Deuteronomy 21 15

Deuteronomy 21:15 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:

Deuteronomy 21:15 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,

Deuteronomy 21:15 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,

Deuteronomy 21:15 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,

Deuteronomy 21:15 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.

Deuteronomy 21 verses

Deuteronomy 21 15 Meaning

Deuteronomy 21:15 establishes a law governing inheritance rights within a polygamous household, specifically addressing a situation where a man has two wives, one loved and one unloved, both having borne him children. The verse sets the premise that the firstborn son, holding special inheritance status, happens to be born to the unloved wife. This divine regulation prevents the father's personal preference or favoritism from overturning established legal principles of the firstborn's rights, ensuring justice in the allocation of family inheritance regardless of marital affections.

Deuteronomy 21 15 Context

Deuteronomy 21 is a chapter addressing a variety of laws concerning communal and family life, designed to uphold justice and purity within the Israelite nation as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 21:1-9) discuss laws regarding unsolved murders, while subsequent verses (Deut 21:18-21) deal with a rebellious son. Verses 10-14 pertain to taking a female captive in war as a wife. This specific passage (21:15-17) addresses internal family dynamics within a polygamous setting, focusing on inheritance and preventing the disruption of legal order due to emotional bias. Historically, polygamy was practiced in the ancient Near East, and while the Law of Moses does not prescribe it, it regulates its complexities when it occurs, reflecting the social realities of the time while striving to maintain justice, particularly for the vulnerable or less favored within such structures. The context demonstrates God's concern for fair treatment and the maintenance of societal order even amidst less than ideal situations.

Deuteronomy 21 15 Word analysis

• If a man (’îsh - אישׁ): Refers to a male individual. In biblical context, it signifies a head of household. The law is directed at the male who is responsible for family structure and legal decisions within it.
• has two wives (shətē-nāshîm - שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים): Indicates a polygamous marriage. While not explicitly commanded, polygamy was permitted and regulated in Israelite society, unlike God's original creation ideal of one man and one woman (Gen 2:24). This law acknowledges and regulates the existing social structure to prevent injustice arising from it.
• and one is loved (’ăhûbâh - אֲהוּבָה): Describes a wife who is favored emotionally by her husband. The Hebrew root ’âhav means "to love," denoting affection or preference. This introduces the element of human emotion influencing domestic affairs.
• and the other unloved (sənû’âh - שְׂנוּאָ֑ה): Describes a wife who is less favored or not cherished in the same way, potentially even disliked or hated in a comparative sense (as seen with Leah and Rachel in Gen 29). The Hebrew root sānê’ can mean to "hate" or simply to "have less affection for," relative to another. This is a common family dynamic that the law needs to address for justice.
• and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children (v’yaldû-lô bānîm - וְיָלְד֥וּ ל֖וֹ בָּנִ֑ים): This clarifies that both wives have produced male heirs. This establishes the critical condition that there are children from both wives, making the inheritance dilemma immediate and practical. The word "sons" (banim) highlights the significance of male heirs in ancient Israelite inheritance customs.
• and if the firstborn son (kî yihyeh habbekhôr ben - כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֛ה הַבְּכ֥וֹר בֵּ֖ן): This clause sets up the core issue: the true firstborn son, regardless of the mother's status or the father's affection. Bəḵôr (firstborn) denotes a unique status in Israelite law and culture, implying certain rights and a double portion of inheritance.
• belongs to the unloved woman (hasśənûʼāh - הַשְּׂנוּאָֽה): This is the specific scenario the law addresses – the father's preferred firstborn is not the legal firstborn by birth. This direct statement ensures that despite the husband’s affection (or lack thereof), the legal reality of who the actual firstborn is will stand firm.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If a man has two wives, and one is loved and the other unloved...": This establishes a social and relational reality, one involving marital preference and its potential for creating familial friction and injustice, paralleling the Jacob-Leah-Rachel narrative. It reflects an observation of human nature and relational dynamics that require divine regulation.
• "...and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved woman": This specific clause sets the legal problem. The critical point is the intersection of the biological firstborn status and the unloved status of the mother. It lays the groundwork for the ensuing legal command in the following verses (16-17) that upholds the firstborn's rights despite parental favoritism, thereby ensuring justice based on established birth order rather than emotional bias. This passage illustrates God's concern for fair dealing and the protection of those who might be disadvantaged by human prejudice.

Deuteronomy 21 15 Bonus section

This law highlights God's justice transcending human preference. While polygamy was a cultural practice regulated by the Mosaic Law, this specific provision underscores that even within imperfect social structures, God insists on righteous principles. It sets a precedent where birth order and legal right are upheld over personal bias. This concern for protecting the vulnerable (the unloved wife's son) from arbitrary discrimination is a recurring theme in Mosaic law. It implicitly teaches against the misuse of power (paternal authority) and reminds individuals that divine standards of justice apply to domestic affairs, much like in public judgments. The provision serves as a safeguard against potential emotional or interpersonal strife impacting the future economic and social standing of the sons.

Deuteronomy 21 15 Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:15 introduces a pivotal law protecting the inheritance rights of a firstborn son in a polygamous family, especially when paternal affection is divided. It sets the scene by presenting a common domestic reality where one wife is loved and another unloved, yet both have given birth to sons. The crux of the dilemma is that the legally designated firstborn, by virtue of birth order, is the son of the unloved wife. This verse, by its simple descriptive framing of the problem, implicitly critiques human partiality. It prepares the reader for the explicit command in verses 16-17 that a father must not legally prefer the son of his loved wife over the son of the unloved wife if the latter is truly the firstborn. The law ensures that justice and adherence to divine ordering (birthright) override personal feelings or desires, preventing favoritism from corrupting legal and social structures, emphasizing the divine concern for fairness, even within complex family dynamics.