2020年4月8日 星期三

申命記21:15-17


21:15 「人若有二妻,一為所愛,一為所惡,所愛的、所惡的都給他生了兒子,但長子是所惡之妻生的。
21:16
到了把產業分給兒子承受的時候,不可將所愛之妻生的兒子立為長子,在所惡之妻生的兒子以上,
21:17
卻要認所惡之妻生的兒子為長子,將產業多加一分給他;因這兒子是他力量強壯的時候生的,長子的名分本當歸他。」

15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

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    對於家庭棘手的問題,聖經也提供理性且合理的答案。雖然這裡的原則,以色列人的祖先雅各沒有遵守;但是在雅各心中拉結永遠是大老婆,所以約瑟就是長子。

    不過話說回來,不要多妻就不會有這樣的問題!不用去論喜愛不喜愛,所有小孩都是父母所寶貝,該立為長子的仍然為長子,不會受到母親之地位的影響,而不知立誰為長子。

    然而這段文字也提醒我們要看重自己是被上帝揀選與拯救的身分,如同古代人看重長子的身分。我們是上帝的兒女,更是上帝的後嗣,要與基督在上帝國裡一同做王!我們是王的兒女,將來也是王!

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