Deuteronomy 21:17

but he shall know the son of the hateful wife to be his first begotten son, and he shall give to that son all things double of those things that he hath; for this son is the beginning of his free children, and the first engendered things be due to him. (but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated wife to be his first-born son, and he shall give double to that son of all the things that he hath; for this son is the first of his children, and the rights of the first-born son be due to him.)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

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

16and the father will part his chattel betwixt his sons, he shall not be able to make the son of the loved wife his first begotten son, and set him before the son of the hateful wife, (and the father will divide his possessions between his sons, he shall not be able to make the son of the loved wife his first-born son, and set him before the son of the hated wife,)

18If a man beget a son (who is a) rebel, and a froward (boy), that heareth not the behest of his father and mother, and he is chastised, and despiseth to obey to them, (If a man beget a son who is rebellious, and froward, who obeyeth not his father or his mother, and after that he is chastised, he still despiseth to obey them,)

Read all of Deuteronomy 21

Cross References

Genesis 25:5And Abraham gave all (the) things which he had in possession to Isaac;

Genesis 49:3Reuben, my first begotten son, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow; thou oughtest to be the former in gifts, the more in lordship, (or thou ought to be the first in gifts, and the greatest in power, or in authority);

1 Chronicles 5:2Forsooth (of) Judah, that was the strongest among his brethren, princes were gathered of his generation, (or But from Judah, who was the strongest among his brothers, came the leader for all the tribes); forsooth the right of first begetting was areckoned to Joseph.

Psalms 105:36And he killed each the first engendered thing in the land of them (or And he killed all their first-born in their land); the first fruits of all the travail of them.

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

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