Firstling (Hastings' Dictionary)
A firstling is the first (in time) of its kind, Pr 3" Cov. ' Honoure the Lorde with thy substaunce, and -ivith the firstlinges of all thine encrease.' In Macbeth, IV. i. 147, Shales, uses the word of the first thoughts of the heart and the first acts of the hand — From thig moment The very firstlings of ray heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.' In EV it is used only of the firstborn of beasts, though the Heb. words so tr* (ni33 or n-ioa, and ncs) are used also of the firstborn of women.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Firstling
Firstling See FIRSTBORN. ⇒See a list of verses on FIRSTLING in the Bible. ⇒See the definition of firstling in the KJV Dictionary
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia