Dict: easton - Birth

easton:

Birth @ As soon as a child was born it was washed, and rubbed with salt kjv@Ezekiel:16:4), and then swathed with bandages kjv@Job:38:9; kjv@Luke:2:7 kjv@Luke:2:12). A Hebrew mother remained forty days in seclusion after the birth of a son, and after the birth of a daughter double that number of days. At the close of that period she entered into the tabernacle or temple and offered up a sacrifice of purification kjv@Leviticus:12:1-8; kjv@Luke:2:22). A son was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, being thereby consecrated to God kjv@Genesis:17:10-12; comp. kjv@Romans:4:11). Seasons of misfortune are likened to the pains of a woman in travail, and seasons of prosperity to the joy that succeeds child-birth kjv@Isaiah:13:8; kjv@Jeremiah:4:31; kjv@John:16:21-22). The natural birth is referred to as the emblem of the new birth kjv@John:3:3-8; kjv@Galatians:6:15; kjv@Titus:3:5, etc.).

Birth-day @ The observance of birth-days was common in early times kjv@Job:1:4 kjv@Job:1:13, 18). They were specially celebrated in the land of Egypt kjv@Genesis:40:20). There is no recorded instance in Scripture of the celebration of birth-days among the Jews. On the occasion of Herod's birth-day John the Baptist was beheaded kjv@Matthew:14:6).

Birthright @

(1.) This word denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family. Thus Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him. That honour was, however, transferred by God from Reuben to Levi kjv@Numbers:3:12-13 kjv@Numbers:8:18).

(2.) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the paternal inheritance kjv@Deuteronomy:21:15-17). Reuben was, because of his undutiful conduct, deprived of his birth-right kjv@Genesis:49:4; kjv@1Chronicles:5:1). Esau transferred his birth-right to Jacob kjv@Genesis:25:33).

(3.) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be ( kjv@2Chronicals:21:3). By divine appointment, however, David excluded Adonijah in favour of Solomon.

(4.) The Jews attached a sacred importance to the rank of "first-born" and "first-begotten" as applied to the Messiah kjv@Romans:8:29; kjv@Colossians:1:18; kjv@Hebrews:1:4-6). As first-born he has an inheritance superior to his brethren, and is the alone true priest.