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Leviticus
Chapter Twenty-seven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVEITICUS 27
This
chapter contains various laws concerning vows made unto the Lord
whether of
persons whose estimation was to be made by the priest
according to their age
sex
and condition
Leviticus 26:1; or
of beasts
clean and unclean
good or bad
Leviticus 26:9; or
of houses
fields
and lands
the estimation of which was to be according to
its seed
and the time of its being set apart
whether from or after the year
of jubilee
and the number of years to it
Leviticus 26:14;
with this exception to the above laws
that no firstling of the Lord's might be
sanctified
and if an unclean beast it might be redeemed
but nothing devoted
to the Lord
whether of man
beast
or field
might be sold or redeemed
Leviticus 26:26;
and the chapter is concluded with some laws concerning the redemption or change
of tithes
what might or what might not be redeemed or changed
Leviticus 26:30;.
Leviticus 27:1. Now
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... After he had
delivered the body of laws in the preceding chapter
which by the close of the
last seem to have been finished; but here some rules and instructions
concerning vows are given
which a man was not obliged to make
but which he
did of his own freewill and good pleasure: saying; as follows.
Leviticus 27:2.
2 “Speak to the children of
Israel
and say to them: ‘When a man consecrates by a vow certain persons to
the Lord
according to your valuation
YLT 2`Speak unto the sons of Israel
and thou hast
said unto them
When a man maketh a wonderful vow
by thy valuation the persons
[are] Jehovah's.
Speak unto the children of Israel
and say unto them
.... This
being an affair which only concerned them; for the Jewish writers sayF8Maimon.
& Bartenora in Misn. Eracin
c. 1. sect. 2.
by this phrase
the children
of Israel
Gentiles are excluded:
when a man shall make a singular vow; an unusual
an uncommon one
a very distinguished one
and even what is wonderful
as the
word signifies; as when a man
through uncommon zeal for God and his service
devotes himself
or his children
or his cattle
or his houses or fields
to
the Lord: the word "man"
the Jewish writers sayF9Ibid.
includes every male
and even a Gentile; yea
it is said all estimate and are
estimated
vow and are vowed
priests
and Levites
and Israelites
women and
servantsF11Misn. Eracin
sect. 1. : the persons shall be for the
Lord by thy estimation: as when a man devoted himself or any that belonged to
him to the service of the sanctuary
out of his great zeal for it
as to assist
the priests and Levites in the meaner sort of work
as to carry wood and draw
water
and sweep the tabernacle
and the like; they were not allowed to do
these things
partly because it was not the will of God that any or every
Israelite should be employed in such menial service
and partly because there
were men appointed for such work
as well as to prevent too great a number of
persons in the sanctuary
which would be troublesome
and only stand in one
another's way; wherefore
on every devoted person to such service a value or
price was set
according to the rules after given
which were to be paid in to
the priests for the service of the sanctuary
the repair of the house
&c.
see 2 Kings 12:4; the
word may be rendered
agreeably to the accents
"according to thy
estimation of souls (or persons) the vow shall be to the Lord"F12בערכך נפשת ליהוה
"pro tua aestimatione animarum
votum erit" Domino
Reinbeck de
Accent. Heb. p. 320; ; that is
the price of the person devoted
according to
the estimation of the priest
or as settled by the Lord in some following
verses
shall be given to him: the word "souls" being used
the
Jewish doctors understand it of estimation or value of that on which the soul
or life depends; thus
for instance
if a man says
the value of my hand or of
my feet be upon me
he says nothing; but if he says
the value of my head or of
my liver be upon me
he gives the whole value
i.e. of himself; if he says
the
half of my value be upon me
he gives the half of it; but if he says
the value
of half of me
he gives the whole value: this is the general rule
that on
which the soul or life depends pays the whole valueF13Misn. Eracin
c. 5. sect. 2
3. ; for a man cannot live without his head
or without his
liver
or when half of himself is taken away.
Leviticus 27:3.
3 if your valuation is of a
male from twenty years old up to sixty years old
then your valuation shall be
fifty shekels of silver
according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
YLT 3When thy valuation hath been of the male from
a son of twenty years even unto a son of sixty years
then hath been thy
valuation fifty shekels of silver by the shekel of the sanctuary.
And thy estimation shall be
.... The estimation of
the man himself that vowed
or of the priest for him
was not left to be made
by either of them at their pleasure
but was to be made according to the
following rules
in proportion to the age a person was of to be estimated:
of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old: the account begins
with these
because men of an age from the one to the other are fittest for
labour
and therefore to be set at the highest price
as they are in the next
clause:
even that estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver
after the
shekel of the sanctuary; a shekel was about half a crown of our money
or somewhat less
so that fifty of these amounted to about six pounds: these shekels were to be
of the full weight
according to the standard that was kept in the sanctuary
and were the highest price that was set upon any; and this was paid equally by
all of the same age
whether rich or poor: hence it is said
"in
estimations there is nothing less than one shekel
nor more than fiftyF14Misn.
Eracin
c. 2. sect. 1. .'
Leviticus 27:4.
4 If it is a female
then your valuation shall be thirty shekels;
YLT 4And if it [is] a female -- then hath thy
valuation been thirty shekels;
And if it be a female
.... That is
of the same
age
full twenty years of age
and not more than sixty:
then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels; about three
pounds ten shillings of our money
the price of a servant
Exodus 21:32; the
reason of this difference of estimation between a man and a woman is
because
the woman is the weaker vessel
and her labour and service of less importance
and worth
such as spinning
washing
&c.
