Why is it that the firstborn never receives the inheritance in the Biblical stories?

Question

Thank you MrsCotty! 2 thumbs way up! The Egyptians and surrounding cultures inherited the throne by divine right. Judaism teaches that we are all equal and leadership should go to those most capable of fulfilling the obligation. Those who will rule fairly and justly. Those who are equipped for the task. Leadership never comes from divine right!
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Answer 1

HaShem does not necessarily give things to the first born. The first born had to earn his inheritance just as any one else did. If the first born did not eran his inheritance, then it was taken away and given to the next one.

Answer 2

Ummmm, you are mistaken, Isaac was the firstborn of Sara, and Joseph was the first born of Rachel he received a double inheritance, two tribes from Joseph: Ephraim and Manasseh, making the total of 13 tribes. Northern Kingdom of Israel started out ruled by an Ephraimite.

What is the significance of Israel's (Jacob) blessing on the two sons of Joseph?

http://angelmessage.org/judahs_sceptre/index.html

The reason the firstborn, like Reuben and Esau did not inherit was sin on the one hand and because God was showing that His calling is by election not birth on the other.

Had nothing to do with "earning" anything. Oh, and divine right or election is everything. Without it a person has nothing. Why do you think the Jews and other Bible believers consider themselves the Chosen People?

Edit: I keep wondering how you could be so misguided! Who, pray tell, inherited the throne of David through all the years the Kingdom of Judah existed? Was it open for election by the people or by divine right from directly descending from David?

Edit: Yet another point, Judaism looks forward to a divinely appointed ruler, the Messiah

Answer 3

The firstborn was suppose to take care of the parents which is why they received twice the inheritance of the younger brothers. . The animal sacrifices to God had to be firstborns. Jesus was a firstborn. I don't know why the younger ones got the inheritance in the Bible often. Has something to do with the firstborns are spared death (sacrifice) and their inheritance is Jesus and life. Good question!

Answer 4

That's a good question. Although I think there's a legal dispute between Isaac and Ishmael regarding legitimacy. The firstborn of a wife always takes precendence over the firstborn of a concubine or slave.

Even though Jacob managed to cheat Esau of his birthright, it didn't seem to do Esau much harm personally, although he didn't go on to father the hebrew nation as Jacob did. They were fraternal twins, so the difference really wasn't that great there, either.

Answer 5

Those who write the books make history.

Inheritance theft was a great passtime for some of the scholars who could change the scripture.

God can give to the first born the Double share no matter what people might desire or rewrite in books.

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Answer 6

Maybe to show a lesson that those who come first can still lose what they're entitled to? I think that without them, the firstborns of that time period would automatically assume that they can do anything they want and still get all of the blessings.

Answer 7

There were firstborns that did receive the inheritance, but sometimes the others didn't do what was right, and they lost the inheritance.

Answer 8

then learn it as a lesson not the first born gets everything

Answer 9

Ishmael inherited the world one billion people. and where is Ishmael descendants there is oil and richness.

Answer 10

Because their dads liked lentils.