First-born

First-born (Heb. bekor, Gr. prōtotokos, Lat. primogenitus), in scriptural use, signifies the first male offspring, whether of man or of other animals, due to the Creator by the Mosaic law as a recognition of his supreme dominion. The first-born male, whether of men or of animals, was devoted from the time of birth to God, and the first-born male child had to be redeemed one month after birth by an offering not exceeding in value five shekels of silver (Exod. xiii. 13), provided the child lived longer than that period. The first-born male of animals also, whether clean or unclean, was equally regarded as devoted to God; that of clean animals, if free from blemish, was to be delivered to the priests within twelve months after birth, to be sacrificed to the Lord; nor was it permitted to any but the priests to partake of the flesh of such victims. If the animal were blemished, it was not to be sacrificed, but to be eaten at home. The first-born of unclean animals, again, was either to be put to death or to be redeemed with the addition of one-fifth of its value; if not redeemed, to be sold, and the price given to the priests. By the Mosaic law primogeniture had certain privileges attached to it, the chief of which were the headship of the family and a double portion of the inheritance. Among other nations considerable variety existed as to the succession of children to the inheritance of their parent, for the discussion of which see the articles ENTAIL, FAMILY, FEUDALISM, LAND-LAWS, and SUCCESSION.