Reference: Firstborn
American
This phrase is not always to be understood literally; it is sometimes taken for the prime, most excellent, most distinguished of things, Ps 89:27; Ro 8:29; Heb 1:4-6. Thus Jesus Christ is "the firstborn of every creature," Col 1:15, inasmuch as he was the "Only begotten" of the Father before any creature was produced. He is "the firstborn from the dead," Col 1:18, because he is the beginning, and the author of the resurrection of all who die in faith.
After the destroying angel had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians, God ordained that all the Jewish firstborn, both of men and of beasts for service, should be consecrated to him; but the male children only were subject to this law. If a man had several wives, he was obliged to offer the firstborn son by each one of them to the Lord. The firstborn were offered at the temple, and redeemed for five shekels. The firstling of a clean beast was offered at the temple, not to be redeemed, but to be killed; an unclean beast, a horse, an ass, or a camel, was either redeemed or exchanged; an ass was redeemed by a lamb or five shekels; if not redeemed, it was killed, Ex 13:2,11, etc. The firstborn son among the Hebrews, as among all other nations, enjoyed particular privileges. See BIRTHRIGHT.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Sanctify all the first-born to Me, whatever opens the womb among the sons of Israel, of man and of beast. It is Mine.
And it will be, when Jehovah shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you,
For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
who is the image of the invisible God, the First-born of all creation.
And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things.
being made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He say at any time, "You are My Son, this day I have begotten You?" And again, "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?" read more. And again, when He brings in the First-born into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him."
Fausets
(See BIRTHRIGHT.) Primogeniture gave princedom and priesthood in patriarchal times. So Esau and Jacob (Ge 25:23-33; Heb 12:16), Reuben (Ge 49:3; 1Ch 5:1). The oldest son in all Israelite families was regarded as sacred to God, because Israel's firstborn were exempted from the stroke which destroyed all the firstborn of Egypt on the first Passover night. The firstborn represented the whole people; Jehovah said to Pharaoh, "Israel is My son, My firstborn, and I say unto thee, Let My son go, that he may serve He; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, thy firstborn" (Ex 4:22-23). Israel, as Jehovah's firstborn, was designed to be a" kingdom of priests and an holy nation" (Ex 19:6).
It shall hereafter realize this high Calling in a degree that it has not yet realized it, standing as "the firstborn among many brethren" (like the antitypical Israel, Messiah, Ro 8:29; Heb 2:12), and priest among all nations, which in subordination to Jerusalem, the spiritual metropolis, shall be the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, then manifested (Isa 61:6; 66:21; Re 11:15; Zec 14:16; Jer 3:17). The tribe of Levi was substituted for all Israel's firstborn to minister to the Lord (Nu 3:12,45,50). There being 273 more of the firstborn in Israel than the males in Levi, the 273 were redeemed at five shekels apiece. Still, to mark the consecration of Israel to Jehovah, the redemption money was exacted for every firstborn (Nu 18:15). But the firstlings of cattle were to be offered to the Lord.
An donkey was however redeemed with a lamb, or else killed (Ex 13:13). Christ is the First-begotten. As such, He has the rights of primogeniture; for, as Heb 1:6 is in the Greek, "when God shall bring in again the First. begotten into the world, the shall be deemed worthy of not less honor, for "He saith (Ps 97:7), Let all the angels of God worship Him." His being "brought into the world" (oikoumenee, "the inhabited world"), as the theater of His power, mainly applies to His second advent. In (Col 1:16, "the Firstborn of every creature"; implying priority and superlative dignity. Ps 89:27, "My Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth," David's antitype, the Messiah.
See Col 1:16 (proototokos pasees ktiseoos, as Joh 1:15,30; 15:18, prootos mou, "long before Me"), "begotten long before every creature"; the reason why He is so designated follows, "for He is before all things." "First-begotten" marks at once His eternal priority and His condescending to brotherhood with us (Ro 8:29). "Only begotten" marks His relation to the Father by generation from everlasting. Since He is "long before every creature," He cannot be a creature Himself but the Creator. And as He is the first begotten, originating the natural creation, so He is "the firstborn (proototokos, 'first begotten,' Re 1:5) from ("out of", ek) the dead," and therefore "the Beginning" (Col 1:18) of "the church of the firstborn" (Heb 12:23), the originating Agent of the new creation.
