¹⁶ then on the day when he wills his possessions to his sons, he is not permitted to treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the disliked, who is the firstborn.^(A)

¹⁰ Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief),^(A)

² though Judah became prominent among his brothers and a ruler came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph.)^(A)

¹⁶ See to it that no one becomes an immoral and godless person, as Esau was, who sold his birthright for a single meal.^{(A) 17} You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing^[a] with tears.^(B)

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about^[a] these things.

²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.^[a](A)

³ Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.^(A)

¹⁹ She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. ²⁰ After her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹ Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).^{(A) 22} Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.^(B)