Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 21:15-17

Blood, Honor, and Covenant Order in the Land

From unsolved corporate guilt requiring atonement, through the regulation of vulnerable persons (captive woman, overlooked firstborn, rebellious son, hanged criminal), to the requirement that even judicial death not defile the land — the chapter consistently moves from problem of defilement or disorder toward covenant-ordered resolution.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,

16when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife.

17Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Genesis 29:31Classic cross-references Genesis 29:33Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 11:22Classic cross-references Genesis 29:20Classic cross-references Genesis 29:30Classic cross-references

Original words

Ifכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctiona manלְאִ֜ישׁH376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularhasתִהְיֶ֨יןָH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine pluraltwoשְׁתֵּ֣יH8147Number - feminine dual constructwivesנָשִׁ֗יםH802Noun - feminine pluraloneהָאַחַ֤תH259Article | Number - feminine singularbelovedאֲהוּבָה֙H157Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularand the otherוְהָאַחַ֣תH259Conjunctive waw, Article | Number - feminine singularunlovedשְׂנוּאָ֔הH8130Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularand [both]הָאֲהוּבָ֖הH157Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular. . .וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑הH8130Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularbearוְיָֽלְדוּ־H3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralhimל֣וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularsonsבָנִ֔יםH1121Noun - masculine pluralbut the unlovedלַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃H8146Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - feminine singularwife hasוְהָיָ֛הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe firstbornהַבְּכ֖וֹרH1060Article | Noun - masculine singularsonהַבֵּ֥ןH1121Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Luke 15:12Classic cross-references Proverbs 19:14Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 26:10Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 5:2Classic cross-references

Original words

וְהָיָ֗הוְהָיָ֗הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwhenבְּיוֹם֙H3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularthat manאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative. . .יִהְיֶ֖הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularassigns his inheritanceהַנְחִיל֣וֹH5157Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerto his sonsבָּנָ֔יוH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular-אֵ֥תH853Direct object markerhe must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleappointיוּכַ֗לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof the beloved wifeהָ֣אֲהוּבָ֔הH157Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularasעַל־H5921Prepositionthe firstbornפְּנֵ֥יH6440Noun - common plural constructoverבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular construct[the son]לְבַכֵּר֙H1069Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerof the unloved wifeהַשְּׂנוּאָ֖הH8130Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular. . .הַבְּכֹֽר׃H1060Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Isaiah 61:7Classic cross-references 2 Kings 2:9Classic cross-references Genesis 49:3Classic cross-references Genesis 25:31Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 5:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Insteadכִּי֩H3588Conjunction-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhe must acknowledgeיַכִּ֗ירH5234Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe firstbornהַבְּכֹ֨רH1060Article | Noun - masculine singularthe sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof his unloved wifeהַשְּׂנוּאָ֜הH8130Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularby givingלָ֤תֶתH5414Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructhimלוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singulara doubleשְׁנַ֔יִםH8147Number - mdportionפִּ֣יH6310Noun - masculine singular constructof allבְּכֹ֥לH3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehe hasיִמָּצֵ֖אH4672Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularForכִּי־H3588Conjunction[that son]הוּא֙H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis the firstfruitsרֵאשִׁ֣יתH7225Noun - feminine singular constructof his [father’s] strengthאֹנ֔וֹH202Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularthe rightמִשְׁפַּ֥טH4941Noun - masculine singular constructof the firstbornהַבְּכֹרָֽה׃סH1062Article | Noun - feminine singularbelongs to himל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singular

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