Deuteronomy 21:15 - 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;
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What does "Deuteronomy 21:15" mean?
This verse from Deuteronomy 21:15 is the beginning of a larger legal passage (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) addressing the rights of the firstborn son in a polygamous marriage, specifically when there's a situation of favoritism between wives. Let's break it down:
"If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated..." This acknowledges the reality of polygamy in ancient Israelite society. More importantly, it recognizes that a man might have unequal affection for his wives. The terms "beloved" and "hated" shouldn't be taken in the modern sense of outright hatred. It likely implies that one wife is favored, while the other is less so, perhaps even disliked or resented.
"...and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated..." Both wives have children by the same man. This is critical because the law deals with inheritance rights among all the children.
"...and if the firstborn son is hers who was hated..." This is the core issue the law addresses. Even if the father favors the children of his beloved wife, the law specifically protects the rights of the firstborn son, even if he is the son of the less-favored ("hated") wife.
The broader implications of Deuteronomy 21:15-17 are that the law seeks to:
Protect the rights of the firstborn son: In ancient Israel, the firstborn son had special privileges and a double portion of the inheritance. This passage ensures that the firstborn's status isn't jeopardized by the father's preference for another wife or her children.
Promote fairness: Even within the context of polygamy, the law strives for some level of equity. The father's personal feelings shouldn't dictate legal outcomes, particularly concerning inheritance.
Limit the power of the husband: The law restricts the husband's ability to arbitrarily disinherit the firstborn son simply because the son's mother is not his favorite. This aims to curb potential abuse of power.
Essentially, this verse sets up a scenario where the father might be inclined to bypass the son of the less-favored wife in favor of the son of the beloved wife. The subsequent verses (21:16-17) explicitly forbid this and mandate that the father must acknowledge the firstborn son's right to inheritance, even if he doesn't personally favor him or his mother.
Deuteronomy 21:15 - 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;
What does "Deuteronomy 21:15" mean?
This verse from Deuteronomy 21:15 is the beginning of a larger legal passage (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) addressing the rights of the firstborn son in a polygamous marriage, specifically when there's a situation of favoritism between wives. Let's break it down:
"If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated..." This acknowledges the reality of polygamy in ancient Israelite society. More importantly, it recognizes that a man might have unequal affection for his wives. The terms "beloved" and "hated" shouldn't be taken in the modern sense of outright hatred. It likely implies that one wife is favored, while the other is less so, perhaps even disliked or resented.
"...and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated..." Both wives have children by the same man. This is critical because the law deals with inheritance rights among all the children.
"...and if the firstborn son is hers who was hated..." This is the core issue the law addresses. Even if the father favors the children of his beloved wife, the law specifically protects the rights of the firstborn son, even if he is the son of the less-favored ("hated") wife.
The broader implications of Deuteronomy 21:15-17 are that the law seeks to:
Protect the rights of the firstborn son: In ancient Israel, the firstborn son had special privileges and a double portion of the inheritance. This passage ensures that the firstborn's status isn't jeopardized by the father's preference for another wife or her children.
Promote fairness: Even within the context of polygamy, the law strives for some level of equity. The father's personal feelings shouldn't dictate legal outcomes, particularly concerning inheritance.
Limit the power of the husband: The law restricts the husband's ability to arbitrarily disinherit the firstborn son simply because the son's mother is not his favorite. This aims to curb potential abuse of power.
Essentially, this verse sets up a scenario where the father might be inclined to bypass the son of the less-favored wife in favor of the son of the beloved wife. The subsequent verses (21:16-17) explicitly forbid this and mandate that the father must acknowledge the firstborn son's right to inheritance, even if he doesn't personally favor him or his mother.