² Consecrate to me every firstborn; whatever opens the womb among the Israelites,^(A) whether of human being or beast, belongs to me.

²⁸ You shall not delay the offering of your harvest and your press. You shall give me the firstborn of your sons. ²⁹ You must do the same with your oxen and your sheep; for seven days the firstling may stay with its mother, but on the eighth day you must give it to me.^(A)

¹⁹ To me belongs every male that opens the womb among all your livestock, whether in the herd or in the flock.^{(A) 20} The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. The firstborn among your sons you shall redeem.

No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

¹² I hereby take the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites.^(A) The Levites, therefore, are mine, ¹³ because every firstborn is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every firstborn in Israel, human being and beast alike. They belong to me; I am the Lord.

¹⁶ For they, among the Israelites, are totally dedicated to me; I have taken them for myself in place of everyone that opens the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites.^{(A) 17} Indeed, all the firstborn among the Israelites, human being and beast alike, belong to me; I consecrated them to myself on the day I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.^(B)