If a man has 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 is hers who was hated;
Parallel translations
- 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:
- BSB 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,
- 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,
- NASB “If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, and the firstborn son belongs to the unloved,
- NLT “Suppose a man has two wives, but he loves one and not the other, and both have given him sons. And suppose the firstborn son is the son of the wife he does not love.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
This addresses a man with two wives, one loved and one unloved, whose firstborn belongs to the unloved wife. It sets up a law protecting the firstborn's rights regardless of favoritism.
Overview
Though polygamy was tolerated and regulated, Scripture consistently shows its bitter fruit (as with Jacob, Leah, and Rachel). Here the law confronts the temptation to let affection override justice. It establishes that a father may not disinherit the rightful firstborn simply because he prefers another wife's child, guarding objective fairness against partiality.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Gen 29:33She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
- Gen 29:20Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
- Gen 29:30–31He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
- 1 Sam 1:4–5When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;
- Gen 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 21:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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