15 If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son, 16 when 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. 17 Instead, 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.
Deuteronomy 21:15–17
Semantically similar passages
Deuteronomy 25:5–7
5 When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her. 6 The first son she bears will carry on the name of t…
Deuteronomy 22:12–14
12 You are to make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear. 13 Suppose a man marries a woman, has relations with her, and comes to hate her, 14 and he then accuses her of shameful conduct and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman and had relation…
Numbers 27:7–9
7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and transfer their father’s inheritance to them. 8 Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son…
Exodus 21:9–11
9 And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter. 10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife. 11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go wi…
Book of Jubilees 28:6–8
6 And Laban said to Jacob: 'It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the elder.' And it is not right to do this; for thus it is ordained and written in the heavenly tablets, that no one should give his younger daughter before the elder; but… (JUB) 7 … (JUB)
Genesis 29:25–27
25 When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. 27 Finish t…
Genesis 48:5–7
5 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of…
Book of Jubilees 36:12–14
12 And he divided all his possessions between the two on that day and he gave the larger portion to him that was the first-born, and the tower and all that was about it, and all that Abraham possessed at the Well of the Oath. (JUB) 13 And he said: 'This larger portion I w… (JUB)
Search the collection All books and codes Translations and sources