Reference: Birthright
American
The privilege of the firstborn son. Among the Hebrews, as indeed among most other nations, the firstborn enjoyed particular privileges; and wherever polygamy was tolerated, it was highly necessary to fix them, De 21:15-17. Besides the father's chief blessing, Ge 27, and various minor advantages, the firstborn son was, first, specially consecrated to the Lord,
Ex 13:11-16; 22:29; and the firstborn son of a priest succeeded his father in the priestly office. Among the sons of Jacob, Reuben the firstborn forfeited the right of the firstborn, Ge 35:22; 49:3-4, and God gave it to Levi, Nu 3:12-13; 8:18. Secondly, the firstborn was entitled to a share of his father's estate twice as large as any of the other brethren received, De 21:17. Thirdly, he succeeded to the official dignities and rights of his father, 2Ch 21:3. In some of these privileges there is an allusion to Him, who is "the firstborn among many brethren," Ro 8:29; Col 1:18; Heb 1:2-6. Universal dominion is his, and an everlasting priesthood.
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And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Reuben, thou are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power. Boiling over as water, thou shall not have the pre-eminence, because thou went up to thy father's bed, then thou defiled it; he went up to my couch.
And it shall be, when LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it to thee, that thou shall set apart to LORD all that opens the womb. And every firstling which thou have that comes of a beast, the males shall be LORD's. read more. And every firstling of a donkey thou shall redeem with a lamb, and if thou will not redeem it, then thou shall break its neck. And all the first-born of man among thy sons thou shall redeem. And it shall be, when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shall say to him, By strength of hand LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that LORD slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to LORD all that opens the womb, being And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes, for by strength of hand LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
Thou shall not delay to offer from thy harvest, and from the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons thou shall give to me.
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. And the Levites shall be mine, for all the first-born are mine. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be mine. I am LORD.
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other regarded inferior, and they have borne him sons, both the beloved and the one regarded inferior, and if the first-born son be hers who was regarded inferior, then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born. read more. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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 first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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.
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.
Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be of similar nature of the form of his Son, in order for him to be the firstborn son among many brothers.
And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become preeminent in all things.
whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the ages. Who, being the radiance of his glory, and the exact image of his essence, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having made purification of our sins through himself, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in the read more. Having become so much better than the heavenly agents, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the heavenly agents did he ever say, Thou are my Son, today I have begotten thee? And again, I will be to him for a Father, and he will be to me for a Son? And again when he brings the firstborn into the world he says, And let all the agents of God worship him.
Easton
(1.) This word denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family. Thus Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him. That honour was, however, transferred by God from Reuben to Levi (Nu 3:12-13; 8:18).
(2.) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the paternal inheritance (De 21:15-17). Reuben was, because of his undutiful conduct, deprived of his birth-right (Ge 49:4; 1Ch 5:1). Esau transferred his birth-right to Jacob (Ge 25:33).
(3.) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be (2Ch 21:3). By divine appointment, however, David excluded Adonijah in favour of Solomon.
(4.) The Jews attached a sacred importance to the rank of "first-born" and "first-begotten" as applied to the Messiah (Ro 8:29; Col 1:18; Heb 1:4-6). As first-born he has an inheritance superior to his brethren, and is the alone true priest.
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And Jacob said, Swear to me first. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.
Boiling over as water, thou shall not have the pre-eminence, because thou went up to thy father's bed, then thou defiled it; he went up to my couch.
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. And the Levites shall be mine, for all the first-born are mine. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be mine. I am LORD.
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other regarded inferior, and they have borne him sons, both the beloved and the one regarded inferior, and if the first-born son be hers who was regarded inferior, then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born. read more. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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.
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.
Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be of similar nature of the form of his Son, in order for him to be the firstborn son among many brothers.
And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become preeminent in all things.
Having become so much better than the heavenly agents, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the heavenly agents did he ever say, Thou are my Son, today I have begotten thee? And again, I will be to him for a Father, and he will be to me for a Son? read more. And again when he brings the firstborn into the world he says, And let all the agents of God worship him.
Fausets
A double portion fell to the firstborn, compare De 21:15-17, whence Joseph's two sons, who received the birthright forfeited by Reuben the firstborn, were counted as heads of the tribes Ephraim and Manasseh (Ge 48:5-6,22; 49:4; 1Ch 5:1). The "princes" of the congregation were so probably by primogeniture (Nu 7:2; 21:18). The rebellion of the Reubenite leaders, Dathan and Abiram, may have arisen through jealousy at the preeminence which others enjoyed above them, Reuben their first father baring had originally the primogeniture; compare Nu 16:1-2, with Nu 26:5-9. Esau transferred his birthright to Jacob for a paltry mess of pottage, profanely setting at nought what was the spiritual privilege connected with it, the being progenitor of the promised Messiah (Ge 25:33; Heb 12:16-17).
