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 cometh to pass in Israel's dwelling in that land, that Reuben goeth, and lieth with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heareth.
Reuben! my first-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength; Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!
'And it hath been, when Jehovah bringeth thee in unto the land of the Canaanite, as He hath sworn to thee and to thy fathers, and hath given it to thee, that thou hast caused every one opening a womb to pass over to Jehovah, and every firstling -- the increase of beasts which thou hast: the males are Jehovah's. read more. And every firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb, and if thou dost not ransom it, then thou hast beheaded it: and every first-born of man among thy sons thou dost ransom. And it hath been, when thy son asketh thee hereafter, saying, What is this? that thou hast said unto him, By strength of hand hath Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from a house of servants; yea, it cometh to pass, when Pharaoh hath been pained to send us away, that Jehovah doth slay every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of man even unto the first-born of beast; therefore I am sacrificing to Jehovah all opening a womb who are males, and every first-born of my sons I ransom; and it hath been for a token on thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes, for by strength of hand hath Jehovah brought us out of Egypt.'
'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
'And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine; for Mine is every first-born, in the day of My smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I have sanctified to Myself every first-born in Israel, from man unto beast; Mine they are; I am Jehovah.'
and I take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel:
'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one; then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born. read more. But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is the first-born.
because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren;
And himself is the head of the body -- the assembly -- who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all things -- himself -- first,
in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages; who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might -- through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest, read more. having become so much better than the messengers, as he did inherit a more excellent name than they. For to which of the messengers said He ever, 'My Son thou art -- I to-day have begotten thee?' and again, 'I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son?' and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, 'And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;'
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 saith, 'Swear to me to-day:' and he sweareth to him, and selleth his birthright to Jacob;
Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!
'And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine; for Mine is every first-born, in the day of My smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I have sanctified to Myself every first-born in Israel, from man unto beast; Mine they are; I am Jehovah.'
and I take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel:
'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one; then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born. read more. But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is the first-born.
because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren;
And himself is the head of the body -- the assembly -- who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all things -- himself -- first,
having become so much better than the messengers, as he did inherit a more excellent name than they. For to which of the messengers said He ever, 'My Son thou art -- I to-day have begotten thee?' and again, 'I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son?' read more. and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, 'And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;'
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 saith, 'Swear to me to-day:' and he sweareth to him, and selleth his birthright to Jacob;
and Jacob saith, 'Swear to me to-day:' and he sweareth to him, and selleth his birthright to Jacob;
And now, thy two sons, who are born to thee in the land of Egypt, before my coming unto thee to Egypt, mine they are; Ephraim and Manasseh, as Reuben and Simeon they are mine;
And now, thy two sons, who are born to thee in the land of Egypt, before my coming unto thee to Egypt, mine they are; Ephraim and Manasseh, as Reuben and Simeon they are mine; and thy family which thou hast begotten after them are thine; by the name of their brethren they are called in their inheritance.
and thy family which thou hast begotten after them are thine; by the name of their brethren they are called in their inheritance.
and I -- I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I have taken out of the hand of the Amorite by my sword and by my bow.'
and I -- I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I have taken out of the hand of the Amorite by my sword and by my bow.'
Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!
Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!
and thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born is Israel,
and thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born is Israel,
'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
'And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine;
'And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine; for Mine is every first-born, in the day of My smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I have sanctified to Myself every first-born in Israel, from man unto beast; Mine they are; I am Jehovah.'
for Mine is every first-born, in the day of My smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I have sanctified to Myself every first-born in Israel, from man unto beast; Mine they are; I am Jehovah.'
and the princes of Israel (heads of the house of their fathers, they are princes of the tribes, they who are standing over those numbered) bring near,
and the princes of Israel (heads of the house of their fathers, they are princes of the tribes, they who are standing over those numbered) bring near,
And Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, taketh both 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, taketh both Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, and they rise up before Moses, with men of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty, princes of the company, called of the convention, men of name,
and they rise up before Moses, with men of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty, princes of the company, called of the convention, men of name,
A well -- digged it have princes, Prepared it have nobles of the people, With the lawgiver, with their staves.' And from the wilderness they journeyed to Mattanah,
A well -- digged it have princes, Prepared it have nobles of the people, With the lawgiver, with their staves.' And from the wilderness they journeyed to Mattanah,
Reuben, first-born of Israel -- sons of Reuben: of Hanoch is the family of the Hanochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite;
Reuben, first-born of Israel -- sons of Reuben: of Hanoch is the family of the Hanochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite; of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite.
