Thanks Harold. The last sentence in the verse just seems to be self-contradictory. It says the firstborn males of every womb was to be "sacrificed" with the firstborn animals (suggesting sacrificed in the same manner) and then in the same breath it says the firstborn were "redeemed."
It is hard to figure out if child sacrifice was actually condoned or commanded, originally. I know it was later stated (unambiguously) that the Levites were to take the place of firstborn sacrifices.
>Ex 13:15 "It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, thatthe LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of
man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the
males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I
redeem."
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