Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
21:15-17 The law required that a firstborn son receive the greater share of his father’s inheritance (see 21:15-16; 2 Kgs 2:9). The custom of giving the firstborn son a double portion is first recorded here but was implied in earlier practice (see Gen 25:31-34; 27:1-4; 48:8-22). • son of his father’s virility: The eldest male child carried this distinction because he proved that the man was capable of siring children, and a boy in particular.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
21:15-17 The law required that a firstborn son receive the greater share of his father’s inheritance (see 21:15-16; 2 Kgs 2:9). The custom of giving the firstborn son a double portion is first recorded here but was implied in earlier practice (see Gen 25:31-34; 27:1-4; 48:8-22). • son of his father’s virility: The eldest male child carried this distinction because he proved that the man was capable of siring children, and a boy in particular.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James VersionⓘKing James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place.
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
Then let his father and mother take him to the responsible men of the town, to the public place;