Deuteronomy 21:16
14 And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
15 If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,
when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife.
17 Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.
18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined,
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife.
- KJV
- Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:
- WEB
- then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not give the son of the beloved the rights of the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn;
- ASV
- then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born:
- DARBY
- then it shall be, in the day that he maketh his sons to inherit what he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn;
- BLB
- then it shall come to pass on the day he assigns his inheritance to his sons that are to him, [that] he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife over the face of the son of the hated one, the firstborn.
- ÅB
- da skal han, når han skifter det han eier, mellom sine sønner, ikke ha lov til å la sønnen til den han elsker, få førstefødselsretten fremfor sønnen til den han ikke synes om, han som er den førstefødte.
- OTB
- når han testamenterer sin eiendom til sine sønner, må han ikke gi førstefødselsretten til sønnen av den elskede kona i stedet for sin faktiske førstefødte, sønnen av den ikke elskede kona.
- B1930
- da skal han, når han skifter det han eier, mellem sine sønner, ikke ha lov til å la sønnen til den han elsker, få førstefødselsretten fremfor sønnen til den han ikke synes om, han som er den førstefødte.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Chronicles 5:2
And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.
Read in context1 Chronicles 26:10
Hosah the Merarite also had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first),
Read in contextPhilippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
Read in contextRomans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
Read in contextHebrews 12:16–17
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
Read in context2 Chronicles 21:3
Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
Read in context2 Chronicles 11:19–22
She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
Read in context