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Deuteronomy 21:15-17
1599 Geneva Bible
Deuteronomy 21:15-17
1599 Geneva Bible
15 ¶ If a man have two wives, one loved and another [a]hated, and they have born him children, both the loved and also the hated: if the firstborn be the son of the hated,
16 Then when the time cometh, that he appointeth his sons to be heirs of that which he hath, he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn [b]before the son of the hated, which is the firstborn:
17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, and give him [c]double portion for all that he hath: for he is the first of his strength, and to [d]him belongeth the right of firstborn.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 21:15 This declareth that the plurality of wives came of a corrupt affection.
- Deuteronomy 21:16 Or, while the son of the hated liveth.
- Deuteronomy 21:17 As much as to two of the others.
- Deuteronomy 21:17 Except he be unworthy, as was Reuben Jacob’s son.
Deuteronomy 21:15-17
New International Version
Deuteronomy 21:15-17
New International Version
The Right of the Firstborn
15 If a man has two wives,(A) 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,(B) 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.(C) 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double(D) share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength.(E) The right of the firstborn belongs to him.(F)
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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