It is striking how often God set aside the birthright, in order to show that the objects of His choice are "born not of bloods (Greek natural descents), nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Joh 1:13).Thus Isaac is preferred to Ishmael, Jacob to Esau, Joseph to Reuben, David to his elder brothers. Solomon to Adonijah the elder of the two (1Ki 2:15). Ordinarily the firstborn inherited the throne (2Ch 21:3), typifying Messiah the "first begotten" of the Father, "the Firstborn among many brethren," and Heir of all things (Ro 8:29; Heb 1:6). All the firstborn of Israel were claimed by Jehovah as His, He having saved them when Egypt's firstborn were slain (Ex 22:29). He allowed them to be redeemed, and the tribe of Levi to serve Him in their stead (Nu 3:12-13). The whole nation was God's firstborn among all the peoples (Ex 4:22). The spiritual Israel in a still higher sense is "the church of the first born written in heaven" (enrolled as its citizens in the book of life) (Heb 12:23; Jas 1:18; Re 14:1-4).
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And Jacob said, Swear to me first. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.
And Jacob said, Swear to me first. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.
And now thy two sons, who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came to thee into Egypt, are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine.
And now thy two sons, who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came to thee into Egypt, are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine. And thy issue, which thou beget after them, shall be thine, they shall be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
And thy issue, which thou beget after them, shall be thine, they shall be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Boiling over as water, thou shall not have the pre-eminence, because thou went up to thy father's bed, then thou defiled it; he went up to my couch.
Boiling over as water, thou shall not have the pre-eminence, because thou went up to thy father's bed, then thou defiled it; he went up to my couch.
And thou shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says LORD, Israel is my son, my first-born,
And thou shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says LORD, Israel is my son, my first-born,
Thou shall not delay to offer from thy harvest, and from the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons thou shall give to me.
Thou shall not delay to offer from thy harvest, and from the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons thou shall give to me.
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. And the Levites shall be mine,
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the first-born who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. And the Levites shall be mine, for all the first-born are mine. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be mine. I am LORD.
for all the first-born are mine. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be mine. I am LORD.
that the rulers of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered. These were the rulers of the tribes. These are those who were over those who were numbered.
that the rulers of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered. These were the rulers of the tribes. These are those who were over those who were numbered.
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took,
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took, and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty rulers of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown,
and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty rulers of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown,
the well, which the rulers dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, [and] with their staves. And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah,
the well, which the rulers dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, [and] with their staves. And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah,
Reuben, the first-born of Israel. The sons of Reuben: [of] Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
Reuben, the first-born of Israel. The sons of Reuben: [of] Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. These are the families of the Reubenites. And those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
These are the families of the Reubenites. And those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.
And the sons of Pallu: Eliab. And the sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were renown men of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they strove against LORD,
And the sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were renown men of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they strove against LORD,
If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other regarded inferior, and they have borne him sons, both the beloved and the one regarded inferior, and if the first-born son be hers who was regarded inferior,
If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other regarded inferior, and they have borne him sons, both the beloved and the one regarded inferior, and if the first-born son be hers who was regarded inferior, then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born.
then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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 first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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.
And he said, Thou know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned about, and has become my brother's, for it was his from LORD.
And he said, Thou know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned about, and has become my brother's, for it was his from LORD.
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 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.
who were begotten, not from blood, nor from a will of flesh, nor from a will of man, but from God.
who were begotten, not from blood, nor from a will of flesh, nor from a will of man, but from God.
Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be of similar nature of the form of his Son, in order for him to be the firstborn son among many brothers.
Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be of similar nature of the form of his Son, in order for him to be the firstborn son among many brothers.
And again when he brings the firstborn into the world he says, And let all the agents of God worship him.
And again when he brings the firstborn into the world he says, And let all the agents of God worship him.
lest a fornicator or profane man like Esau, who, in place of one meal sold his birthright.
lest a fornicator or profane man like Esau, who, in place of one meal sold his birthright. For ye also know that wanting afterward to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though having sought it with tears.
For ye also know that wanting afterward to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though having sought it with tears.
to a festal gathering and assembly of firstborn sons who were enrolled in the heavens, and to God, a Judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men who were made fully perfect,
to a festal gathering and assembly of firstborn sons who were enrolled in the heavens, and to God, a Judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men who were made fully perfect,
Having deliberated, he begot us by the word of truth for us to be a certain first fruit of his creatures.
