15 “If a man has two wives, the one loved and (A)the other [a]unloved, and both the loved and the [b]unloved have borne him sons, and the firstborn son belongs to the [c]unloved, 16 then it shall be on the day that he wills what he owns as an inheritance to his sons, he is not allowed to treat the son of the loved wife as the firstborn, [d]at the expense of the son of the [e]unloved, who actually is the firstborn son. 17 On the contrary, he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the [f]unloved wife, by giving him a double [g]portion of everything that [h]he owns, for he was the (B)beginning of his [i]strength; (C)to him belongs the right of the firstborn.

18 “If any person has a stubborn and rebellious son who does (D)not obey his father or his mother, and when they discipline him, he does not listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city [j]at the gateway of his hometown. 20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us, he is thoughtless and given to drinking.’ 21 (E)Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so (F)you shall eliminate the evil from your midst, and (G)all Israel will hear about it and fear.

22 “Now if [k]a person has committed a sin carrying (H)a sentence of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on [l]a tree, 23 (I)his body is not to be left overnight on the [m]tree, but you shall certainly bury him on the same day (for (J)he who is hanged is cursed of God), so that you (K)do not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
  2. Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
  3. Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
  4. Deuteronomy 21:16 Lit against the face of
  5. Deuteronomy 21:16 See note v 15
  6. Deuteronomy 21:17 See note v 15
  7. Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit mouthful
  8. Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit is found with him
  9. Deuteronomy 21:17 I.e., power of procreation
  10. Deuteronomy 21:19 Lit and to the gate of his place
  11. Deuteronomy 21:22 Lit a sin is in a person carrying
  12. Deuteronomy 21:22 Lit wood
  13. Deuteronomy 21:23 Lit wood

The Right of the Firstborn

15 If a man has two wives,(A) and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,(B) 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.(C) 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double(D) share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength.(E) The right of the firstborn belongs to him.(F)

A Rebellious Son

18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious(G) son(H) who does not obey his father and mother(I) and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death.(J) You must purge the evil(K) from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.(L)

Various Laws

22 If someone guilty of a capital offense(M) is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight.(N) Be sure to bury(O) it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.(P) You must not desecrate(Q) the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

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