Dict: easton - First-born, Redemption of

First-born, Redemption of @ From the beginning the office of the priesthood in each family belonged to the eldest son. But when the extensive plan of sacrificial worship was introduced, requiring a company of men to be exclusively devoted to this ministry, the primitive office of the first-born was superseded by that of the Levites kjv@Numbers:3:11-13), and it was ordained that the first-born of man and of unclean animals should henceforth be redeemed (18:15). The laws concerning this redemption of the first-born of man are recorded in kjv@Exodus:13:12-15 kjv@Exodus:22:29 kjv@Exodus:34:20 ; kjv@Numbers:3:45 kjv@Numbers:8:17 kjv@Numbers:18:16 ; kjv@Leviticus:12:2-4. The first-born male of every clean animal was to be given up to the priest for sacrifice kjv@Deuteronomy:12:6; kjv@Exodus:13:12 kjv@Exodus:34:20; kjv@Numbers:18:15-17). But the first-born of unclean animals was either to be redeemed or sold and the price given to the priest kjv@Leviticus:27:11-13, 27). The first-born of an ass, if not redeemed, was to be put to death kjv@Exodus:13:13 kjv@Exodus:34:20).