Deu 21:17 | NETfull | 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 ^{▼▼ See note on the word “other” in v. 15.} wife as firstborn and give him the double portion ^{▼▼ Heb “measure of two.” The Hebrew expression פִּי שְׁנַיִם (piy sh^enayim) 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 ^{▼▼ Heb “his generative power” (אוֹן, ’on; cf. HALOT 22 s.v.). Cf. NAB “the first fruits of his manhood”; NRSV “the first issue of his virility.”} – to him should go the right of the firstborn.