Exodus 12:2

12:2 “This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. ¹ 

Exodus 40:2

40:2 “On the first day of the first month you are to set up ²  the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

Exodus 40:17

40:17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month, in the second year.

¹ sn B. Jacob (Exodus, 294-95) shows that the intent of the passage was not to make this month in the spring the New Year – that was in the autumn. Rather, when counting months this was supposed to be remembered first, for it was the great festival of freedom from Egypt. He observes how some scholars have unnecessarily tried to date one New Year earlier than the other.

² tn Heb “you will raise,” an imperfect of instruction.