Question:
Could you please clarify Ex. 13:1, 2, 11-13? The Lord instructs Israel to set apart the firstborn of both man and beast, and this practice is to continue when they enter the land of Canaan. Notice the change the Lord made within about a year, as seen in Num. 3:12, 13, and 41. Is there any scripture that explains why this change was made?
Answer:
The appointment of the first-born Israelites as consecrated to God serves as a profound reminder of their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, where all the Egyptian families faced judgment, unlike the Israelites’ first-born. This consecration granted them a unique status in three key areas: the priesthood, the right to a double portion of inheritance, and rulership.
Essentially, the father of each family acted as the family priest, performing duties similar to those of the high priest in later temple worship, with the eldest son assisting him. As the father aged or passed away, these priestly duties were handed down to the first-born. However, due to the unwavering loyalty of the Levites during the incident of the golden calf (as noted in Exodus 32:26-29), God honored them by reallocating the priesthood from the first-born to the Levites.
This decision to designate a specific tribe for the priestly duties was a wise move. Once the Israelites settled in Canaan, their daily activities could lead them to overlook the sanctuary’s services. Having an entire tribe dedicated to God’s work ensured that religious practices would continue regularly. Even after the Levites took on this responsibility, the Israelites still needed to redeem their first-born, with the proceeds from this redemption going to the Levites, as outlined in Numbers 3:40-51.
