Birthright:
the advantages accruing to the eldest son. These were not definitely fixed in patriarchal times. Great respect was paid to him in the household, and, as the family widened into a tribe, this grew into a sustained authority, undefined save by custom, in all matters of common interest. Thus the "princes" of the congregation had probably rights of primogeniture (Numbers 7:2; 21:18; 25:14). Gradually the rights of the eldest son came to be more definite:
(1.) The functions of the priesthood in the family with the paternal blessing.
(2.) A "double portion" of the paternal property was allotted by the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 21:16-17).
(3.) The eldest son succeeded to the official authority of the father. The first‐born of the king was his successor by law (2 Chronicles 21:3).
In all these Jesus was the first‐born of the father.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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