The first-born son was to receive the traditional double portion of his father"s inheritance. This was to be Israel"s practice even though the first-born may have been the son of the wife her husband loved less than another wife he had (cf. Genesis 25:5-6). [1] The father"s authority, therefore, was not absolute in the Israelite home. Ancient Near Easterners regarded the first-born son as the beginning of the father"s strength (cf. Genesis 49:3). Just as men were to treat their wives with consideration ( Deuteronomy 21:10-14), so too were fathers to treat their children with consideration ( Deuteronomy 21:15-17). [source][source][source]