Deuteronomy 21:15-17
New American Standard Bible
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
- Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
- Deuteronomy 21:15 Or scorned; lit hated
- Deuteronomy 21:16 Lit against the face of
- Deuteronomy 21:16 See note v 15
- Deuteronomy 21:17 See note v 15
- Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit mouthful
- Deuteronomy 21:17 Lit is found with him
- Deuteronomy 21:17 I.e., power of procreation
Deuteronomy 21:15-17
Common English Bible
Right of the oldest son
15 Now suppose a man has two wives—one of them loved and the other unloved. Both wives bear children, but the oldest male is the unloved wife’s child. 16 On the day when the man decides what will go to each of his children as an inheritance, he isn’t allowed to treat his loved wife’s son as the oldest male rather than his unloved wife’s son, who is the real oldest male. 17 Instead, he must acknowledge the unloved wife’s son as the oldest male, giving to him two-thirds of everything that he owns, because that son is the earliest produce of his physical power. The oldest male’s rights belong to that son.
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