Deuteronomy 21:15

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated;

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכ֖וֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃

Transliteration

When-tihyênā to-ʾîš štê nāšîm, the-ʾaḥat ʾăhûbāh and-the-ʾaḥat śənûʾāh, and-yālədû-to-him bānîm the-ʾăhûbāh and-the-śənûʾāh, and-hāyāh the-bēn the-bəkôr to-the-śənîʾāh.

Grammar Details

*tihyênā*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person feminine plural - they are
*ʾîš*: masculine singular noun - man
*štê*: feminine dual construct - two of
*nāšîm*: feminine plural noun - women/wives
*ʾaḥat*: feminine singular numeral with definite article - the one
*ʾăhûbāh*: Qal passive participle, feminine singular - beloved
*śənûʾāh*: Qal passive participle, feminine singular - hated
*yālədû*: Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural - they bear
*bānîm*: masculine plural noun - sons
*hāyāh*: Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he is
*bēn*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the son
*bəkôr*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the firstborn
*śənîʾāh*: Qal passive participle, feminine singular with definite article - the hated one

Word Meanings

*ʾăhûbāh*: beloved/loved one
*śənûʾāh*: hated/disliked/unloved one
*yālədû*: bear/give birth to/beget
*bəkôr*: firstborn/first son/eldest

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Gen 29:33 : 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name Simeon.
1 Sam 1:4-5 : 4 And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5 but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb.
Gen 29:18 : 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Gen 29:20 : 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
Gen 29:30-31 : 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31 And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Deut 21:16-18
3 verses
90%
16then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born:
17but he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the first-born is his.
18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;
Deut 22:13-14
2 verses
76%
13If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,
14and lay shameful things to her charge, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came nigh to her, I found not in her the tokens of virginity;
Exod 21:7-11
5 verses
76%
7And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the men-servants do.
8If she please not her master, who hath espoused her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a foreign people he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
9And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10If he take him another [wife]; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11And if he do not these three things unto her, then shall she go out for nothing, without money.
Exod 21:3-5
3 verses
74%
3If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4If his master give him a wife, and she bear him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
5But if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
Deut 24:1-3
3 verses
74%
1When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
2And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's [wife].
3And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife;
Matt 22:25-26
2 verses
73%
25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;
26in like manner the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
Deut 21:14
73%
14And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not deal with her as a slave, because thou hast humbled her.
Luke 20:29-30
2 verses
72%
29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless;
30and the second:
Deut 25:5-7
3 verses
72%
5If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her.
6And it shall be, that the first-born that she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother that is dead, that his name be not blotted out of Israel.
7And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.
Lev 20:21
72%
21And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is impurity: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
Lev 20:14
72%
14And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
Mark 12:20-21
2 verses
71%
20There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;
21and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise:
Deut 22:16
71%
16and the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her;
Ezek 23:2
71%
2Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
Prov 30:23
70%
23For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
2 Sam 14:6-7
2 verses
70%
6And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.
7And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.
Job 31:10
70%
10Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.
Deut 28:54
70%
54The man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he hath remaining;
Judg 15:2
70%
2And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
Deut 28:30
70%
30Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not use the fruit thereof.
Exod 22:24
69%
24and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
Deut 28:56
69%
56The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
Num 27:9-10
2 verses
69%
9And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
10And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.
Gen 29:31
69%
31And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Deut 21:11
69%
11and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;
Num 5:20
69%
20But if thou have gone aside, being under thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee besides thy husband:
Exod 21:31
69%
31Whether it have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
Judg 21:22
69%
22And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to complain unto us, that we will say unto them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we took not for each man [of them] his wife in battle, neither did ye give them unto them, else would ye now be guilty.
Num 5:29
69%
29This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goeth aside, and is defiled;
Num 5:13
69%
13and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, and she be not taken in the act;
Lev 18:18
69%
18And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival [to her], to uncover her nakedness, besides the other in her life-time.
Jer 16:2
68%
2Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters, in this place.