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 will be in the dwelling of Israel in that land, and Reuben will go, and will lie with Bilhah, his father's concubine: and Israel will hear. And the sons of Jacob will be twelve.
Reuben, my first-born, thou my strength, and the beginning of my strength, the abundance of elevation, and the abundance of might Vain glorious as water, thou shalt not be preeminent; for thou didst go up out of thy father's. bed; then didst thou defile, going up to my couch.
And it was when Jehovah shall bring thee to the land of the Canaanites, as he sware to thee and to thy fathers, and he gave it to thee. And thou madest pass over all bursting open the womb, to Jehovah; and every one bursting forth young of the quadruped which shall be to thee; the males are to Jehovah. read more. And every first-born of the ass, thou shalt redeem with a sheep; and if thou shalt not redeem, thou shalt break his neck: and every first-born of man among thy sons thou shalt redeem. And it was when thy son shall ask thee to-morrow, saying, What this? and thou saidst to him, With strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt from the house of servants. And it shall be when Pharaoh was hard to send us forth, and Jehovah will kill every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of man to the firstborn of cattle; for this I sacrifice to Jehovah all bursting forth the womb, the males; and all the first-born of my sons I will redeem. And it was for a sign upon thy hand, and for bands between thine eyes: for with a strong hand Jehovah brought us forth from Egypt
Thy fulness and thy tears thou shalt not delay: the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.
And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me. For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
And I will take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
When there shall be to a man two wives, the one loved and the one hated, and they bare sons to him, the loved and the hated, and the first-born son was to her being hated: And it was in the day of his causing his sons to inherit what shall be to him, he shall, not be able to make the son of the loved first-born before the son of the hated, the first-born: read more. But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
And their father will give to them many gifts to silver and to gold, and to precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: and he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he was the first-born.
For whom he before knew, he also before determined of the form of the image of his Son, for him to be first born in many brethren.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that he might be the first in all
At these last days spake to us in the Son, whom he set heir of all things, by whom also he made the times; Who being the brightness of glory, and the figure of his foundation, and bearing all things by the word of his power, having made by himself the purification of our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty among the highest ones; read more. Being so much better than the angels, inasmuch as he has inherited a more distinguished name than they. For to which of the angels once said he, Thou art my Son, I have this day begotten thee? And again, I will be to him for Father, and he shall be to me for Son? And when again he should bring in the firstborn to the habitable globe, he says, And let all the angels 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 will say, Swear to me this day: and he will swear to him: and he will sell his birth-right to Jacob.
Vain glorious as water, thou shalt not be preeminent; for thou didst go up out of thy father's. bed; then didst thou defile, going up to my couch.
And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me. For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
And I will take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
When there shall be to a man two wives, the one loved and the one hated, and they bare sons to him, the loved and the hated, and the first-born son was to her being hated: And it was in the day of his causing his sons to inherit what shall be to him, he shall, not be able to make the son of the loved first-born before the son of the hated, the first-born: read more. But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
And their father will give to them many gifts to silver and to gold, and to precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: and he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he was the first-born.
For whom he before knew, he also before determined of the form of the image of his Son, for him to be first born in many brethren.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that he might be the first in all
Being so much better than the angels, inasmuch as he has inherited a more distinguished name than they. For to which of the angels once said he, Thou art my Son, I have this day begotten thee? And again, I will be to him for Father, and he shall be to me for Son? read more. And when again he should bring in the firstborn to the habitable globe, he says, And let all the angels 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 will say, Swear to me this day: and he will swear to him: and he will sell his birth-right to Jacob.
And Jacob will say, Swear to me this day: and he will swear to him: and he will sell his birth-right to Jacob.
And now, thy two sons having been born to thee in the land of Egypt, before I came to thee to Egypt, they are to me: Ephraim and Manasseh shall be to me as Reuben and Simeon.