He was "begotten" of the Father to a new life at His resurrection (the day when the Father fulfilled Ps 2:7 according to Ac 13:33; Ro 1:4) which is His "regeneration"; so He is "the Prince-leader (archeegos) of life." "Regeneration," begun in the soul now, will extend to the body at the resurrection of the saints; and to nature, now groaning under the curse (Mt 19:28; Lu 20:36; 1Jo 3:2; Ro 8:11,19,23). As He is "the firstborn" in relation to the election church, so it is "the church of the firstborn," "a kind of first-fruits of His creatures" (Jas 1:18), in relation to the millennial church, and to the hereafter to be regenerated natural creation. As Christ is "the firstfruits," earnest and pledge of the coming resurrection, so believers are "a kind of first-fruits," a pledge and earnest of the ultimate regeneration of creation.
As He is first begotten by generation from everlasting, so believers by adoptions, "begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible," etc. (1Pe 1:3.) As Israel, on the ground of being God's "firstborn," was a king-priestly nation, so believers (Re 1:6). The figurative phrase, "the firstborn of death," means the deadliest disease that death (personified) ever gendered (Job 18:13). "The firstborn of the poor," the poorest.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jehovah said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two kinds of people shall be separated from your bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other people, the older shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, twins were in her womb! read more. And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment. And they called his name Esau. And after that his brother came out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel. And his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. And the boys grew. And Esau was a man knowing hunting, and Jacob was a simple man, living in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, for game was in his mouth. But Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob boiled soup. And Esau came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, I beg you, Let me eat of the red, this red soup, for I am faint. Therefore his name was called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright today. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what profit shall this birthright be to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.
Reuben, you are my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My first-born. And I say to you, Let My son go, that he may serve Me. And if you refuse to let him go, behold, I am going to kill your son, your first-born.
And every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the sons of Israel.
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born that open the womb from the sons of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine.
Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be Mine. I am Jehovah.
He took the silver from the first-born of the sons of Israel: one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Everything that opens the womb in all flesh, which they bring to Jehovah, of men or animals, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the first-born of man you shall surely redeem, and the first-born of unclean animals you shall redeem.
It shall devour the parts of his skin; the first-born of death consumes his parts.
I will declare the decree of Jehovah. He has said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You.
All those who serve graven images are ashamed, those who boast themselves in idols; all gods bow down before Him.
But you will be named the priests of Jehovah; it will be said of you, Ministers of our God; you will eat the riches of the nations, and you will revel in their glory.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem. Nor shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
And it shall be, everyone who is left of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of Hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels, and are the sons of God, being the sons of the resurrection.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I spoke: He who comes after me has been before me, for He was preceding me.
This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man who has been before me, for He preceded me.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
this God has fulfilled to us their children, raising up Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, "You are My Son, this day I have begotten You."
who was marked out the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead;
But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you.
For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him.
For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him.
And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things.
And again, when He brings in the First-born into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him."
saying, "I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
(lest there be any fornicator, or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Of His own will He brought us forth with the Word of truth, for us to be a certain firstfruit of His creatures.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.
Hastings
1. The dedication of the firstborn of men and beasts was probably a primitive nomadic custom, and therefore earlier than the offering of first-fruits, which could not arise until the Israelites had settled into agricultural life in Canaan. The origin of the belief that a peculiar value attached to the firstborn cannot be definitely traced; but it would be a natural inference that what was valuable to the parent would be valuable to his God. And thus the word 'firstborn' could be used figuratively of Israel as the firstborn of Jahweh among the nations (Ex 4:22, cf. Jer 31:9), and the seed of David among dynasties (Ps 89:28). The law of the dedication of the firstborn is found in Jewish Encyclopedia (Ex 13:11-16; 22:29 b, Ex 22:30; 34:19 f.), Deuteronomist (De 15:19-23), Priestly Narrative (Ex 13:1 f., Nu 3:11-13,40-51; 18:15-18). It is not impossible that in very primitive times firstborn sons were sometimes actually sacrificed (cf. 2Ki 3:27; Mic 6:7), but the practice would soon grow up of 'redeeming' them by money or payments in kind.
2. The firstborn (bekh
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And she said to Abraham, Cast out this slave woman and her son. For the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son, with Isaac.
And Jehovah said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two kinds of people shall be separated from your bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other people, the older shall serve the younger.
