In the Mosaic Law, the firstborn of clean beasts held a special status and were subject to specific regulations regarding their dedication and redemption. These laws are primarily outlined in the Pentateuch, reflecting the broader principle of the firstborn's sanctity and the requirement of offering them to the Lord.

Biblical Foundation

The law concerning the firstborn of clean animals is rooted in the broader context of the firstborn's consecration to God, as seen in Exodus 13:2: "Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast." This command underscores the principle that the firstborn, as the first fruits of God's provision, are to be set apart for Him.

Clean Beasts

Clean beasts, as defined in Levitical law, are those animals deemed suitable for sacrifice and consumption. These include cattle, sheep, and goats, among others. The firstborn of these animals were to be offered to the Lord, as stated in Exodus 34:19: "The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep."

Law of Redemption

While the firstborn of clean beasts were to be offered to God, the law also provided a means of redemption. Numbers 18:17-18 clarifies this: "But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Their meat belongs to you, just as the breast and right thigh of the wave offering belong to you."

This passage indicates that while the firstborn of clean animals were not to be redeemed in the same manner as unclean animals or human firstborns, they were still considered holy and were to be sacrificed. The priests were then entitled to certain portions of the meat, signifying their share in the offerings made to God.

Theological Significance

The law of the firstborn of clean beasts serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the Israelites' dependence on Him. By dedicating the firstborn, the Israelites acknowledged God's provision and lordship over all creation. This act of dedication also prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the "firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15), who was offered once for all as the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Practical Implications

For the Israelites, adherence to this law was a tangible expression of their covenant relationship with God. It required faith and obedience, as offering the firstborn was a significant act of trust in God's continued provision. The law also reinforced the role of the priesthood in mediating between God and His people, as the priests were responsible for carrying out the sacrificial rites and receiving their portion of the offerings.

In summary, the law of redemption for the firstborn of clean beasts highlights the principles of consecration, sacrifice, and divine provision, integral to the faith and practice of ancient Israel.Numbers 18:16
And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

"For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me ...
... Who can say, my heart or way is clean? ... Man chose at first to hearken to the counsel
of his senses ... a sceptre there, to rule over the spirit which was born a free ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon vii for the law.htm

"Lo, I Come": Exposition
... worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." A clean sweep has ... know all
the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the ... "The first-born sons of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/lo i come exposition.htm

Sanctification
... First, such as are sanctified can remember a time when they were ... be foul in the bucket,
it cannot be clean in the ... it is our nobility, by it we are born of God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/5 sanctification.htm

The Clean and the Unclean
... If not, the first test will not stand alone. ... "You must be born again." "Except ... and
read, in which those washed in Jesu's blood, and so made clean, shall find ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/the clean and the unclean.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... a little after, he is called, "the first-born from the ... his saints, with the burthen
of the beasts, and the ... not up by nature first, but were first created, then ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

The Blood of the Testament
... You will, indeed, be born again, for this is ... Christ saith to us, "Ye are clean,"
then, "being ... Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 58 1912/the blood of the testament.htm

Saved by Grace;
... 61:10).2. This raiment is called white raiment, signifying their clean and innocent
state ... to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. ... FIRST. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/saved by grace.htm

The Letter of the Church of Rome
... is what he says: "Wash and become clean: rid your ... in country and city, and appointed
their first converts, after ... better for him not to have been born than to ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the letter of the church.htm

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... make proclamation as follows: 'Every one who has clean hands and ... Father, that from
him in turn was born the Logos ... and angels, whom he calls the first; and that ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period iii the critical period .htm

The Conflict with Evil
... An honest and clean-minded man instinctively does what is kind ... I will say to the
reapers, Gather up first the tares ... To this end have I been born, and to this ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter x the conflict with.htm

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