“The firstborn from every womb belongs to Me, and all your male livestock, the firstborn from cattle and sheep.
Parallel translations
- WEB “All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep.
- KJV All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
- BSB The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep.
- NKJV “All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstborn among your livestock, whether ox or sheep.
- NLT “The firstborn of every animal belongs to me, including the firstborn males from your herds of cattle and your flocks of sheep and goats.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Every firstborn male, human and animal, belongs to the LORD as His special possession.
Overview
Because God spared Israel's firstborn in the final plague, the firstborn now belong to Him by right of redemption. This claim on what opens the womb taught that life and blessing come from God and must be given back to Him. It points forward to Christ, the firstborn over all creation, who consecrates His people to God (Colossians 1:15-18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Exod 13:2“Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”
- Exod 22:29“You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.
- Num 18:15–17Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals.
- Exod 13:12that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be Yahweh’s.
- Ezek 44:30The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, shall be for the priest: you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.
- Luke 2:23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 34:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.