of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite. These are families of the Reubenite, and their numbered ones are three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
These are families of the Reubenite, and their numbered ones are three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the son of Pallu is Eliab;
And the son of Pallu is Eliab; and the sons of Eliab are Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram; this is that Dathan and Abiram, called ones of the company, who have striven against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah,
and the sons of Eliab are Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram; this is that Dathan and Abiram, called ones of the company, who have striven against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah,
'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one;
'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one; then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born.
then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born. But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
And he saith, 'Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his;
And he saith, 'Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his;
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is the first-born.
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is the first-born.
who -- not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but -- of God were begotten.
who -- not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but -- of God were begotten.
because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren;
because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren;
and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, 'And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;'
and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, 'And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;'
lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright,
lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright, for ye know that also afterwards, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was disapproved of, for a place of reformation he found not, though with tears having sought it.
for ye know that also afterwards, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was disapproved of, for a place of reformation he found not, though with tears having sought it.
to the company and assembly of the first-born in heaven enrolled, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,
to the company and assembly of the first-born in heaven enrolled, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,
having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
And I saw, and lo, a Lamb having stood upon the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousands, having the name of his Father written upon their foreheads;
And I saw, and lo, a Lamb having stood upon the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousands, having the name of his Father written upon their foreheads; and I heard a voice out of the heaven, as a voice of many waters, and as a voice of great thunder, and a voice I heard of harpers harping with their harps,
and I heard a voice out of the heaven, as a voice of many waters, and as a voice of great thunder, and a voice I heard of harpers harping with their harps, and they sing, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the hundred forty-four thousands, who have been bought from the earth;
and they sing, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the hundred forty-four thousands, who have been bought from the earth; these are they who with women were not defiled, for they are virgin; these are they who are following the Lamb whithersoever he may go; these were bought from among men -- a first-fruit to God and to the Lamb --
these are they who with women were not defiled, for they are virgin; these are they who are following the Lamb whithersoever he may go; these were bought from among men -- 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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and the princes of Israel (heads of the house of their fathers, they are princes of the tribes, they who are standing over those numbered) bring near,
A well -- digged it have princes, Prepared it have nobles of the people, With the lawgiver, with their staves.' And from the wilderness they journeyed to Mattanah,
And the name of the man of Israel who is smitten, who hath been smitten with the Midianitess, is Zimri son of Salu, prince of the house of a father of the Simeonite;
then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born. But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is 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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Is there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.'
And Jehovah appeareth unto Abram, and saith, 'To thy seed I give this land;' and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, who hath appeared unto him. And he removeth from thence towards a mountain at the east of Beth-El, and stretcheth out the tent (Beth-El at the west, and Hai at the east), and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah.
And Abram tenteth, and cometh, and dwelleth among the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and buildeth there an altar to Jehovah.
'And I have established My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed after thee, to their generations, for a covenant age-during, to become God to thee, and to thy seed after thee;
and he buildeth there an altar, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah, and stretcheth out there his tent, and there Isaac's servants dig a well.
And Jacob sacrificeth a sacrifice in the mount, and calleth to his brethren to eat bread, and they eat bread, and lodge in the mount;
and he buildeth there an altar, and proclaimeth at the place the God of Bethel: for there had God been revealed unto him, in his fleeing from the face of his brother.
And Jacob calleth unto his sons and saith, 'Be gathered together, and I declare to you that which doth happen with you in the latter end of the days.
Reuben! my first-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength;
Reuben! my first-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength;
'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
and their father giveth to them many gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram, for He is the first-born.
and it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings -- the number of them all -- for Job said, 'Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.