Deuteronomy 15:19-23

Of Firstlings

All male firstlings of herd and flock are to be sanctified to Jehovah; those of the ox shall not work nor those of the sheep be shorn; their flesh shall be eaten before the Lord by the offerer and his household at the One Altar year by year (Deuteronomy 15:9 f.). A blemished firstling shall not be sacrificed, but eaten at home under the conditions laid down (Deuteronomy 12:20 ff.) for the profane slaughter and eating of animals (Deuteronomy 15:21-23). Sg. throughout. Steuern. takes Deuteronomy 15:21 and Deuteronomy 15:22 f. as probably later additions on the ground that the former is covered by Deuteronomy 17:1, the latter by Deuteronomy 12:22 ff. But their repetition in this law is pertinent to its central purpose. For reasons why the law is placed just here see below on Deuteronomy 15:20.

The earliest law on firstlings is found in variant forms in J, Exodus 13:11-16; Exodus 34:19 f. and E, Exodus 22:2 f. (see the notes in Driver's Exod.108, 235, 370 ff. with comparative table). These enjoin the passing overor givingto the Lord of all firstborn males, both human and animal; those of men and -unclean" animals (i.e. unfit for sacrifice) may be redeemed. D does not give so full a law on the subject, for his only intention is to adapt the practice enjoined in these earlier laws to the new conditions in which sacrifice is lawful only at the one shrine. Hence he says nothing of the firstborn of men or of unclean beasts. And hence he omits the provision in Exodus 22:29 f, that the firstlings of ox and sheep were to be taken from the dam after seven days and on the eighth given to the Lord; because, while this was practicable when there were many local shrines, it is no longer so when there is to be one altar. Hence also he substitutes the general direction that the offerings are to be made year by year. No more clear illustration could be afforded of the fact that D's code was not intended as a complete legislation, but that its motive was simply to modify earlier codes or the consuetudinary laws of Israel to the new situation brought about by its central law of one sanctuary. P's law on the subject, Numbers 18:15-18, is similar to the others; but adds that the flesh of the firstlings of oxen, sheep and goats shall be the perquisite of the priests: an injunction irreconcileable with D's, that it is to be enjoyed by the offerer and his family, and indicative, like so much else in P, of the growing power of the priesthood to absorb what had previously been the rights of the laity.