Exodus 34:20

¹⁸ You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, you are to eat unleavened bread as I commanded you. For in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt.

¹⁹ The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep.

You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before Me empty-handed.

²¹ Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in the seasons of plowing and harvesting, you must rest.

²² And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before Me empty-handed.
KJV: 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.
WEB: 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.
ASV: 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.
DARBY: But the firstling of an ass thou shalt ransom with a lamb; and if thou ransom [it] not, then shalt thou break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt ransom; and none shall appear before me empty.
BLB: And the firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you do not redeem [it], then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem, and none shall appear before My face empty.

ÅB: Og det som åpner morsliv av eseler, skal du løse med et stykke småfe, men dersom du ikke løser det, da skal du bryte nakken på det. Hver førstefødt blant dine sønner skal du løse, og ingen skal vise seg tomhendt for mitt åsyn.
OTB: Løs inn det førstefødte av et esel med et lam, men hvis du ikke løser det inn, skal du bryte nakken på det. Løs inn alle dine førstefødte sønner. Ingen skal komme fram for meg uten en gave.
B1930: Og det som åpner morsliv av asener, skal du løse med et stykke småfe, men dersom du ikke løser det, da skal du bryte nakken på det. Hver førstefødt blandt dine sønner skal du løse, og ingen skal vise sig tomhendt for mitt åsyn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 13:13
You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
Read in context
Exodus 23:15
You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread as I commanded you: At the appointed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, because that was the month you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before Me empty-handed.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.
Read in context
Numbers 18:15
The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
Read in context
Exodus 13:15
And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’
Read in context
1 Samuel 9:7–8
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
Read in context
Numbers 3:45–51
“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.
Read in context
Exodus 13:10
Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.
Read in context