And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

EXODUS 13:16KJV
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Exodus 13:16 (KJV)

What does Exodus 13:16 mean?

Exodus 13:16 says that the Israelites are to keep a visible reminder—like a sign on their hand or a band on their forehead—because God used His powerful hand to bring them out of Egypt. This verse explains why certain practices or symbols are kept: to remember God’s mighty rescue.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites after their escape from slavery in Egypt, giving instructions about remembering this event. The verse uses physical imagery to stress how important it is to keep God’s deliverance always in mind, not just as a memory but as something that shapes daily life and actions.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 13:16

  • token (אוֹת, 'ot): This word means a sign or symbol. Here, it refers to something visible that serves as a reminder of God’s action, not just a literal mark but a lasting reminder.
  • frontlets (טוֹטָפֹת, toṭafot): This word points to bands or ornaments worn between the eyes. In later Jewish tradition, this idea is connected to tefillin (phylacteries), but here it simply means something kept close to one’s mind and attention.
  • strength (חֹזֶק, ḥozeq): This word means strength or power. The verse emphasizes that it was God’s strength—not human effort—that brought the Israelites out of Egypt.
  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God, highlighting that it was Israel’s own God who acted for them.

Why Exodus 13:16 matters

  • Exodus 13:16 helps clarify that the physical symbols are meant as reminders, not just rituals, pointing back to God’s saving power.
  • The verse connects the act of remembering with daily life, showing that faith is not just about belief but about keeping God’s actions at the center of one’s thoughts and actions.
  • This verse ties the practice of remembrance to the larger story of the Exodus, anchoring Israel’s identity in God’s deliverance and making it a central theme for generations.

Where else these words appear

“frontlets” Hebrew H2903 · used in 3 verses

  • Deuteronomy 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
  • Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

“strength” Hebrew H2392 · used in 5 verses

  • Exodus 13:3 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.
  • Exodus 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
  • Amos 6:13 Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

“token” Hebrew H226 · used in 77 verses

  • Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
  • Deuteronomy 4:34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
  • Psalms 65:8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.