This is an article from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.\nThis article is written from a nineteenth century Christian viewpoint, and may not reflect modern opinions or recent discoveries in Biblical scholarship.\nPlease help the Wikipedia by bringing this article up to date. Redemption of First-born - From the beginning the office of the priesthood in each family\nbelonged to the eldest son. But when the extensive plan of\nsacrificial worship was introduced, requiring a company of men\nto be exclusively devoted to this ministry, the primitive office\nof the first-born was superseded by that of the Levites (Num.\n3:11-13), and it was ordained that the first-born of man and of\nunclean animals should henceforth be redeemed (18:15). The laws concerning this redemption of the first-born of man\nare recorded in Ex. 13:12-15; 22:29; 34:20; Num. 3:45; 8:17;\n18:16; Lev. 12:2, 4. The first-born male of every clean animal was to be given up\nto the priest for sacrifice (Deut. 12:6; Ex. 13:12; 34:20; Num.\n18:15-17). But the first-born of unclean animals was either to be\nredeemed or sold and the price given to the priest (Lev.\n27:11-13, 27). The first-born of an ass, if not redeemed, was to\nbe put to death (Ex. 13:13; 34:20). From Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)