This article examines the law of the firstborn, which is found in the Old Testament.

Perhaps surprisingly, there are several different Hebrew words translated “firstborn”.  They are listed below.

• bakar – first born male or female of humans or animals; firstfruits of trees. (5 occurrences)
• bekiyrah – feminine of bakar – always used of women. (6 occurrences)
• bekor – from bakar – first born male or female of humans or animals. (117 occurrences)
• bekorah – feminine of bekor – same meaning as bekor but can also mean birthright. (15 occurrences)
• peter – from patar meaning to burst through – firstling (12 occurrences).

Here is an example of bakar in reference to fruit trees.

Eze 47:12  Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit [bakar] every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Here is an example of bekiyrah.

Gen 19:30  Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.
Gen 19:31  Now the firstborn [bekiyrah] said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.

Here is an example of bekor and bakar in reference to animals.

Lev 27:26  ‘But the firstborn [bekor] of the animals, which should be the LORD’s firstborn [bakar], no man shall dedicate; whether it is an ox or sheep, it is the LORD’s.

Here is an example of bekor and bakar in reference to humans.

Deu 21:15  “If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved,
Deu 21:16  then it shall be, on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn [bakar] status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn [bekor].

Here is an example of bekorah meaning firstborn.

Gen 4:4  Abel also brought of the firstborn [bekorah] of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,

Here is an example of bekorah meaning birthright.

Gen 25:31  But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright [bekorah] as of this day.”
Gen 25:32  And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright [bekorah] to me?”

Let’s delve into the law of the firstborn. 

The Law of the Firstborn

God considered ancient Israel as His firstborn.

Exo 4:22  Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn [bekor].
Exo 4:23  “So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn [bekor]” ‘

Pharaoh did not let Israel go, not even after nine plagues.  Consequently, as the tenth plague, God killed all the firstborn of men and animals in Egypt.

Exo 11:4  Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt;
Exo 11:5  and all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn [bekor] of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn [bekor] of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn [bekor] of the animals.

Exo 12:29  And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn [bekor] of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn [bekor] of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn [bekor] of livestock.

Num 33:3  They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.
Num 33:4  For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn [bekor], whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments.

Immediately after ancient Israel escaped from Egypt, God commanded Israel to give the firstborn of man and beast to Him.

Exo 13:2  “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn [bekor], whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”

Exo 13:11  “And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,
Exo 13:12  “that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open [peter] the womb, that is, every firstborn [peter] that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s.
Exo 13:13  “But every firstborn [peter] of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn [bekor] of man among your sons you shall redeem.
Exo 13:14  “So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 13:15  ‘And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn [bekor] of man and the firstborn [bekor] of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open [peter] the womb, but all the firstborn [bekor] of my sons I redeem.’

A little later on God gave more detail on when the firstborn should be given to Him.  This occurred on the eighth day for animals.

Exo 22:29  “You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn [bekor] of your sons you shall give to Me.
Exo 22:30  “Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

The law of the firstborn is repeated in Lev 27 which covers various laws concerning vows.

Lev 27:26  ‘But the firstborn [bekor] of the animals, which should be the LORD’s firstborn [bakar], no man shall dedicate; whether it is an ox or sheep, it is the LORD’s.
Lev 27:27  And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation, and shall add one-fifth to it; or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

There are a few of things to note here.

Firstly, the law of the firstborn was instituted when God killed the firstborn of Egypt on the night of the Passover. 

Secondly, notice that it is the Hebrew words bekor and peter which are used throughout.  According to the Brown, Driver, Briggs Lexicon:

• bekor is a masculine noun meaning firstborn, firstling: (a) of men and women, (b) of animals, (c) noun of relation (figuratively).
• peter is a masculine noun meaning firstborn, firstling, that which separates or first opens.

There is some ambiguity here regarding whether females were considered firstborn.  This ambiguity is clarified in Exodus 13:12 and 15 (quoted above) and also in Exodus 34:19-20 and Deuteronomy 15:19.

Exo 34:19  “All that open [peter] the womb are Mine, and every male firstborn [peter] among your livestock, whether ox or sheep.
Exo 34:20  “But the firstborn [peter] of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn [bekor] of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.

Deu 15:19  “All the firstborn [bekor] males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the LORD your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn [bekor] of your herd, nor shear the firstborn [bekor] of your flock.

It was only the firstborn males who were given to God.  If the first offspring was female and the second was male, the neither were considered firstborn.

Thirdly, the reason why the firstborn males were given to God is because God killed all the firstborn in Egypt, Exo Exodus:14-15 (quoted above).  This reason is repeated in Numbers 3:13 and 8:17.

Num 3:13  “because all the firstborn [bekor] are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn [bekor] in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the LORD.”

Num 8:17  “For all the firstborn [bekor] among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.

The firstborn is also mentioned with the laws of tithes and offerings in relation to how Israel was to worship God—not in their own home (within your gates), but in the place God chose.

Deu 12:6  There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn [bekorah] of your herds and flocks.

Deu 12:17  You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or your new wine or your oil, of the firstborn [bekorah] of your herd or your flock, of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the heave offering of your hand.
Deu 12:18  But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God chooses, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all to which you put your hands.