Having deliberated, he begot us by the word of truth for us to be a certain first fruit of his creatures.
And I looked, and lo, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with it a number, a hundred and forty-four thousand, having its name and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.
And I looked, and lo, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with it a number, a hundred and forty-four thousand, having its name and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven as a sound of many waters, and as a sound of great thunder. And the voice that I heard was as of harpers harping with their harps.
And I heard a sound from heaven as a sound of many waters, and as a sound of great thunder. And the voice that I heard was as of harpers harping with their harps. And they sing a new song before the throne, and before the four beings and the elders. And none could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand, those who have been redeemed from the earth.
And they sing a new song before the throne, and before the four beings and the elders. And none could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand, those who have been redeemed from the earth. These are men who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were out of men purchased by Jesus, a first fruit to God and to the Lamb.
These are men who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were out of men purchased by Jesus, a first fruit to God and to the Lamb.
Hastings
Smith
the advantages accruing to the eldest son. These were not definitely fixed in patriarchal times. Great respect was paid to him in the household, and, as the family widened into a tribe, this grew into a sustained authority, undefined save by custom, in all matters of common interest. Thus the "princes" of the congregation had probably rights of primogeniture.
(Gradually the rights of the eldest son came to be more definite: (1) The functions of the priesthood in the family with the paternal blessing. (2) A "double portion" of the paternal property was allotted by the Mosaic law.
De 21:16-17
(3) The eldest son succeeded to the official authority of the father. The first-born of the king was his successor by law.
In all these Jesus was the first-born of the father.
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that the rulers of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered. These were the rulers of the tribes. These are those who were over those who were numbered.
the well, which the rulers dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, [and] with their staves. And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah,
Now the name of the man of Israel who was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a ruler of a fathers' house among the Simeonites.
then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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.
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.
Watsons
BIRTHRIGHT, or PRIMOGENITURE, the right of the first-born or eldest son. The birthright, or right of primogeniture, had many privileges annexed to it. The first-born was consecrated to the Lord, Ex 22:29; had a double portion of the estate allotted him, De 21:17; had a dignity and authority over his brethren, Ge 49:3; succeeded in the government of the family or kingdom, 2Ch 21:3; and, as some with good reason suppose, in ancient times to the priesthood or chief government in matters, ecclesiastical. Jacob, having bought Esau's birthright, acquired a title to the particular blessing of his dying father; and, accordingly, he had consigned to him the privilege of the covenant which God made with Abraham, that from his loins the Messiah should spring; a prerogative which descended to his posterity. Reuben forfeited the blessings of his birthright, as we see by the express declaration of his father Jacob, in his benediction of his children, Ge 49:1, &c, for the crime of incest with his father's concubine, on account of which his tribe continued all along in obscurity; while the priesthood was conferred on Levi, the government on Judah, and the double portion on Joseph, to descend to their respective tribes. And this preeminence of the first born took place from the beginning, and as much belonged to Cain, before his forfeiture of it, as it did to Reuben before his. See Ge 4:7; 49:3. Thus the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, offered sacrifices, and were priests as well as kings in their respective families, Ge 12:7-8; 13:18; 17:7; 26:25; 31:54; 35:7. Job, in Arabia, acted in the same capacity, Job 1:5; and it is highly probable that, among the ancient Heathen nations in general, the first-born were entitled not only to the civil authority, but also to the priesthood. This seems to have been the case in Egypt, in the time of Moses: and hence Jehovah's destroying their first- born, as it was the last miracle wrought in that country before the Exodus, so was it the most dreadful, and most effectual in prevailing on Pharaoh and the Egyptians to dismiss the Israelites.
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If thou do well, shall thou not be accepted? And if thou do not well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire shall be for thee, and thou shall rule over it.
And LORD appeared to Abram, and said, I will give this land to thy seed. And there he built an altar to LORD, who appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to LORD, and called upon the name of LORD.
And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to LORD.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee.
And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of LORD, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.
And Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brothers to eat bread. And they ate bread, and tarried all night on the mountain.
And he built there an altar, and called the place El-bethel, because God was revealed to him there, when he fled from the face of his brother.
And Jacob called to his sons, and said, gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days.
Reuben, thou are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
Reuben, thou are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
Thou shall not delay to offer from thy harvest, and from the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons thou shall give to me.
But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, 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.
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 it was so, when the days of their feasting were completed, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my so