Deuteronomy 21:15

Deuteronomy 21:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved,

Context of Deuteronomy 21:15

13She must change the clothes that she was wearing when you found her. Let her live in your house and weep for her parents for a whole month. Then you may have sex with her. You will be her husband and she will be your wife. 14Later, you may not be pleased with her. If so, you must let her go wherever she wants. You must never sell her or make her become a slave. You must not do that, because you have made her have sex with you, as your wife. A man may have two wives, but he may love only one of them. Each wife may give birth to a son. The firstborn son may be the son of the wife that he does not love. 16But when the man shares his things with his children, he must promise this: After his death, the firstborn son will receive what he should have. The man may not choose to give the double share of his things to the son of the wife that he loves. 17He must recognize that his firstborn son is the son of the wife that he does not love. This son was the first son born to that man. So he must receive the double share of his father's things. That is what God's Law says must happen.

Deuteronomy 21:15 word by word

כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכ֖וֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• have twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• belovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• and they have bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• him childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• be hers that was hatedשָׂנִיאώânîy' · hatedH8146

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:15

• Genesis 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said to Laban, ‘I will work for you for seven years. In return, I want to marry your younger daughter, Rachel.’
• 1 Samuel 1:4Every year, when Elkanah offered his sacrifices to God, he gave some of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to her sons and daughters.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15One beloved, and another hated - That is, one loved less than the other. This is the true notion of the word hate in Scripture. So Jacob Hated Leah, that is, he loved her less than he did Rachel; and Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I Hated, that is, I have shown a more particular affection to the posterity of Jacob than I have to the posterity of Esau. See the note on Genesis 29:31. From this verse we see that polygamy did exist under the Mosaic laws…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 Moses did not originate the rights of primogeniture (compare Genesis 25:31), but recognized them, since he found them pre-existing in the general social system of the East. Paternal authority could set aside these rights on just grounds Genesis 27:33, but it is forbidden here to do so from mere partiality.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 This law restrains men from disinheriting their eldest sons without just cause. The principle in this case as to children, is still binding to parents; they must give children their right without partiality.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17God's law required that a firstborn son receive the largest share of his father's inheritance (see 21:15–16; 2 Kings 2:9). The custom of giving the firstborn son a double portion is first recorded here but was implied in earlier practice (see Genesis 25:31–34; 27:1–4; 48:8–22). that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength: The eldest male child had this special status because he showed that the father could have children, especially a son.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1715-17. If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated--In the original and all other translations, the words are rendered "have had," referring to events that have already taken place; and that the "had" has, by some mistake, been omitted in our version, seems highly probable from the other verbs being in the past tense--"hers that was hated," not "hers that is hated"; evidently intimating that she (the first wife) was dead at the time referred…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 21:15

• Birthright
• Children
• Favoritism
• Firstborn
• Heir
• Inheritance
• Polygamy

In the dictionaries

• Birthright
• Controversy
• Crucifixion
• Divers
• Hatred
• Rebellious
• Wrought
• Atonement, Day of
• Beloved
• Criticism

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings