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.
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"Consecrate to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the {Israelites}, among humans and among domestic animals; {it belongs to me}."
"And when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your ancestors, and he gives it to you,
I will also make him [the] firstborn, [the] highest of [the] kings of [the] earth.
because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,
and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything,
having become by so much better than the angels, by as much as he has inherited a more excellent name than theirs. For to which of the angels did he ever say, "You are my son, today I have begotten you," and again, "I will be {his father}, and he will be {my son}"? read more. And again, when he brings the firstborn 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 Yahweh said to her, "Two nations [are] in your womb, and two peoples {from birth} shall be divided. And {one people shall be stronger than the other}. And [the] elder shall serve [the] younger." And when her days to give birth were completed, then--behold--twins [were] in her womb. read more. And the first came out red, all {his body} [was] like a hairy coat, so they called his name Esau. And afterward his brother came out, and his hand grasped the heel of Esau, so his name was called Jacob. And Isaac {was sixty years old} at their birth. And the boys grew up. And Esau [was] a skilled hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob [was] a peaceful man, living [in] tents. And Isaac loved Esau because {he could eat of his game}, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once Jacob cooked a thick stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Give me {some of that red stuff} to gulp down, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom). Then Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright {first}." And Esau said, "Look, I am going to die; now what [is] this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me {first}." And he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Reuben, you [are] my firstborn, my strength, and the firstfruit of my vigor, excelling in rank and excelling in power.
And you must say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Israel [is] my son, my firstborn." And I said to you, "Release my son and let him serve me," but you refused to release him. Look, I [am about] to kill your son, your firstborn.'"
And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.
but you, you will [belong] to me [as] a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the {Israelites}."
"I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine
"Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh.
From the firstborn of the {Israelites} he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel.
All [the] first offspring of a womb of any creature that they offer to Yahweh, whether human or animal, will be yours; you will surely redeem the firstborn of the human and the unclean firstborn of the animal.
It consumes parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
I will tell the decree; Yahweh said to me: "You are my son; today I have begotten you.
I will also make him [the] firstborn, [the] highest of [the] kings of [the] earth.
Let all who serve an image be ashamed, those who boast about idols. Worship him, all you gods.
But you shall be called the priests of Yahweh, {you will be called} servers of our God. You shall eat [the] wealth of [the] nations, and you shall boast in their riches.
And indeed, I will take some of them as priests [and] the Levites," says Yahweh.
At that time they will call Jerusalem 'The Throne of Yahweh,' and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh, to Jerusalem, and they will no longer go after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
{And then} every survivor from all those nations coming against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship [the] king, Yahweh of hosts, and celebrate the Feast of Booths.
And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that in the renewal [of the world], when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me--you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
for they are not even able to die any longer, because they are like the angels and are sons of God, [because they] are sons of the resurrection.
John testified about him and cried out, saying, "This one was [he about] whom I said, 'The one who comes after me is ahead of me, because he existed before me.'"
This one is [the one] about whom I said, 'After me is coming a man who is ahead of me, because he existed before me.'
If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before [it hated] you.
this [promise] God has fulfilled to our children [by] raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son; today I have fathered you.'
who was declared Son of God in power according to {the Holy Spirit} by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord,
And if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also make alive your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you.
For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God.
Not only [this], but we ourselves also, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves [while we] await eagerly [our] adoption, the redemption of our body.
because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.
because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.
because all [things] in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all [things] were created through him and for him,
because all [things] in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all [things] were created through him and for him,
and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything,
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "And let all [the] angels of God worship him."
saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing in praise of you."
[that] no one [be] a sexually immoral or totally worldly [person] like Esau, who for one meal traded his own birthright.
and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous [people] made perfect,
[By his] will he gave birth to us through the message of truth, so that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father--to him [be] the glory and the power {forever and ever}. Amen.
And the seventh angel blew the trumpet, and there was a loud voice in heaven saying, "The kingdom of the world has become [the kingdom] 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
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Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac."
And Yahweh said to her, "Two nations [are] in your womb, and two peoples {from birth} shall be divided. And {one people shall be stronger than the other}. And [the] elder shall serve [the] younger."
Once Jacob cooked a thick stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Give me {some of that red stuff} to gulp down, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom). read more. Then Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright {first}." And Esau said, "Look, I am going to die; now what [is] this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me {first}." And he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread, and thick lentil stew, and he ate and drank. Then he got up and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.
And Joseph took the two of them, Ephraim at his right [to] the left of Israel, and Manasseh at his left [to] the right of Israel. And he brought them near to him. And Israel stretched out his right hand and put [it] on the head of Ephraim (now he was the younger), and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. read more. And he blessed Joseph and said, "The God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked, The God who shepherded me {all my life} unto this day, The angel who redeemed me from all evil, may he bless the boys. And through them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. And let them multiply into many in the midst of the earth. When Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, he was displeased. And he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from the head of Ephraim [over] to the head of Manasseh. And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; because this one [is] the firstborn. Put your right [hand] upon his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son; I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great, but his younger brother shall be greater than him, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations." So he blessed them that day, saying, Through you Israel shall pronounce blessing, saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Reuben, you [are] my firstborn, my strength, and the firstfruit of my vigor, excelling in rank and excelling in power.
