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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, if the firstborn son belongs to the [c]unloved, 16 then it shall be in the day he [d]wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the [e]unloved, who is the firstborn. 17 But he shall recognize the firstborn, the son of the [f]unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that [g]he has, for he is the (B)first of his vigor; (C)the legal judgment for the firstborn belongs to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 21:15 Lit hated
  2. Deuteronomy 21:15 Lit hated
  3. Deuteronomy 21:15 Lit hated
  4. Deuteronomy 21:16 Lit makes to inherit
  5. Deuteronomy 21:16 Lit hated
  6. Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit hated
  7. Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit is found with him

Family Law

15 If a man has two wives, and one is loved and one is not loved, and both the loved one and the unloved one have borne children for him, and the firstborn son belongs to the unloved wife, 16 then on the day that he bequeaths what he owns to his sons, he cannot declare the son of the loved wife as his firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved wife, who is the true firstborn. 17 He must acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of everything that is recognized as his. Because that son is the beginning of his father’s virility, the legal right of the firstborn belongs to him.

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