Revised Version 1895
Deuteronomy 21:17
17but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, 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.
Deuteronomy 21:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
Context of Deuteronomy 21:17
15If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated; 16then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn before the son of the hated, which is the firstborn: but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, 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. 18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them: 19then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
Read all of Deuteronomy 21Deuteronomy 21:17 word by word
כִּי֩ אֶת־הַבְּכֹ֨ר בֶּן־הַשְּׂנוּאָ֜ה יַכִּ֗יר לָ֤תֶת לוֹ֙ פִּ֣י שְׁנַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֖א ל֑וֹ כִּי־הוּא֙ רֵאשִׁ֣ית אֹנ֔וֹ ל֖וֹ מִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
- acknowledgeנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
- firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
- givingנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- doubleשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- portionפֶּהpeh · lip: accordingH6310
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- beginningרֵאשִׁיתrê'shîyth · first: beginningH7225
- strengthאוֹן'ôn · strengthH202
- rightמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:17
- Genesis 25:5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1And the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
- Genesis 49:3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.
- Psalms 105:36He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
- Genesis 25:31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:17
- 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 21:17
In the dictionaries
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
Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain
Commentaries