Exodus 13:15-17

New American Standard Bible

¹⁵ And it came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the ^(A)Lord put to death every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborns to animal firstborns. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, every firstborn of a womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ ¹⁶ So ^(B)it shall ^[a]serve as a sign on your hand and as ^[b]phylacteries ^[c]on your forehead, for with ^[d]a 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.”