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
ass. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6, “ass” put for all animals not offered in sacrifice.
redeem = ransom. Hebrew. padah = to redeem (from bondage, by power). First occurance. Not g’aal. See note on Exo 6:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
firstling
The redemption of firstlings made a memorial sign to Israel of their own redemption.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
of an ass: Exo 34:20, Num 18:15-17
lamb: or, kid, Exo 12:3, Exo 12:21
shalt thou: Num 3:46-51, Num 18:15, Num 18:16, Rev 14:4
Reciprocal: Lev 27:26 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 13:13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb Or kid, Exo 12:3; and the same is to be understood of all unclean beasts in general, see Num 18:15. The ass seems to be particularly mentioned, because those animals were more numerous among them than other beasts of burden. If a man had not a lamb, he was to give the price of one. This lamb was to be given to the Lord; that is, to his priest.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:13 And every firstling of an {g} ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou {h} redeem.
(g) This is also understood about the horse and other beasts which were not offered in sacrifice.
(h) By offering a clean beast in sacrifice; Lev 12:6.