# Exodus 34.20

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-11-12 | updated: 2026-11-12 -->

**Book:** [Exodus](/codex/exodus/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. 19. All that openeth the womb is mine; and all thy cattle that is male, the firstlings of cow and sheep.
>
> **20. And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.**
>
> 21. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. (Exodus 34:18-22, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. “You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt. 19. “All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep.
>
> **20. You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty.**
>
> 21. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22. “You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. (Exodus 34:18-22, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. 19. All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. <sup>sheep: or, kid</sup>
>
> **20. But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. <sup>lamb: or, kid</sup>**
>
> 21. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. <sup>year's end: Heb. revolution of the year</sup> (Exodus 34:18-22, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. 'The feast of unleavened things thou dost keep; seven days thou dost eat unleavened things, as I have commanded thee, at an appointed time, the month of Abib: for in the month of Abib thou didst come out from Egypt. 19. 'All opening a womb [are] Mine, and every firstling of thy cattle born a male, ox or sheep;
>
> **20. and the firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb; and if thou dost not ransom, then thou hast beheaded it; every first-born of thy sons thou dost ransom, and they do not appear before Me empty.**
>
> 21. 'Six days thou dost work, and on the seventh day thou dost rest; in ploughing-time and in harvest thou dost rest. 22. 'And a feast of weeks thou dost observe for thyself; first-fruits of wheat-harvest; and the feast of in-gathering, at the revolution of the year. (Exodus 34:18-22, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet.


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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Cultic Decalogue Objection Defeater](/codex/cultic-decalogue-objection-defeater/), via [Exodus 34.10-26](/codex/exodus-34-10-26/), [Exodus 34.10-28](/codex/exodus-34-10-28/), [Exodus 34.11-26](/codex/exodus-34-11-26/)

**Concepts:**

- [Documentary Hypothesis](/codex/documentary-hypothesis/), via [Exodus 34.10-28](/codex/exodus-34-10-28/)
- [Human Sacrifice in the Old Testament](/codex/human-sacrifice-in-the-old-testament/)
- [Molech](/codex/molech/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.