Deu 21:17 | NET2full | STEP | Rather , he must acknowledge the son of the less-loved wife as firstborn and give him the double portion of all he has , for that son is the beginning of his father’s procreative power —to him should go the right of the firstborn .

‏ Deuteronomy 21:17

17 Rather, he must acknowledge the son of the less-loved wife ^{▼▼tn See note on the word “other” in v. 15.} as firstborn and give him the double portion ^{▼▼tn Heb “measure of two.” The Hebrew expression פִּי שְׁנַיִם (pi shenayim) suggests a two-thirds split; that is, the elder gets two parts and the younger one part. Cf. 2 Kgs 2:9; Zech 13:8. The practice is implicit in Isaac’s blessing of Jacob (Gen 25:31-34) and Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim (Gen 48:8-22).} of all he has, for that son is the beginning of his father’s procreative power ^{▼▼tn Heb “his generative power” (אוֹן, ʾon; cf. HALOT 22 s.v.). Cf. NAB “the firstfruits of his manhood”; NRSV “the first issue of his virility.”} —to him should go the right of the firstborn.