Concordance of “firstborn” in the Bible

In most instances (98x) the word “firstborn” refers to a literal situation: the first child of a father or mother — the child being the offspring of the parents. HOWEVER, there are also instances where it refers to the honour/preeminence that is given to someone who is not born first. It’s not hard to imagine how the word extended its meaning of the honour of the firstborn given to another. These exceptions can be found by clicking on the “Exceptions” button below.

When the phrase “firstborn of X” is encountered, the X is almost always the parent of the one born — who is the offspring. If Col 1:15 follows this pattern, then we should understand that “creation” is the parent of Christ; or that Christ is the offspring of creation. However, if the WTS is correct that Christ is the Father’s first creation then the phrase would have to read: “Christ is the firstborn of God”, or “Christ is God’s firstborn.”

The three clearest passages that prove “firstborn” can have an extended meaning are found in Rev 1:5 and Col 1:18, which call Christ “the firstborn of the dead” and Rom 8:29 which calls Christ “the firstborn among many brethren.” People in scripture who were raised from the dead include:

  1. Widow’s son of Zarephath (1Ki 17:17–24)
  2. Shunammite’s son (2Ki 4:18–37)
  3. Man touching Elisha’s bones (2Ki 13:20–21)
  4. Jairus’ daughter (Mat 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56)
  5. Widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11–17)
  6. Lazarus (John 11:1–44)
  7. Christ himself (Mat 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts 2:24)
  8. unknown number of “many saints” (Mat 27:51–53)
  9. Tabitha (Acts 9:36–42)
  10. Eutychus (Acts 20:7–12)