And now, thy two sons having been born to thee in the land of Egypt, before I came to thee to Egypt, they are to me: Ephraim and Manasseh shall be to me as Reuben and Simeon. And thy progeny which thou didst beget after them, shall be to thee; after the name of their brethren shall they be called in their inheritance.
And thy progeny which thou didst beget after them, shall be to thee; after the name of their brethren shall they be called in their inheritance.
And I gave to thee one shoulder over thy brethren, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
And I gave to thee one shoulder over thy brethren, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Vain glorious as water, thou shalt not be preeminent; for thou didst go up out of thy father's. bed; then didst thou defile, going up to my couch.
Vain glorious as water, thou shalt not be preeminent; for thou didst go up out of thy father's. bed; then didst thou defile, going up to my couch.
And say thou to Pharaoh, So said Jehovah, my first-born son is Israel.
And say thou to Pharaoh, So said Jehovah, my first-born son is Israel.
Thy fulness and thy tears thou shalt not delay: the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.
Thy fulness and thy tears thou shalt not delay: the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.
And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me.
And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me. For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
And the chiefs of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, will bring the chiefs of the tribes, they standing over those reviewed:
And the chiefs of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, will bring the chiefs of the tribes, they standing over those reviewed:
And Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, will take, and Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab; and On, son of Peleth, sons of Reuben;
And Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, will take, and Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab; and On, son of Peleth, sons of Reuben; And they will rise up before Moses, and men from the sons of Israel, fifty and two hundred chiefs of the assembly, called by appointment, and men of name:
And they will rise up before Moses, and men from the sons of Israel, fifty and two hundred chiefs of the assembly, called by appointment, and men of name:
The leaders dug it, the nobles of the people dug it, by cutting in by their props. And from the desert to Mattanah.
The leaders dug it, the nobles of the people dug it, by cutting in by their props. And from the desert to Mattanah.
Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, the families of the Hanochites: for Pallu, the families of the Palluites
Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, the families of the Hanochites: for Pallu, the families of the Palluites To Hezron, the families of the Hezronites; to Carmi, the families of the Carmites.
To Hezron, the families of the Hezronites; to Carmi, the families of the Carmites. These the families of the Reubenites; and they reviewed of them shall be three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
These the families of the Reubenites; and they reviewed of them shall be three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Pella Eliab.
And the sons of Pella Eliab. And the sons of Eliab: Nemnel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This the Dathan and Abiram called of the assembly, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the assembly of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah
And the sons of Eliab: Nemnel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This the Dathan and Abiram called of the assembly, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the assembly of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah
When there shall be to a man two wives, the one loved and the one hated, and they bare sons to him, the loved and the hated, and the first-born son was to her being hated:
When there shall be to a man two wives, the one loved and the one hated, and they bare sons to him, the loved and the hated, and the first-born son was to her being hated: And it was in the day of his causing his sons to inherit what shall be to him, he shall, not be able to make the son of the loved first-born before the son of the hated, the first-born:
And it was in the day of his causing his sons to inherit what shall be to him, he shall, not be able to make the son of the loved first-born before the son of the hated, the first-born: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
And he will say, Thou knewest that to me was the kingdom, and upon me all Israel set their faces for king: and the kingdom will turn about and be for my brother, for from Jehovah it was to him.
And he will say, Thou knewest that to me was the kingdom, and upon me all Israel set their faces for king: and the kingdom will turn about and be for my brother, for from Jehovah it was to him.
And their father will give to them many gifts to silver and to gold, and to precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: and he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he was the first-born.
And their father will give to them many gifts to silver and to gold, and to precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: and he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he was the first-born.
They were not born of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
They were not born of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
For whom he before knew, he also before determined of the form of the image of his Son, for him to be first born in many brethren.
For whom he before knew, he also before determined of the form of the image of his Son, for him to be first born in many brethren.
And when again he should bring in the firstborn to the habitable globe, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.
And when again he should bring in the firstborn to the habitable globe, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Lest any fornicator, or profane, as Esau, who for one act of' eating sold his primogeniture.
