Firstborn

How Nave’s arranged it

• Of man and beast, reserved to himself by GodExodus 13:2Exodus 13:12–16Exodus 22:29Exodus 22:30Exodus 34:19Exodus 34:20Leviticus 27:26Numbers 3:13Numbers 8:17Numbers 8:18Deuteronomy 15:19–23Nehemiah 10:36
• Redemption ofExodus 13:13Exodus 34:20Leviticus 27:27Numbers 3:40–51Numbers 18:15–17
• Levites taken instead of firstborn of the families of IsraelNumbers 3:12Numbers 3:40–45Numbers 8:16–18
• Of Egyptians killedExodus 11:5Exodus 12:12Exodus 12:29Exodus 13:15Numbers 33:4
• Of idolaters, sacrificedEzekiel 20:26
• BIRTHRIGHT OF THE
• Authority over younger members of the householdGenesis 4:7
• A double portion of inheritanceDeuteronomy 21:15–17
• Royal succession2 Chronicles 21:3
• Honorable distinction ofExodus 4:22Psalms 89:27Jeremiah 31:9Romans 8:29Colossians 1:15Hebrews 1:6Hebrews 12:23Revelation 1:5
• Sold by EsauGenesis 25:29–34Genesis 27:36Romans 9:12Romans 9:13Hebrews 12:16
• Forfeited by ReubenGenesis 49:3Genesis 49:41 Chronicles 5:11 Chronicles 5:2

The passages, in Bible order (47)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 4:7

   If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 4:72 voices

   “But his desire shall be for you, and you shall rule over him. In accordance with the idiom of the Hebrew language, he substituted the indicative mood for the imperative, such as you have innumerable times: You shall love the Lord your God, you shall …

   “Every kind of honour and happiness was bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled that which is written, "My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and became fat, and kicked." [Deuteronomy 32:15] Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 4:7→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 25:29–34

   One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 25:29–341 voice

   “And Jacob sod pottage,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 25:29–34→

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3. Genesis 27:36

   So Esau declared, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 27:362 voices

   “(Verse 36.) And Esau said, rightly is his name called Jacob: for he hath supplanted me these two times. Jacob is interpreted supplanter. And therefore, because he had deceived his brother by art, he alluded to the name. Therefore, he was called Jacob before, because he had taken hold of his brother's heel in his birth.

   “And he said, is not he rightly named Jacob?....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 27:36→

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4. Genesis 48:15–20

   Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

   ›Commentary on Genesis 48:15–201 voice

   “And he blessed Joseph,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 48:15–20→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 49:3

   Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 49:31 voice

   “(Chapter 49, verse 3) Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength and the first of my sons, tough in bearing and tough in insolence and injury, like water that does not boil. You went up on your father's bed, then you defiled it when you went up. In Hebrew it is written: Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength, and the first in power among my sons. Greater in carrying, and greater in strength. You are poured out like water, do not exceed. For you have ascended the bed of your father and defiled the couch in his ascent.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 49:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 49:4

   Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 49:41 voice

   “Doesn't this seem to be a reproach rather than a blessing? Thus it really is more a prophecy than a blessing. For a prophecy is an announcement of events to come, whereas a blessing is the longed for bestowal of sanctification and of graces.The Jews suppose that the old man is saying these things to his son Reuben on this account, because the latter lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and polluted his father's bed. But they are easily refuted; this had already taken place.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 49:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Exodus 4:22

   Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,

   ›Commentary on Exodus 4:221 voice

   “Why too does he blame Pharaoh, saying, "You will not let my people go; behold, I will smite all the firstborn in Egypt, even your firstborn," and all the rest that is recorded as being said by God through Moses to Pharaoh? It is incumbent on him who believes that the Scriptures are true and that God is just, if he is a thoughtful man, to take pains to show how God, in using such expressions as these, can be clearly conceived to be just.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 4:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Exodus 11:5

   and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 11:51 voice

   “Finally the firstborn of the Egyptians are destroyed. They are the principalities and powers and the rulers of this world of darkness. Or they are the originators and inventors of the false religions that existed in this world. The truth of Christ put an end …

   Everything gathered on Exodus 11:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Exodus 12:12

   On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 12:121 voice

   “In what follows, "on their gods I shall pass judgment," the Hebrews affirm that on the night on which the people departed, all the temples in Egypt were destroyed, either by an earthquake or by a bolt of lightning. But we say, spiritually, that when …

   Everything gathered on Exodus 12:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Exodus 12:29

    Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 12:291 voice

    "He that has opened a pit and dug it." We do not find the name of "pit" (lakkos) ever assigned in the divine Scriptures in the case of something good, nor a "well" of water (phrear) in the case of something bad. That into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers is a pit (lakkos). And there is a slaughter "from the firstborn of Pharaoh unto the firstborn of the captive woman that was in the prison (lakkos)."

    Everything gathered on Exodus 12:29→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Exodus 13:2

    “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”

    ›Commentary on Exodus 13:21 voice

    “Males were sacred because they opened their mothers' wombs. They were offered before the altar of the Lord. Scripture says, "Every male that opens the womb.…" This phrase has a spiritual meaning. For you might say that "every male is brought forth from the womb" but does not open the womb of his mother in the way that the Lord Jesus did. In the case of every other woman, it is not the birth of an infant but intercourse with a man that opens the womb.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 13:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Exodus 13:12–16

    you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 13:12–161 voice

    “That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix,....

    Everything gathered on Exodus 13:12–16→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Exodus 13:13

    You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 13:131 voice

    “The law has established that an unclean animal shall not be a part of a sacrifice but in its place a clean animal be offered. The law orders that the offspring of an ass, which is unclean, should be changed for a sheep, which is a clean animal and suitable for sacrifice. This is the literal meaning. If one were to pursue this matter further and seek for the spiritual sense of this passage, he will discover that the ass is a laborious animal, whereas the sheep is productive.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 13:13→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Exodus 13:15

    And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’

    ›Commentary on Exodus 13:151 voice

    “And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go,....

    Everything gathered on Exodus 13:15→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Exodus 22:29

    You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 22:291 voice

    Those emotions therefore which are morally good are the first fruits of our senses, whereas the others are of common and indifferent stock. This classification was used by Moses, following in that respect the language of the Jews, in his reference to the threshing floor of the law: "The tithes of your threshing floor and of your wine vat you shall not delay to pay: you shall give the firstborn of your sons to me."

    Everything gathered on Exodus 22:29→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Exodus 22:30

    You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 22:301 voice

    “Scripture says, "At least grant the offspring to its mother for its first seven days." For if nothing comes to be without reason and milk flows in the mothers for the nourishment of the offspring, then in taking the offspring away from the providential endowment of milk, a person is doing violence to nature. So Greeks and anyone else who runs the law down ought to blush for shame if the law is generous over irrational beasts, whereas they actually expose human offspring to die.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 22:30→

    Verse page →Original language →