And Jacob boiled soup. And Esau came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, I beg you, Let me eat of the red, this red soup, for I am faint. Therefore his name was called Edom. read more. And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright today. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what profit shall this birthright be to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and soup of lentils. And he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. And Esau despised his birthright.
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left, and Manasseh in his left toward Israel's right hand. And he brought them near to him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands. For Manasseh was the first-born. read more. And he blessed Joseph and said, May God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who fed me all my life to this day, the Angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads. And let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow like the fishes into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it was evil in his eyes. And he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father. For this is the first-born. Put your right hand on his head. And his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great, but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he is, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In you shall Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Reuben, you are my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My first-born.
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My first-born.
And Moses said, You must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, so that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God.
And Moses said, Thus says Jehovah: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt. And all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even to the first-born of the slave-girl that is behind the mill; also the first-born of beasts. read more. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the sons of Israel not even a dog shall move his tongue, against man or beast, so that you may know that Jehovah puts a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these, your servants, shall come down to me and bow themselves down to me, saying, You and all the people that follow you get out. And after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am Jehovah.
For Jehovah will pass through to strike the Egyptians. And when He sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.
Then you shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah's passover, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our houses. And the people bowed and worshiped.
And it happened at midnight Jehovah struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive that was in the prison; also all the first-born of cattle.
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you, nor shall there be leaven seen with you in all your borders.
And it will be, when Jehovah shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you,
And it will be, when Jehovah shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you, you shall set apart to Jehovah every one that opens the womb, and every first-born that comes of any animal which you have; the males shall be Jehovah's.
you shall set apart to Jehovah every one that opens the womb, and every first-born that comes of any animal which you have; the males shall be Jehovah's. And every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.
And every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem. And it shall be when your sons asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? you shall say to him, Jehovah brought us out of Egypt by the strength of His hand, from the house of bondage. read more. And it happened when Pharaoh hardened himself against sending us, Jehovah killed all the first-born of the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that opens the womb, that are males. But all the first-born of my sons I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes. For Jehovah brought us out from Egypt by strength of His hand.
You shall not delay giving the fullness of your crops and juices of your vintage. You shall give the first-born of your sons to Me. Likewise you shall do with your oxen and with your sheep; it shall be with its dam seven days. On the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
All that opens the womb is Mine; and all your male livestock, a firstling of ox or sheep.
so that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born that open the womb from the sons of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine. read more. Because all the first-born are Mine. On the day that I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt I set apart to Myself all the first-born in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be Mine. I am Jehovah.
And Jehovah said to Moses, Number all the first-born of the males of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. You shall take the Levites for Me, I am Jehovah, in the place of all the first-born among the sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the sons of Israel. read more. And as Jehovah commanded him, Moses numbered all the first-born among the sons of Israel. And all the first-born males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be Mine. I am Jehovah. And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the sons of Israel, who are more than the Levites, you shall even take five shekels each by the head, according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take. (The shekel is twenty gerahs.) And you shall give to Aaron, and to his sons, the silver of the redeemed left over among them. And Moses took the redemption silver from those who were over and above the ones who were redeemed by the Levites. He took the silver from the first-born of the sons of Israel: one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. And Moses gave the silver from those who were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
Everything that opens the womb in all flesh, which they bring to Jehovah, of men or animals, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the first-born of man you shall surely redeem, and the first-born of unclean animals you shall redeem. And those that are to be redeemed from a month old you shall redeem, according to your judgment for the silver of five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. read more. But the first-born of a cow, or the first-born of a sheep, or the first-born of a goat, you shall not redeem. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shall burn their fat, an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to Jehovah. And their flesh shall be yours, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are yours.
All the first-born males that come from your herd and from your flock, you shall set apart to Jehovah your God. You shall do no work with the first-born of your bull, nor shear the first-born of your sheep.
All the first-born males that come from your herd and from your flock, you shall set apart to Jehovah your God. You shall do no work with the first-born of your bull, nor shear the first-born of your sheep. You shall eat before Jehovah your God year by year in the place which Jehovah shall choose, you and your household. read more. And if there is a blemish in it, lame, or blindness, or any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to Jehovah your God. You shall eat it inside your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. Only you shall not eat the blood of it. You shall pour it on the ground like water.