Lest any fornicator, or profane, as Esau, who for one act of' eating sold his primogeniture. For ye know also afterwards, wishing to inherit the praise, he was disapproved of: for he found no place for a change of mind, although having sought it with tears.
For ye know also afterwards, wishing to inherit the praise, he was disapproved of: for he found no place for a change of mind, although having sought it with tears.
To the assembly of people, and church of the firstborn, transcribed in the heavens, and to God the Judge of all, and. to the spirits of the just perfected,
To the assembly of people, and church of the firstborn, transcribed in the heavens, and to God the Judge of all, and. to the spirits of the just perfected,
Having willed he brought forth by the word of truth, for us to be some first fruit of his creatures.
Having willed he brought forth by the word of truth, for us to be some first fruit of his creatures.
And I saw, and, behold, a Lamb standing upon mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty-four thousand, having the name of his Father written in their foreheads.
And I saw, and, behold, a Lamb standing upon mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty-four thousand, having the name of his Father written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder: and I heard the voice of harp-players playing on their harps:
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder: and I heard the voice of harp-players playing on their harps: And they sing as a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders: and none could learn the song, except the hundred forty-four thousand, purchased from the earth.
And they sing as a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders: and none could learn the song, except the hundred forty-four thousand, purchased from the earth. There are they who were not contaminated by women; for they are virgins. These are they following the Lamb wherever he should lead. These were purchased from men, first fruits to God and the Lamb.
There are they who were not contaminated by women; for they are virgins. These are they following the Lamb wherever he should lead. These were purchased from men, first fruits to God and 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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And the chiefs of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, will bring the chiefs of the tribes, they standing over those reviewed:
The leaders dug it, the nobles of the people dug it, by cutting in by their props. And from the desert to Mattanah.
And the name of the man the Israelite being smitten, who was smitten with the Midianitess, Zimri, son of Salu, chief of the house of a father to the Simeonites.
And it was in the day of his causing his sons to inherit what shall be to him, he shall, not be able to make the son of the loved first-born before the son of the hated, the first-born: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of 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 shalt do well thou shalt be lifted up; and if thou shalt not do well, sin lies at the entrance; and to thee his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
And Jehovah shall be seen to Abram, and will say, To thy seed will I give this land, and he will build there an altar to Jehovah, being seen to him. And he will remove from thence to the mountain from the cast of the house of God, and shall stretch forth his tent; Bethel from the sea, and Hai from the east, and he shall build there an altar to Jehovah, and will call upon the name of Jehovah.
And Abram will pitch his tent, and will come and will dwell by the oaks of Mamra which is in Hebron, and he will build there an altar to Jehovah.
And I set up my covenant between me and between thee, and between thy seed after thee to their generations for a covenant of eternity; to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee.
And he will build an altar there, and will call on the name of Jehovah, and will stretch out there his tent: and there Isaak's servants will dig a well.
And Jacob will sacrifice a sacrifice upon the mount, and will call to his brethren to eat bread, and they will eat bread, and they will pass the night in the mount
And he will build there an altar, and will call the place, God, the house of God; for there God appeared to him in his fleeing from the face of his brother.
And Jacob will call to his sons, and will say, Be ye gathered together, and I will announce to you what shall happen to you in the last part of the days.
Reuben, my first-born, thou my strength, and the beginning of my strength, the abundance of elevation, and the abundance of might
Reuben, my first-born, thou my strength, and the beginning of my strength, the abundance of elevation, and the abundance of might
Thy fulness and thy tears thou shalt not delay: the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.
But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, the first-born, to give to him the portion of two in all that shall be found to him; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the judgment of the first-born.
And their father will give to them many gifts to silver and to gold, and to precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: and he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he was the first-born.
And it will be that the days of drinking went round, and Job will send and consecrate them, and he rose early in the morning and brought up burnt-offerings for the number of them all: for Job said, Perhaps my sons sinned, and blessed God in their hearts. Thus did Job all the days.