Deuteronomy 21:18

Parents and children

¹⁶ 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:

¹⁷ But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

¹⁹ Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

²⁰ And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

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: 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,
KJV: If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
WEB: If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not listen to them,
ASV: If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;
DARBY: If a man have an unmanageable and rebellious son, who hearkeneth not unto the voice of his father, nor unto the voice of his mother, and they have chastened him, but he hearkeneth not unto them;
BLB: If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not listen to the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and they have disciplined him and he will not listen to them,

ÅB: Når en mann har en ustyrlig og gjenstridig sønn, som ikke vil lyde sin far og mor, og som, endog de tukter ham, er ulydig mot dem,
OTB: Hvis en mann har en trassig og opprørsk sønn som ikke adlyder sin far og mor og ikke vil høre på dem når de irettesetter ham,
B1930: Når en mann har en ustyrlig og gjenstridig sønn, som ikke vil lyde sin far og mor, og som, endog de tukter ham, er ulydig mot dem,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Read in context
Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Read in context
Amos 4:11–12
I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
Read in context
Hebrews 12:9–11
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Read in context
Proverbs 23:13–14
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Read in context
Proverbs 30:17
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:2
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Read in context
Ephesians 6:1–3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Read in context