Deuteronomy 21:17

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

but 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.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּי֩ אֶת־הַבְּכֹ֨ר בֶּן־הַשְּׂנוּאָ֜ה יַכִּ֗יר לָ֤תֶת לוֹ֙ פִּ֣י שְׁנַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֖א ל֑וֹ כִּי־הוּא֙ רֵאשִׁ֣ית אֹנ֔וֹ ל֖וֹ מִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ ס

Transliteration

For [direct object] the-bəkōr ben-the-śənûʾāh yakkîr to-lātet to-him pî šənayim in-all that-yimmāṣēʾ to-him, for-he rēʾšît ʾōnô, to-him mišpaṭ the-bəkōrāh.

Grammar Details

*bəkōr*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the firstborn
*ben*: masculine singular noun construct - son of
*śənûʾāh*: Qal passive participle, feminine singular with definite article - the hated one
*yakkîr*: Hiphil imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he shall acknowledge
*lātet*: Qal infinitive construct - to give
*pî*: masculine singular noun construct - mouth of/portion of
*šənayim*: masculine dual numeral - two
*yimmāṣēʾ*: Niphal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - is found
*rēʾšît*: feminine singular noun construct - beginning of
*ʾōnô*: masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his strength
*mišpaṭ*: masculine singular noun construct - right of
*bəkōrāh*: feminine singular noun with definite article - the birthright

Word Meanings

*yakkîr*: acknowledge/recognize/respect
*pî šənayim*: double portion/mouth of two/twice as much
*rēʾšît*: beginning/firstfruits/first
*ʾōnô*: his strength/his vigor/his procreative power
*mišpaṭ*: right/judgment/claim

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 49:3 : 3 Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
Gen 25:31-34 : 31 And Jacob said, Sell me first thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am about to die: and what profit shall the birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me first; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: so Esau despised his birthright.
Gen 25:5-6 : 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
1 Chr 5:1-2 : 1 And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph's),
Ps 105:36 : 36 He smote also all the first-born in their land, The chief of all their strength.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Deut 21:15-16
2 verses
88%
15If 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;
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:
Deut 21:18-20
3 verses
76%
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;
19then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
1 Chr 5:1-2
2 verses
72%
1And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
2For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph's),
Gen 48:17-19
3 verses
71%
17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.
19And his father refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
2 Chr 21:3
70%
3And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born.
Prov 17:2
70%
2A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
Prov 20:21
69%
21An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Exod 22:29
69%
29Thou shalt not delay to offer of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
Deut 25:6
69%
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.
Exod 34:20
69%
20And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
Num 27:9-10
2 verses
68%
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 48:14
67%
14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the first-born.
Luke 15:12
67%
12and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Exod 13:12-13
2 verses
67%
12that thou shalt set apart unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb, and every firstling which thou hast that cometh of a beast; the males shall be Jehovah's.
13And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.
Matt 21:37
67%
37But afterward he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
Gen 29:26
67%
26And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.
Gen 49:3
67%
3Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
Exod 21:9
67%
9And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
Prov 29:21
67%
21He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child Shall have him become a son at the last.
Exod 4:22-23
2 verses
66%
22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
23and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.
Prov 13:24
66%
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Prov 17:6
66%
6Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
Gen 27:41
66%
41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
Prov 17:25
66%
25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Ps 89:27
66%
27I also will make him [my] first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.
Exod 21:31
66%
31Whether it have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
Ezek 18:10
66%
10If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,
Deut 18:4
66%
4The first-fruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
Jer 20:15
66%
15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad.
Num 18:15
66%
15Everything that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto Jehovah, both of man and beast shall be thine: nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
Prov 23:24
66%
24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
Ezek 18:14
65%
14Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;
Gen 27:8
65%
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
1 Kgs 3:23
65%
23Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
Job 21:19
65%
19[Ye say], God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
Deut 18:8
65%
8They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
Job 27:13
65%
13This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty:
Num 8:16
65%
16For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.