First-born @ sons enjoyed certain special privileges Deuteronomy:21:17; Genesis:25:23Genesis:25:31, 34; 49:3; 1Chronicles:5:1; Hebrews:12:16; Psalms:89:27). (See BIRTHRIGHT.) The "first-born of the poor" signifies the most miserable of the poor Isaiah:14:30). The "church of the first-born" signifies the church of the redeemed. The destruction of the first-born was the last of the ten plagues inflicted on the Egyptians Exodus:11:1-8Exodus:12:29-30). Menephtah is probably the Pharaoh whose first-born was slain. His son did not succeed or survive his father, but died early. The son's tomb has been found at Thebes unfinished, showing it was needed earlier than was expected. Some of the records on the tomb are as follows: "The son whom Menephtah loves; who draws towards him his father's heart, the singer, the prince of archers, who governed Egypt on behalf of his father. Dead."
First-born, Redemption of @ From the beginning the office of the priesthood in each family belonged to the eldest son. But when the extensive plan of sacrificial worship was introduced, requiring a company of men to be exclusively devoted to this ministry, the primitive office of the first-born was superseded by that of the Levites Numbers:3:11-13), and it was ordained that the first-born of man and of unclean animals should henceforth be redeemed (18:15). The laws concerning this redemption of the first-born of man are recorded in Exodus:13:12-15Exodus:22:29Exodus:34:20 ; Numbers:3:45Numbers:8:17Numbers:18:16 ; Leviticus:12:2-4. The first-born male of every clean animal was to be given up to the priest for sacrifice Deuteronomy:12:6; Exodus:13:12Exodus:34:20; Numbers:18:15-17). But the first-born of unclean animals was either to be redeemed or sold and the price given to the priest Leviticus:27:11-13, 27). The first-born of an ass, if not redeemed, was to be put to death Exodus:13:13Exodus:34:20).
First-born, Sanctification of the @ A peculiar sanctity was attached to the first-born both of man and of cattle. God claimed that the first-born males of man and of animals should be consecrated to him, the one as a priest Exodus:19:22-24), representing the family to which he belonged, and the other to be offered up in sacrifice Genesis:4:4).
First-fruits @ The first-fruits of the ground were offered unto God just as the first-born of man and animals. The law required, (1.) That on the morrow after the Passover Sabbath a sheaf of new corn should be waved by the priest before the altar Leviticus:23:5-6, 10, 12; 2:12). (2.) That at the feast of Pentecost two loaves of leavened bread, made from the new flour, were to be waved in like manner Leviticus:23:15-17; Numbers:28:26). (3.) The feast of Tabernacles was an acknowledgement that the fruits of the harvest were from the Lord Exodus:23:16Exodus:34:22). (4.) Every individual, besides, was required to consecrate to God a portion of the first-fruits of the land Exodus:22:29Exodus:23:19Exodus:34:26 ; Numbers:15:20-21). (5.) The law enjoined that no fruit was to be gathered from newly-planted fruit-trees for the first three years, and that the first-fruits of the fourth year were to be consecrated to the Lord Leviticus:19:23-25). Jeremiah (2:3) alludes to the ordinance of "first-fruits," and hence he must have been acquainted with the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, where the laws regarding it are recorded.
FIRSTBORN @ - Under the law, in memory of the exodus (when the first-born of the Egyptians were slain), the eldest son was regarded as devoted to God, and was in very case to be redeemed by an offering not exceeding five shekels, within one month from birth. If he died before the expiration of thirty days, the Jewish doctors held the father excused, but liable to the payment if he outlived that time. Exodus:13:12-15-16; Leviticus:27:6) The eldest son received a double portion of the father’s inheritance, (21:17) but not of the mother’s. Under the monarchy the eldest son usually, but no always, as appears in the case of Solomon, succeeded his father in the kingdom. (Kings:1:30; 2:22) The male first-born of animals was also devoted to God. Exodus:13:2Exodus:13:12-13Exodus:22:29Exodus:34:19 -20) Unclean animals were to be redeemed with the addition of one-fifth of the value, or else put to death; or, if not redeemed, to be sold, and the price given to the priests. Leviticus:27:13Leviticus:27:27-28)
FIRSTFRUITS @ - The law ordered in general that the first of all ripe fruits and of liquors, or, as it is twice expressed, the first of first-fruits, should be offered in God’s house. Exodus:22:29Exodus:23:19Exodus:34:27 ) It was an act of allegiance to God as the giver of all. No exact quantity was commanded, but it was left to the spiritual and moral sense of each individual. On the morrow after the passover sabbath, i.e. on the 16th of Nisan, a sheaf of new corn was to be brought to the priest and waved before the altar, in acknowledgment of the gift of fruitfulness. Leviticus:2:12Leviticus:23:5-6Leviticus:23:10-12) At the expiration of seven weeks from this time, i.e. at the feast of pentecost, an oblation was to be made from the new flour, which were to be waved in like manner with the passover sheaf. Exodus:34:22; Leviticus:23:15-17; Numbers:28:26) The feast of ingathering, i.e. the feast of tabernacles, in the seventh month, was itself an acknowledgment of the fruits of the harvest. Exodus:23:16Exodus:34:22; Leviticus:23:39) These four sorts of offerings were national. Besides them, the two following were of an individual kind. A cake of the first dough that was baked was to be offered as a heave-offering. Numbers:15:19-21) The first-fruits of the land were to be brought in a basket to the holy place of God’s choice, and there presented to the priest, who was to set the basket down before the altar. (26:2-11) The offerings were the perquisite of the priests. Numbers:18:11Numbers:18:4) Nehemiah, at the return from captivity, took pains to reorganize the offerings of first-fruits of both kinds, and to appoint places to receive them. Nehemiah:10:35-37Nehemiah:12:44) An offering of first-fruits is mentioned as an acceptable one to the prophet Elisha. ( 2Kings:4:42)
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