Exodus 13:3

ESV Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

NIV Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast.

NASB And Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day in which you departed from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing with yeast shall be eaten.

CSB Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the Lord brought you out of here by the strength of his hand. Nothing leavened may be eaten.

NLT So Moses said to the people, 'This is a day to remember forever — the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand. (Remember, eat no food containing yeast.)

KJV And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

NKJV And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

What does Exodus 13:3 mean?

God freed Israel from slavery (Exodus 1:11–14) using powerful supernatural disasters against Egypt (Exodus 3:19–20). The last and worst of these was the death of Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 11:4–6). Israel has been commanded to remember this (Exodus 12:40–41) forever through an annual festival (Exodus 12:14). After celebrating a ritual to remember the first Passover (Exodus 12:12–13), the people are to observe a week where no leaven is eaten. This is the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17).

Leaven is yeast: the spores that multiply and grow, causing dough to rise. The Lord ordered Israel to prepare unleavened bread on the night of the first Passover (Exodus 12:8). This gave them provisions for travel on that night's hasty exit (Exodus 12:33, 39). Yeast also serves, here, as a metaphor for sin. Scouring the home to remove all yeast (Exodus 12:19–20) reflects the desire to completely separate from sin. Sin, like yeast, quickly grows, spreads, and permeates everything it touches (Galatians 5:9).

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