And you must say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Israel [is] my son, my firstborn."
And you must say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Israel [is] my son, my firstborn."
And Moses said, "Even [if] you yourself put into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings and we offer [them] to Yahweh our God,
And Moses said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'About the middle of the night I [will] go out through the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the slave woman who [is] behind the pair of millstones and every firstborn animal. read more. And there will be a great cry of distress in all the land of Egypt, the like of which has not been nor will be again. But against all the {Israelites}, from a man to an animal, a dog will not [even] {bark}, so that you will know that Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.' And all of these your servants will come down to me and bow to me, saying, 'Go out, you and all the people who [are] at your feet.' And afterward I will go out." And he went out from Pharaoh {in great anger}.
"And I will go through the land of Egypt during this night, and I will strike all of the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human to animal, and I will do punishments among all of the gods of Egypt. I [am] Yahweh.
And Yahweh will go through to strike Egypt, and he will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and Yahweh will pass over the doorway and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to strike [you].
you will say, 'It [is] a Passover sacrifice for Yahweh, who passed over the houses of the {Israelites} in Egypt when he struck Egypt; and he delivered our houses.'" And the people knelt down and they worshiped.
{And} in the middle of the night, Yahweh struck all of the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who [was] in the prison house and every firstborn of an animal.
And the people lifted up their dough before it had yeast; their kneading troughs [were] wrapped up in their cloaks on their shoulder.
Unleavened bread will be eaten the seven days; [food with] yeast will not be seen for you; and yeast will not be seen for you in all your territory.
"And when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your ancestors, and he gives it to you,
"And when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your ancestors, and he gives it to you, you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh.
you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh. And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.
And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem. And when your son asks you {in the future}, saying, 'What [is] this?' you will say to him, 'With strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from a house of slaves. read more. And when Pharaoh was stubborn to release us, Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from firstborn human to firstborn domestic animal. Therefore I [am] sacrificing to Yahweh every first offspring of a womb, the males, and every firstborn of my sons I redeem.' And it will be as a sign on your hand and as symbolic ornaments between your eyes that with strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt."
" 'You will not delay the fullness of your harvest and the juice from your press; you will give me the firstborn of your sons. You will do likewise for your ox and for your sheep and goats; seven days it will be with its mother; on the eighth, you will give it to me.
Every first offspring of a womb [is] for me--all of your male livestock, [the] first offspring of cattle and small livestock.
so that your generations shall know that I made the {Israelites} live in booths when I brought them from the land of Egypt; I [am] Yahweh your God.'"
Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine read more. because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh."
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Muster every firstborn male from the {Israelites} from {one month} and above and {count} their names. And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}." read more. So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him. And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh. And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites, you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel. You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them." And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. From the firstborn of the {Israelites} he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the {word} of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
All [the] first offspring of a womb of any creature that they offer to Yahweh, whether human or animal, will be yours; you will surely redeem the firstborn of the human and the unclean firstborn of the animal. As to their price of redemption, from {a one-month-old} you will redeem them according to your proper value, five shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which [is] twenty gerah. read more. Only the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat you will not redeem; they [are] holy. Their blood you will sprinkle over the altar, and their fat you will turn into smoke [as] an offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh. But their flesh will be for you like the breast section of the wave offering, and it will be for you like the right upper thigh.
"Every firstling male that is born of your herd and of your flock you shall consecrate to Yahweh your God; you shall not do work with the firstling of your ox, and you shall not shear the firstling of your flock.
"Every firstling male that is born of your herd and of your flock you shall consecrate to Yahweh your God; you shall not do work with the firstling of your ox, and you shall not shear the firstling of your flock. [Rather] {before Yahweh} your God you shall eat it year by year at the place Yahweh will choose, you and your household. read more. But if there is a physical defect in it, [such as] lameness or blindness, any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. In your {towns} you shall eat it, the unclean and the clean together [may eat it], [just] as [they eat] the gazelle and as [they eat] the deer. But you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground like water."
"Observe the month of Abib, and you shall keep [the] Passover to Yahweh your God, for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out from Egypt [by] night. And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to Yahweh your God [from among] [your] flock and herd at the place that Yahweh will choose, to let his name dwell there. read more. You shall not eat {with it} anything leavened; seven days you shall eat {with it} unleavened bread of affliction, because in haste you went out from the land of Egypt, so that you will remember the day of your going out from the land of Egypt all the days of your life. And leaven shall not be seen with you in any of your territory for seven days, and none of the meat that you will slaughter on the evening on the first day shall remain overnight until morning. You are not allowed to offer the Passover sacrifice in one of your {towns} that Yahweh your God is giving to you, but only at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, to let his name dwell there; you shall offer the Passover sacrifice {in the evening at sunset}, [at the] designated time of your going out from Egypt. And you shall cook, and you shall eat [it] at the place that Yahweh your God will choose; and you may turn in the morning and go to your tents. Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day [there shall be] an assembly for Yahweh your God; you shall not do work.
