¹⁵ It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the ^(A)Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first ^[a]offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ ¹⁶ So ^(B)it shall ^[b]serve as a sign on your hand and as ^[c]phylacteries ^[d]on your forehead, for with a ^[e]powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

God Leads the People

¹⁷ Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “^(C)The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”