Deuteronomy 21:15
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 21:15
15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 21 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of prayer, judgment, creation. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-23: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 21:15
15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
Analysis
If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated (כִּי־תִהְיֶיןָ לְאִישׁ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים הָאַחַת אֲהוּבָה וְהָאַחַת שְׂנוּאָה)—The law acknowledges polygamy's reality without endorsing it. Ahuv (beloved) and senu'ah (hated) describe the emotional favoritism that destroys families. The term "hated" doesn't necessarily mean active malice, but comparative neglect—loved less (cf. Genesis 29:31, where Leah was "hated" compared to Rachel).
And the firstborn son be hers that was hated (וְהָיָה הַבֵּן הַבְּכֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָה)—The issue is inheritance rights: will the father manipulate the bekhor (firstborn) status to favor the beloved wife's son? The law protects the legal rights of the less-favored wife's son, preventing emotional favoritism from corrupting legal justice.
Historical Context
Jacob's family perfectly illustrates this: he loved Rachel over Leah, yet Leah's sons (especially Judah) carried the messianic line. Genesis 29:31 says "the LORD saw that Leah was hated," using the same Hebrew root. This law prevents repeating Jacob's favoritism that nearly destroyed his family through jealousy and violence (Genesis 37).
Reflection
- How does parental favoritism damage families, and what safeguards can protect against it?
- In what ways does God's concern for the "hated" wife and her children reflect His heart for the overlooked and disadvantaged?
Word Studies
- Love: אַהֲבָה / חֶסֶד (Ahavah / Chesed) H157 - Love / Loyal-love
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Genesis 29:33