Observe the month Abib, and keep the Passover to Jehovah your God. For in the month of Abib, Jehovah your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night. And you shall therefore sacrifice the Passover to Jehovah your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which Jehovah shall choose to place His name there. read more. You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction, for you came forth out of the land of Egypt in haste, so that you may remember the day that you came forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you in all your borders for seven days. Nor shall any of the flesh which you sacrificed in the first day at evening remain all night until the morning. You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates, which Jehovah your God gives you, but at the place which Jehovah your God shall choose to place His name in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going of the sun, at the time that you came out of Egypt. And you shall roast and eat in the place which Jehovah your God shall choose. And in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents. Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. And on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to Jehovah your God. You shall do no work.
If a man has two wives, one beloved and another hated, and they have borne him sons, the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son was of her that was hated, then it shall be in the day when he makes his sons to inherit what he has, he may not cause to inherit the son of the beloved first-born before the son of the hated one, he who is truly the first-born. read more. But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the first-born is his.
But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the first-born is his.
If brothers live together, and one of them dies and has no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry outside to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as a wife for himself, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. And it shall be, the first-born whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his dead brother, so that his name may not be put out of Israel. read more. And if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up a name in Israel to his brother. He will not perform my levirate. Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. And if he stands and says, I do not desire to take her, then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of his elders, and take off his shoe from his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done to that man who will not build up his brother's house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe taken off.
And he took his oldest son, who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there was great anger against Israel. And they left him, and returned to the land.
And the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but since he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and the genealogy is not to be counted according to the birthright;
Also to Hosah, of the sons of Merari, were sons: Simri was the chief (though not the first-born, yet his father made him the chief),
And their father gave them great gifts of silver and of gold and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah. But the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the first-born.
and struck all the first-born in Egypt, the first of the strong in the tents of Ham;
I will keep My mercy for him forever, and My covenant shall stand fast with him.
He also struck all the first-born in their land, the chief of all their strength.
He who struck the first-born of Egypt, both of man and animal;
To Him who struck Egypt in their first-born; for His mercy endures forever;
They shall come with weeping, and with prayers I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way; they shall not stumble in it, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.
Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
who is the image of the invisible God, the First-born of all creation.
And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things.
And again, when He brings in the First-born into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him."
Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest He who destroyed the first-born should touch them.
to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Smith
First-born.
Under the law, in memory of the exodus (when the first-born of the Egyptians were slain), the eldest son was regarded as devoted to God, and was in very case to be redeemed by an offering not exceeding five shekels, within one month from birth. If he died before the expiration of thirty days, the Jewish doctors held the father excused, but liable to the payment if he outlived that time.
The eldest son received a double portion of the father's inheritance,
De 21:17
but not of the mother's. Under the monarchy the eldest son usually, but no always, as appears in the case of Solomon, succeeded his father in the kingdom.
The male first-born of animals was also devoted to God.
Ex 13:2,12-13; 22:29; 34:19-20
Unclean animals were to be redeemed with the addition of one-fifth of the value, or else put to death; or, if not redeemed, to be sold, and the price given to the priests.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Sanctify all the first-born to Me, whatever opens the womb among the sons of Israel, of man and of beast. It is Mine.
you shall set apart to Jehovah every one that opens the womb, and every first-born that comes of any animal which you have; the males shall be Jehovah's.
you shall set apart to Jehovah every one that opens the womb, and every first-born that comes of any animal which you have; the males shall be Jehovah's. And every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem.
And every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem. And it shall be when your sons asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? you shall say to him, Jehovah brought us out of Egypt by the strength of His hand, from the house of bondage. read more. And it happened when Pharaoh hardened himself against sending us, Jehovah killed all the first-born of the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that opens the womb, that are males. But all the first-born of my sons I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes. For Jehovah brought us out from Egypt by strength of His hand.
You shall not delay giving the fullness of your crops and juices of your vintage. You shall give the first-born of your sons to Me.
All that opens the womb is Mine; and all your male livestock, a firstling of ox or sheep. But the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the first-born of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty.
And if from a month old to five years old, then your judgment shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female your judgment shall be three shekels of silver.
But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part of it to what you judged.
And if it is of an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it to it. Or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your estimation. However, no devoted thing that a man shall devote to Jehovah of all that he has, either of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed. Every devoted thing is most holy to Jehovah.
But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the first-born is his.
surely as I swore to you by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place, even so I will do today.