Deu 14:23  And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn [bekorah] of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

To summarise what we have covered so far:

• The law of the firstborn was instituted when God killed the firstborn of Egypt.
• The law applies only to firstborn males, that is firstborns who are male.
• Firstborn male humans were redeemed.
• Firstborn male clean animals were sacrificed.
• Firstborn male unclean animals were redeemed or killed.
• The reason for the law is because God killed all the firstborn in Egypt.

Duties of the Firstborn Transferred to Levites

One might wonder what difference being a firstborn human made.  What duties or responsibilities they had, and how their life was different to their latter born siblings.  Their duties were the same as the Levites.  This does not become apparent until Numbers 3 where God took the Levites instead of firstborn. 

Let’s look at Numbers 3 where God swapped the firstborn for the Levites.

Num 3:12  “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn [bekor] who opens [peter] the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine,
Num 3:13  “because all the firstborn [bekor] are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn [bekor] in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the LORD.”

In these two verses God explains that He took the Levites instead of the firstborn (of men). 

God instructed Moses to count the Levites. 

Num 3:14  Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying:
Num 3:15  “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.”
Num 3:16  So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

The next verses, 17-38, list the various families of Levites and their numbers.

Num 3:39  All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.

There were 22,000 Levite males.  Then God instructed Moses to count both the firstborn and the Levites.

Num 3:40  Then the LORD said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn [bekor] males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.
Num 3:41  “And you shall take the Levites for Me; I am the LORD; instead of all the firstborn [bekor] among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”
Num 3:42  So Moses numbered all the firstborn [bekor] among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded him.
Num 3:43  And all the firstborn [bekor] males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

There were 22,273 firstborn males.

Num 3:44  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
Num 3:45  “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn [bekor] among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD.

Not only were the male Levites swapped for the firstborn Israelites, but also the cattle of the Levites were taken instead of the firstborn cattle of the Israelites.

Num 3:46  “And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn [bekor] of the children of Israel, who are more than the number of the Levites,
Num 3:47  “you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs.
Num 3:48  “And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”

There were 273 more firstborn than Levites.  The excess were redeemed at five shekels a head and the money given to Aaron and his sons.

Num 3:49  So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites.
Num 3:50  From the firstborn [bekor] of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Num 3:51  And Moses gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

This transfer from the firstborn to the Levites is referred to in Num 8:15-18.

Num 8:15  After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering.
Num 8:16  “For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn [bekor] of all the children of Israel.
Num 8:17  “For all the firstborn [bekor] among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn [bekor] in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.
Num 8:18  “I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn [bekor] of the children of Israel.

How the Levites made a living

In Numbers 18, God describes how the Levites were to make a living in return for the work they performed.

Num 18:8  And the LORD spoke to Aaron: “Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.
Num 18:9  “This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering and every sin offering and every trespass offering which they render to Me, shall be most holy for you and your sons.
Num 8:10  So you shall bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites;
Num 18:11  “This also is yours: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.
Num 18:12  “All the best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and the grain, their firstfruits which they offer to the LORD, I have given them to you.
Num 18:13  “Whatever first ripe fruit is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.
Num 18:14  “Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours.

The Levites accepted the offerings, gifts, and firstfruits given to God.  But then something rather odd is mentioned in Num 18:15.

Num 18:15  “Everything that first opens [peter] the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the LORD, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn [bekor] of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.

What is odd?  Even though God had swapped the firstborn for the Levites, the firstborn were offered to God and then belonged to the Levites.  This is discussed in the next section.

Num 18:16  And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
Num 18:17  But the firstborn of a cow, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the LORD.
Num 18:18  And their flesh shall be yours, just as the wave breast and the right thigh are yours.

Firstborn of man and unclean animals were redeemed, but the firstborn of clean animals were sacrificed and the meat given to the Levites.

Num 18:19  “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.”
Num 18:20  Then the LORD said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
Num 18:21  “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

The Levites made a living in return for the work they performed by receiving the offerings, gifts, firstfruits, and tithes.

Firstborn Still Belong to God

Numbers 18:15 states that the firstborn are to be offered to God and given to the Levites. 

Num 18:15  “Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the LORD, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn [bekor] of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.

It may seem odd that this is the case after God transferred the responsibility of looking after the tabernacle and its duties from the firstborn to the Levites (Numbers 8).  There are a couple of passages which make it clear that this is indeed the case.

Firstly, after the Jews’ return from captivity in Babylon, they kept the law of the firstborn:

Neh 10:35  And we made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD;
Neh 10:36  to bring the firstborn [bekor] of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn [bekorah] of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God;
Neh 10:37  to bring the firstfruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities.

Secondly, when Christ was born, Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord as a firstborn.

Luke 2:22  Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
Luke 2:23  (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD”),
Luke 2:24  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

The offering of the two turtledoves or pigeons refers to the fortieth-day purification (Leviticus 12:1-8), not to the fact that Jesus was the firstborn.  It’s interesting that there is no mention of Joseph and Mary redeeming Jesus with the payment of five shekels.  Presumably this is because His life was completely dedicated to God and He became the redeeming sacrifice to which all other redeeming sacrifices point.

Why did God state the firstborn are His even after He transferred the responsibility of looking after the tabernacle and its duties from the firstborn to the Levites?  The Bible doesn’t say.  However, one way of looking at it is as follows.  The transfer did not abolish the law of the firstborn; it remained intact.  It’s just that before the transfer, the firstborn went to serve God in the tabernacle, and after the transfer, the firstborn were redeemed rather than serving God in the tabernacle.