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Translation: NASB

Verse 
 Referent 
 Text 
Gen 10:15 Sidon Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth
Gen 19:31 Lot’s daughter Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of the earth.
Gen 19:33 Lot’s daughter So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
Gen 19:34 Lot’s daughter On the following day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve our family through our father.”
Gen 19:37 Lot’s daughter The firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Gen 22:21 Uz Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram
Gen 25:13 Nebaioth and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam
Gen 27:19 Esau Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. Get up, please, sit and eat of my game, that you may bless me.”
Gen 27:32 Esau Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”
Gen 29:26 Generic But Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn.
Gen 35:23 Reuben the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun;
Gen 36:15 Eliphaz These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,
Gen 38:6 Er Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Gen 38:7 Er But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.
Gen 41:51 Manasseh Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”
Gen 43:33 Generic Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
Gen 46:8 Reuben Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
Gen 48:14 Manasseh Ephraim * But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
Gen 48:18 Manesseh * Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.”
Gen 49:3 Reuben * “Reuben, you are my firstborn [he was literally Jacob’s firstborn]; My might and the beginning of my strength, [yet now we also have the extended, figurative meaning:] Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
Exo 4:22 Israel * “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”’ Here is where God specifically calls something “His firstborn” and it isn’t his Son.
Exo 4:23 Generic “So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”
Exo 6:14 Reuben These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
Exo 11:5 Generic and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
Exo 12:12 Generic ‘For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD.
Exo 12:29 Generic Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle.
Exo 13:2 Generic “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”
Exo 13:13 Generic “But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.
Exo 13:15 Generic ‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
Exo 22:29 Generic “You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.
Exo 34:20 Generic “You shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None shall appear before Me empty-handed.
Lev 27:26 Generic ‘However, a firstborn among animals, which as a firstborn belongs to the LORD, no man may consecrate it; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD’S.
Num 1:20 Reuben Now the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,
Num 3:2 Nadab These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
Num 3:12 Generic “Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.
Num 3:13 Generic “For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD.”
Num 3:40 Generic Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.
Num 3:41 Generic “You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.”
Num 3:42 Generic So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him;
Num 3:43 Generic and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273.
Num 3:45 Generic “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD.
Num 3:46 Generic “For the ransom of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites,
Num 3:50 Generic from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.
Num 8:16 Generic for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
Num 8:17 Generic “For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.
Num 8:18 Generic “But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.
Num 18:15 Generic “Every first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.
Num 18:17 Generic “But the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall offer up their fat in smoke as an offering by fire, for a soothing aroma to the LORD.
Num 26:5 Reuben Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
Num 33:4 Generic while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods.
Deut 12:6 Generic “There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.
Deut 12:17 Generic “You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand.
Deut 14:23 Generic “You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
Deut 15:19 Generic “You shall consecrate to the LORD your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
Deut 21:15 Generic “If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved,
Deut 21:16 Generic * then it shall be in the day he wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn.
Deut 21:17 Generic “But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.
Deut 25:6 Generic “It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
Deut 33:17 Generic “As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his, And his horns are the horns of the wild ox; With them he will push the peoples, All at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Joshua 6:26 Generic Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.”
Joshua 17:1 Manasseh Machir Now this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war.
Jud 8:20 Jether So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.
1Sa 8:2 Joel Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba.
1Sa 14:49 Merab Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab and the name of the younger Michal.
1Sa 17:13 Eliab The three older sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
2Sa 3:2 Amnon Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
1Ki 16:34 Abiram In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
1Ch 1:13 Heth Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, Heth,
1Ch 1:29 Nebaioth These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
1Ch 2:3 Er The sons of Judah were Er, Onan and Shelah; these three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put him to death.
1Ch 2:13 Eliab and Jesse became the father of Eliab his firstborn, then Abinadab the second, Shimea the third,
1Ch 2:25 Jerahmeel Now the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah.
1Ch 2:27 Ram The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin and Eker.
1Ch 2:42 Mesha Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron.
1Ch 2:50 Hur These were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,
1Ch 3:1 Amnon Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second was Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess;
1Ch 3:15 Johanan The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, and the second was Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.
1Ch 4:4 Hur Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.
1Ch 5:1 Reuben * Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.
1Ch 5:3 Reuben the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
1Ch 6:28 Joel The sons of Samuel were Joel the firstborn, and Abijah the second.
1Ch 8:1 Bela And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third,
1Ch 8:30 Adbon and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab,
1Ch 8:39 Ulam The sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second and Eliphelet the third.
1Ch 9:5 Asaiah From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
1Ch 9:31 Mattithiah Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the responsibility over the things which were baked in pans.
1Ch 9:36 Abdon and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
1Ch 26:2 Zechariah Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth
1Ch 26:4 Shemaiah Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth
1Ch 26:10 Shimri * Also Hosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first),
2Ch 21:3 Jehoram Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
Ne 10:36 Generic and bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God.
Job 18:13 Generic “His skin is devoured by disease, The firstborn of death devours his limbs.
Psa 78:51 Generic And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.
Psa 89:27 David * “I also shall make him [King David] My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. Here is where God specifically calls someone “His firstborn” and it isn’t his Son.
Psa 105:36 Generic He also struck down all the firstborn in their land, The first fruits of all their vigor.
Psa 135:8 Generic He smote the firstborn of Egypt, Both of man and beast.
Psa 136:10 Generic To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
Jer 31:9 Ephraim * “With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.” Here is where God specifically calls someone “His firstborn” and it isn’t his Son.
Eze 20:26 Generic and I pronounced them unclean because of their gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am the LORD.”’
Mic 6:7 Generic Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Zec 12:10 Generic “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
Luke 2:7 Jesus And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:23 Generic (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”),
Rom 8:29 Jesus * For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Col 1:15 Jesus * He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Col 1:18 Jesus * He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. (NWT 2013: so that he might become the one who is first in all things). [Three things out of the all things referred to in previous verses are mentioned explicitly: creation, the church, and being raised from the dead.]
Heb 1:6 Jesus * And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.”
Heb 11:28 Generic By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
Heb 12:23 Generic to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
Rev 1:5 Jesus * and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood