First born son dedication aligns with biblical marriage

[tps26]

Not that this should be a surprise but I noticed that the command to dedicate first born males is not addressed just to a man's first son, but to any male that opens the womb in his house. The way I am reading this is if a woman's first child is a daughter you do not dedicate her future sons - a male has to open the womb to be a candidate for dedication. If a man has multiple women, this means that he may end up dedicating or redeeming more than once. Hence it is not a command to his first son, but whatever male opens a womb.

"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
Exodus 13:2 ESV

In fact it seems that it would have been a common occurance for a man to be dedicating or redeeming firstborn sons from multiple women (presses).

"You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
Exodus 22:29 ESV

It seems that Numbers 8 gives reprieve to this dedication of first born sons by the institution of the Levites in their place, a foreshadowing of the future intercession of Christ?

Also interesting that Isaac is a firstborn because of this standard even after Ishmael was Abraham's first son.

The levirate law bears a similar theme although not in regard to an opening of the womb:

And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
Deuteronomy 25:6 ESV

This means to me that the other children she bears carry their biological father's name, not the dead brother, only the first son.

There are a lot more "firstborn" verses than I can examine at the moment so please add what you can!

 

[PeteR]

Consider Deuteronomy 21:15-17... A man can only have one firstborn son with all the rights and privileges appertaining unto... I think the man has to redeem his firstborn son, not hers if there is more than one woman involved, otherwise the man will have as many competitors for the firstborn blessing and inheritance as he has wives with sons.

Or, maybe I didn't understand you clearly and this is what you are pointing at: The family firstborn, is not to be confused with the firstborn who opens the womb, making Reuben, Joseph, Gad and Dan 'firstborn' to open the womb, assuming no unnamed daughters are in the picture.

Can you clarify? (I'd dig with you, but deep in a paper on Paul right now.)

 

[tps26]

Yes, I am seeing that some verses pertain to the man's firstborn, and some to the woman's, and I think they both have significant meaning.

When you think about the parrallel of consecrating a firstborn male from a beast you own, you would do this in every instance of occurance, not just the first beast that had a male first and be done with consecrating your livestock for the rest of your life. I think inheritance is different than dedication, but I am only recently studying this. Much to learn.