KJV ORIGINAL
All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Every firstborn belongs to me—whether it's a human baby or the first male animal born to your cattle, oxen, or sheep.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is claiming ownership of all firstborn children and male animals as belonging to Him.
📚 Historical Context
This command was part of the covenant law God gave Moses after the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai. The principle of dedicating firstborn to God commemorated how He spared the Israelite firstborn during the final plague in Egypt while taking the lives of Egyptian firstborn. This practice established that all life comes from God and the first portion should be dedicated back to Him.
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