(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Parallel translations
- WEB (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
- BSB (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),
- NKJV (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
- NASB (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
- NLT The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”
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
Their action fulfills the law that every firstborn male be consecrated as holy to the Lord. It matters because Jesus is set apart to God from the start.
Overview
Luke cites the law (Exodus 13) requiring the firstborn to be dedicated to the Lord. Jesus, as Mary's firstborn, is presented in keeping with this command. The verse underscores that the Savior was raised in obedience to Scripture and consecrated wholly to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Exod 13:2Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
- Num 3:13Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
- Exod 22:29Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
- Exod 34:19All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
- Num 18:15Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
- Num 8:16–17For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
- Exod 13:12–15That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’s.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 2:23 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 Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.