### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **sânîyʼ**, represented by `{{H8146}}`, is a specific term that means **hated**. Derived from the root verb שָׂנֵא `{{H8130}}`, meaning "to hate," this adjectival form appears only **1 time** in a single verse in the Bible. Its sole usage occurs within a specific legal context concerning family inheritance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single appearance of `{{H8146}}` is in a law that governs domestic relationships and inheritance rights. [[Deuteronomy 21:15]] presents a scenario where a **man** `{{H376}}` has **two** `{{H8147}}` **wives** `{{H802}}`, one **beloved** `{{H157}}` and the other **hated** `{{H8130}}`. The law anticipates the potential for conflict by stipulating that if the **firstborn** `{{H1060}}` **son** `{{H1121}}` belongs to the wife who was **hated** `{{H8146}}`, his birthright cannot be denied. This context uses **sânîyʼ** to describe the status of the wife, directly linking the emotion of being hated to a matter of legal protection.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the dynamics at play in this passage:
* `{{H8130}}` **sânêʼ** (to hate): The root verb from which **sânîyʼ** is derived. It defines the core action of hate. The Bible contrasts this with love, stating that a father who spares the rod **hateth** his son [[Proverbs 13:24]], while also commanding believers to **hate** evil [[Psalms 97:10]].
* `{{H157}}` **ʼâhab** (to have affection for): This is the direct antonym of **sânêʼ**, used in [[Deuteronomy 21:15]] to describe the "beloved" wife. It is a central term in scripture, used in the command to **love** the LORD with all one's heart [[Deuteronomy 6:5]].
* `{{H1060}}` **bᵉkôwr** (firstborn; hence, chief): This term is central to the legal ruling. The status of the **firstborn** carried significant rights and responsibilities, which this law protects. The importance of the **firstborn** is a recurring theme, seen in the Passover judgment [[Exodus 12:29]] and in God referring to Ephraim as His **firstborn** [[Jeremiah 31:9]].
* `{{H1121}}` **bên** (a son): The object of the legal protection is the **son**. The word is fundamental to lineage and covenant, as seen in the call for God's people to teach the commandments to their **sons** and their **sons**' **sons** [[Deuteronomy 4:9]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H8146}}` is rooted in the legal principle it helps to establish.
* **Impartial Justice:** The law in [[Deuteronomy 21:15]] ensures that a father's personal favoritism—loving one wife and hating another—does not subvert the established legal rights of his children. Justice must prevail over personal feelings.
* **Protection for the Vulnerable:** By safeguarding the inheritance of the son of the **hated** `{{H8146}}` wife, the law provides protection for a child who would be in a socially and emotionally vulnerable position within the family structure.
* **Upholding Divine Order:** The passage demonstrates that human relationships, with their potential for strife and favoritism, are subject to divine standards of fairness. The rights of the **firstborn** `{{H1060}}` are a matter of established order, not to be undone by a husband's emotional preference.
### Summary
In summary, **sânîyʼ** `{{H8146}}` is a highly specific term for **hated** whose single use carries significant weight. Its appearance in [[Deuteronomy 21:15]] is crucial for establishing a legal precedent that champions impartial justice and protects the vulnerable. The word highlights a key biblical principle: that divine law is meant to regulate human emotion and ensure that foundational rights, such as the birthright of a **firstborn** son, are upheld regardless of whether he is the child of a beloved or a **hated** wife.
TRV