The Hebrew Birthright Blessing

Birthright Definition:

• 1) This word denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Hebrews (later to become known as the Jews). He became the priest of the family. 

• 2) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). 

• 3) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be. (2 Chronicles 21:3).  

• 4) As first-born he has an inheritance superior to his brethren, and is the alone true priest.

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Throughout the Hebrew Bible, which Christianity and Islam has adopted into their own theologies, it is recorded that many firstborn sons were bestowed with the Hebrew birthright blessing. The birthright is emphasized in the Bible because it honored the rights or privileges of the family’s firstborn son. After the father died, or in the father’s absence, the firstborn son assumed the father’s authority and responsibilities. In addition to assuming the leadership role in the family, the recipient of the birthright inherited twice that received by the other sons. In cases where a husband might have more than one wife, the birthright always went to the firstborn son of the father and could not be awarded to the son of a favorite wife without proper justification (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) or if the firstborn son’s mother was a concubine or a slave (Genesis 21:9-13; Judges 11:1-2).

As the Bible attests that the father could rescind the birthright and pass it on to a younger son, there appears to be a connected pattern that spans many generations in which the younger male offspring is given the birthright blessing of his father over his elder male sibling. 

This custom supposedly dates back before the Great Flood of Noah; it is assumed by many biblical scholars that Adam gave the birthright blessing to his youngest son (Seth) over his eldest son (Cain). However, it is interesting to note, most believe the remaining generations that led up to the Great Flood were actually the first born sons who received this honorable blessing. After the flood waters had subsided and mankind began to repopulate the world, the primogeniture once again changed; Noah split the birthright blessing between Shem and Japeth bypassing his son (Ham) altogether.

Other theologians of biblical history date the birthright blessing back to the patriarch Abraham, roughly 4,000 years ago. But once again, Abraham gave his holy commendation to his younger son (Isaac) over his elder son (Ishmael). Many scholars agree that Isaac being born to his wife, Sarah, enabled the firstborn status to be applied to Abraham's second son over the offspring of Sarah's slave (Hagar), who technically bore the patriarch his eldest son. 

And thus started a pattern for the next three generations. Isaac (son of Abraham) in turn gave the birthright blessing to his younger son (Jacob) over his elder son (Esau). Even though Esau had sold his birthright to his brother (Genesis 25:29-34) and trickery was involved in Jacob receiving his father's birthright blessing (Genesis 27), upon the death of their father (Isaac) Esau allowed Jacob to keep the divine sanction (Genesis 25:33). 

As the next generation dawned, Jacob (son of Isaac, who would later become known as Israel) had no choice but to bestow a divine appointment for the priesthood upon his third son (Levi) over his firstborn son (Reuben) as God himself had decreed it (Numbers 3:12-13; 8:18) because of Reuben's undutiful conduct (Genesis 49:4; 1 Chronicles 5:1). Be that as it may, Levi received only the priesthood blessing, not the birthright blessing. 

Once again, the birthright was split between Joseph's two sons (Manasseh and Ephraim) over Jacob's other 11 sons, totally skipping the generation of the patriarch's sons [otherwise known as the 12 Tribes of Israel]. While Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob, never received a birthright blessing from his father, he was technically a 'firstborn' son for Rachel, his second wife. When Joseph requested that Jacob bless his two sons, Jacob complied. However, once again the younger son (Ephraim) was anointed greater than his elder sibling (Manasseh) - Genesis 37:19-22; 49:1-4; 49:22-26.

Next comes Moses (son of Amram and descendant of Levi), who was younger than his brother (Aaron), yet God chose him over his elder brother to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt (Exodus 3 & 4). God chose Gideon (son of Joash and descendant of Manasseh), who was the youngest son, to deliver Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6:11-16). God chose David (son of Jesse and descendant of Judah) to be king rather than one of his 7 older brothers (1 Sam 16:1-13). And likewise, by divine appointment, King David excluded Adonijah in favor of his younger son, Solomon (1 Chr 22:6-10; 28:5).

The birthright of a king’s firstborn son included his succession to the throne (2 Chronicles 21:1-3). King Rehoboam of Judah violated this tradition by passing the birthright to Abijah, his favorite son. However, to avoid trouble with the older sons, the king paid them off (2 Chronicles 11:18-23).

In Christian theology, it is believed that Christians have an inherited “birthright” status through Jesus Christ as the firstborn Son of God (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15; Revelation 1:5). As God’s only begotten Son, Jesus received the kingdom from His Father and is Lord of all (Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16). Jesus promises to share with His followers His kingdom and inheritance (Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:29; Ephesians 1:18; Hebrews 11:16).

In Islam, it is proclaimed that all Muslims are heir to the birthright. Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur'an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: "Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty)." Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is a birthright and other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions or outright denials of Islam.

In summary, the birthright blessing has been quite instrumental throughout thousands of years, dating back to biblical antiquity of the BC era. It does seem as if the younger son receiving the birthright blessing, which occurred quite frequently, was divinely ordained, yet the actual reason behind such situations still remains a bit mysterious.

"But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, … by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn." ~ Deuteronomy 21:17