"If a man has two wives, [and] the one [is] loved and the [other] one [is] disliked and the one loved and the one that is disliked have borne for him sons, if it happens [that] the firstborn son {belongs to the one that is disliked}, [nevertheless] {it will be the case that} on the day of bestowing his inheritance upon his sons, he will not be allowed to treat as [the] firstborn son the son of the beloved [wife] {in preference to} the son of the disliked [wife], [who is] the firstborn [son]. read more. But he shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the disliked [wife] {by giving} him a double portion of {all that he has}, for he [is] the firstfruit of his vigor; to him [is] the legal claim of the birthright.
But he shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the disliked [wife] {by giving} him a double portion of {all that he has}, for he [is] the firstfruit of his vigor; to him [is] the legal claim of the birthright.
"When brothers dwell together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not become the wife of a {man of another family}; her brother-in-law {shall have sex with her}, and he shall take her {to himself} as wife, and he shall perform his duty as brother-in-law [with respect to] her. And then the firstborn that she bears {shall represent his dead brother}, so that his name is not blotted out from Israel. read more. But if the man [does] not want to take his sister-in-law, then his sister-in-law shall go up to the gate, to the elders, and she shall say, 'My brother-in-law refused {to perpetuate his brother's name} in Israel, [for] he is not willing {to marry me}.' Then the elders of his town shall summon him and speak to him, and [if] he persists and says, '{I do not desire to} marry her' [then] his sister-in-law shall go near him before the eyes of the elders, and she shall pull off his sandal from his foot, and she shall spit in his face, and she shall {declare} and she shall say, 'This is how it is done to the man who does not build the house of his brother.' And his {family} shall be called in Israel, 'The house where the sandal was pulled off.'
He took his firstborn son who was to become king in his place and offered him [as] a burnt offering on the wall. Great wrath came upon Israel, and they withdrew from him and returned to the land.
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but when he defiled the couch of his father, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he was not enrolled in the genealogy as the firstborn,
And Hosah, from the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (though he was not firstborn, his father appointed him as chief),
And their father gave to them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuables, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, for he [was] the firstborn.
And he struck down all [the] firstborn in Egypt, [the] first of [their] virility in the tents of Ham.
Forever I will keep my loyal love for him, and my covenant [will be] reliable for him.
And he struck down all [the] firstborn in their land, [the] first of all their virility.
Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of humans and animals.
To [him who] struck Egypt through their firstborn, for his loyal love [endures] forever.
With weeping they will come, and with pleas for mercy I will bring them; I will let them walk by streams of water in a straight path. They will not stumble in it, for I have become to Israel a father, and Ephraim, he [is] my firstborn."
Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body [for the] sin of my soul?
because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,
and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything,
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "And let all [the] angels of God worship him."
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, in order that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous [people] made perfect,
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and released us from our sins by his 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
"Consecrate to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the {Israelites}, among humans and among domestic animals; {it belongs to me}."
you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh.
you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh. And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.
And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem. And when your son asks you {in the future}, saying, 'What [is] this?' you will say to him, 'With strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from a house of slaves. read more. And when Pharaoh was stubborn to release us, Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from firstborn human to firstborn domestic animal. Therefore I [am] sacrificing to Yahweh every first offspring of a womb, the males, and every firstborn of my sons I redeem.' And it will be as a sign on your hand and as symbolic ornaments between your eyes that with strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt."
" 'You will not delay the fullness of your harvest and the juice from your press; you will give me the firstborn of your sons.
Every first offspring of a womb [is] for me--all of your male livestock, [the] first offspring of cattle and small livestock. But the first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], you will break its neck. Every firstborn of your sons you will redeem, and you will not appear before me empty-handed.
And if from {a month of age} up to {five years of age}, then your proper value shall be five shekels [of] money [for] the male, and your proper value for the female [shall be] three shekels [of] money.
And if he indeed wants to redeem it, then he shall add a fifth of it onto your proper value.
And if [it is] among the unclean animals, then he shall ransom [it] according to your proper value, and he shall add a fifth of its [value] onto it; and if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your proper value. However, anything devoted that a man has devoted to Yahweh {from all that he has}, from human or animal, or from the field of his property, may not be sold, and it may not be redeemed; anything devoted [is] {a most holy thing} for Yahweh.
But he shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the disliked [wife] {by giving} him a double portion of {all that he has}, for he [is] the firstfruit of his vigor; to him [is] the legal claim of the birthright.
surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, 'Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' surely I shall do so this [very] day."
King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Why are you asking Abishag the Shunnamite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom, for he is my brother, older than I; and [ask] for him also Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."