FIRST-BORN, SANCTIFICATION AND RE DEMPTION OF THE ("I= rimy, imn nrit), males of human beings and animals were strictly enjoined to perpetuate the remembrance of the death of Egypt's first-born, whereby the liberty of the Israelites was secured, and of the preservation of Israel's first-born. Comp. Exod. xiii. 2, 11-15.
I. Sanctification of the first-born, its signification, etc.—The fact that the first-born of Egypt were selected to be smitten down for the hard hearted ness of Pharaoh, and that their death was regal ded as the greatest calamity, sliews of itself that a peculiar sanctity had already been attached to the first-born of both man and cattle. The cause of this is easily traced in the Scriptures. The power of procreation was declar24 by God himself to be a special blessing (Gen. i. 22, 28 ; ix. 1; xvii. ; xxix. 31), and was granted as a reward to those who were well pleasing in his sight (Gen. xv. 4 ; Ps. cxxviii. 4). This was fully appreciated by the Jews ; for the possession of children, especially of the male sex, was esteemed the climax of social happiness (Gen. xvi. 2 ; XXIX. 31 ; Deut. vii. 13, 14 ; Ps. cxxviii. 3, 4), and the absence of them was considered a reproach (rinn), since it implied divine displeasure (Gen. xxv. 23), and no other earthly blessing could compensate it (Gen. xvi. 1-3). Moreover, the first-born of newly-married young people (n,113nn ia, Ps. cxxvii. 4) was be lieved to represent the prime of human vigour (jIN rovm,) being born before the strength of the father began to diminish (Gen. xlix. 3 ; Deut. xxi. 17 ; Ps. lxxviii. 51 ; cv. 36). It was there fore natural that the first instalment of God's blessing, and the prime of man's strength, should be regarded with peculiar affection, and have spe cial sanctity attached to him,' and that by virtue of the claim which God has to what is most loved and held sacred by us, and gratitude on the part of man, the first-born males, both of man and ani mals, should be consecrated to the giver of all good things ; the one as a priest, representing the family to which he belonged (Exod. xix. 22, 24),t and the other as a sacrifice (Gen. iv. 4), just as the fat of sacrifices was devoted to God because it was re garded as the prime part of the animal. [FAT.] This explains the fact why the plague of the first born of the Egyptians was so terribly felt ; it was the destruction of the objects most dear and sacred to them, whilst the first-born of the Hebrews, i.e., their priests and sacrifices, were spared. More over, it shews the import of the consecration en joined in Exod. xiii. r. Hitherto it was optional with the Hebrews whether they would devote the first-bom to the Lord, but now God, by virtue of having so signally interposed for their deliverance, claims the public consecration of the first-born of man as his priests, and of the first-born of animals as sacrifices.
2. Origin of the Redemption of the first-born. — A fter the building of the Tabernacle and the intro duction of the extensive sacrificial service, which required a special priestly order, as well as a sepa rate staff of servants, who could exclusively devote themselves to the ministry of the sanctuary, the offices of the first-born were superseded by those of the Levites (Num. iii. II-13)$ and it was ordained that the first-born of the other tribes, as well as the first-born of the animal.; which could not be sacrificed, should henceforth be redeemed (ibid. xviii. 15).
3. Rea'emption of the p st-.5.un of man.—The re demption of a child is to take place when it is a nionth old, when the father is to give to the priest thirty silver shekels of the sanctuary, i.e., about eleven or twelve shillings as the ma_ximum. It the child was sickly, or appeared otherwise to be inferior to children generally, the priest could esti mate it at less than this sum (Num. iii. 46, etc. ;
r6). The priest had to come to the house of the infant as the mother could not appear with it in the Temple because her days of purification, ac cording to the law (Lev. xii. 2, 4), were not as yet accomplished. No bargaining was allowed, but if the priest saw that the parents were poor, he could, if he chose, return the money when the ceremony was over. When the mother's days of purification were accomplished, and she could appear in the Temple, she then brought the child to the priest to be presented publicly to the Lord (Luke ii. 22). The Jews still observe this law of redemption. When the first-horn male is thirty days old, the parents invite to their house their friends and a priest (irl:) to a meal for the following day. The priest* having invoked God's blessing upon the repast, and offered some introductory prayers, etc., looks at the child and the price of redemption presented unto him, and asks the father which he would rather have, the money or the first-born child. Upon the father's reply that he would rather pay the price of redemp tion, the priest takes the money, swings it round the head of the infant in token of his vicarious authority, saying, This is for the first-horn, this is in lieu of it, this redeems it ! and let this son be spared for life, for the law of God and for the fear of Heaven ! May it please Thee, that, as he was spared for re demption, so he may be spared for the Law, for matrimony, and for good works. Amen.' The priest then lays his hand upon the child's head and blesses it, as follows :—` The Lord make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh I' etc. It is to this that the Apostle Peter refers when he says Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,' etc. (I Peter i. IS). When the first-born son is thirteen years of age, he fasts the clay before the feast of Passover, in commemora tion of the sparing of the first-born of the Hebrews in Eg,ypt. [FAsTs.] 4. Redemption of the first-born of clean animals.— The first-born of every clean animal (i. e., ox, sheep, goat, etc.), from eight clays to twelve months old, had to be taken to Jerusalem every year (Deut. xii. 6, etc.) ; and delivered to the priest, who offered it as a sacrifice to Jehovah, sprinkled its blood upon the altar, burned the fat, and eat the flesh (Exod. xiii. 13 ; xxxiv. 20 ; Num. xviii. 3-17). In the mean time the animal was not to be used for any work, for it belonged to the Lord (Deut. xv. 19) ; but if it had any blemish it was not to be sacrificed, but eaten up at home (ibid., XV. 21, 22). If, however, the man whose cattle had first-born lived at too great a distance from Jerusalem to carry them thither, Ile was commanded to sell them, and take the money to the sanctuary (Dent. xiv. 24, 25).
5. Redemption of the first-born of zinclean ani mals.—The first-born of unclean animals, ttot being allowed to be offered as sacrifices, were either to be redeemed according to the valuation of the priest, with the addition of one-fifth of the value, and then remain with their owner, or be sold, and the price given to the priests (Lev. xxvii. ti-13, 27), to be redeemed with a lamb, or else be put to death (Exod. xiii. 13).
6. Literature.—Joseph. Antiq. iv. 4. 4; /vfishna, Bechoroth ; Maimonides, lifishna Mora, vol. iii. p. 24t ; Hilchoth Bechorotk ; Ibn Ezra, his valu able comments on the different passages of the Hebrew Scriptures quoted in this article; The Hebrew Prayer-Book, published by Kniipflmacher, Vienna, 1859, with all the laws respecting tbe Jewish rites and ceremonies, entitled, Derech Ha Chajim, p. 4o7 ; Der lsnrelitische Volkslehrer, vii. 41, ; ix. 13S, ff. ; 212, ff. ; 248, ff.—C. D. G.