Deuteronomy 21:17

But the first-born, the son of the hated woman, shall he acknowledge, to give him a double portion of all that is found in his possession; for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongeth the right of the first birth.

Leeser Tanakh

In The King James Version

But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

In Context

16Then shall it be, when he divideth as inheritance among his sons what he hath, that he shall not institute the son of the beloved as the first-born before the son of the hated, the firstborn;

18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, who hearkeneth not to the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and they chastise him, and he will not hearken unto them:

Read all of Deuteronomy 21

Cross References

Genesis 25:5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

Genesis 49:3Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power [should be thine].

1 Chronicles 5:2For Judah became the mightiest of his brothers, and the prince descended from him: while the first-birthright belonged to Joseph,—

Psalms 105:36And he smote all the first-born in their land, the first of all their strength.

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 21:16-18

The Right of the Firstborn. ( b. c. 1451.) 15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Deuteronomy 21:17