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.

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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

The Right of the Firstborn

15 “If a man has two wives, one of them loved and the other disliked, and if both the loved and the disliked have borne him sons, the firstborn being the son of the one who is disliked, 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) 17 He must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the one who is disliked, giving him a double portion[a] of all that he has; since he is the first issue of his virility, the right of the firstborn is his.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.17 Heb two-thirds

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)

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