Leviticus 27:5.
5 and if from five years old
up to twenty years old
then your valuation for a male shall be twenty shekels
and for a female ten shekels;
YLT 5and if from a son of five years even unto a
son of twenty years -- then hath thy valuation been of the male twenty shekels
and for the female
ten shekels;
And if it be from five years old
even unto to twenty years
old
.... Not that one of five years old is supposed to vow or to make
an estimation
but one grown up
that says
the estimation of this little one
who is five years of age
be upon me; and such an one was bound to pay the
value of him
which is as follows:
then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels
and for
the female ten shekels; which were for the one above two pounds
and for the other more
than one pound; these were valued at a less price than the former
partly
because
generally speaking
there are more die between the age of five and the
age of twenty years than between twenty and sixty; and partly because within
that time they are not capable of so much work and service as in the latter;
and it may be observed
that the females of this age are not valued in
proportion to the females of the other; the estimation of these being just half
that of the males
whereas that of the other is more than half; the reason is
that women above twenty years of age
their service bears
a better proportion
to that of men
than that of young women to young men under twenty.
Leviticus 27:6.
6 and if from a month old up
to five years old
then your valuation for a male shall be five shekels of
silver
and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver;
YLT 6and if from a son of a month even unto a son
of five years -- then hath thy valuation been of the male five shekels of
silver
and for the female thy valuation [is] three shekels of silver;
And if it be from a month old even unto five years old
.... That is
if a man devotes his child to the Lord within such an age
and says
the
estimation of this my son or my daughter be upon me
then he was to pay the
value
as next directed; for one under a month old no estimation was to be
made: the Jews say
"one less than a mouth old may be vowed
but not
estimatedF15Misn. Eracin
c. 1. sect. 1. :"
then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver; somewhat more
than ten shillings:
and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of
silver; about seven shillings
which is the least value put on any; and
though the lives of male or female at this age are equally uncertain
and the
service of either of little worth when near the full time fixed; yet the
preference is given to the male
as being of the more perfect kind
and its
life generally most desirable.
Leviticus 27:7.
7 and if from sixty years
old and above
if it is a male
then your valuation shall be fifteen
shekels
and for a female ten shekels.
YLT 7and if from a son of sixty years and above --
if a male
then hath thy valuation been fifteen shekels
and for a female
ten
shekels.
And if it be from sixty years old and above
.... When man
is almost past his labour
and it is high time to leave off business:
if it be a male
then thy estimation shall between shekels; about one
pound fifteen shillings:
and for the female ten shekels; about one pound three
shillings; it may be observed that there is not the disproportion between a man
and a woman in old age as in youth
with respect to the estimation of them; the
reason of which is
because there is but little difference in their labour and
service; nay
sometimes the woman is most useful and serviceable; for when a
man
through age
is quite worn out and his labour gone
an older woman is
capable of managing the affairs of the family
and is of great use and service
either by directing and advising
or by doing: so Jarchi observes
when persons
come to old age
a woman is nearly to be reckoned as a man
and quotes a
proverb of theirs
an old man in a house is a broken potsherd in the house
(some interpret the word
a snare or stumbling block
that is in the way); an
old woman in a house is a treasure in a house
a good sign in a houseF16T.
Bab. Eracin
fol. 19. 1. vid. Yalkut
par. 1. fol. 198. 1.
of great use in
the management of the affairs of the family.
Leviticus 27:8. 8 ‘But
if he is too poor to pay your valuation
then he shall present himself before
the priest
and the priest shall set a value for him; according to the ability
of him who vowed
the priest shall value him.
YLT 8`And if he is poorer than thy valuation
then
he hath presented himself before the priest
and the priest hath valued him;
according to that which the hand of him who is vowing doth reach doth the priest
value him.
But if he be poorer than thy estimation
.... If he is
so poor that he is not able to pay the value that
is set upon him
according
to the rules before given:
then he shall present himself before the priest; that has made
the estimation
according to the above directions
observing the difference of
years
and of male and female; but if a person could not pay the said sums that
were appointed
he might apply to the priest
and tell his case:
and the priest shall value him; put a price upon him he
is able to pay
as follows:
according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him; he was to
examine into his circumstances
and as they appeared to him he was to put a
value on him
which was to be paid
but not less than
a shekel; for if he
could not pay that
it was to remain as a debt until he couldF17Maimon.
Hilchot Eracin
c. 3. sect. 4. ; and it was the ability of him that made the
vow that was to be inquired into
and according to which the estimation was to
be made
and not of him that was vowed: so it is said in the
Misnah
"ability is regarded in the vower
and years in the vowed
and
estimations in the estimated
and according to the tithe of the estimation:
ability in the vower
how? a poor man that estimates a rich man
pays the value
of a poor man; and a rich man that estimates a poor man
pays the value of a
rich man: if he is poor and afterwards becomes rich
or rich and afterwards
poor
he pays the price of a rich manF18Misn. Eracin
c. 4. sect.
1
2. ;'but the sense which Jarchi gives is
that a priest in such a case was to
judge according to what a man has
and so order him to pay
but was to leave
him so as he might live
a bed and bolster
and working tools
and if he had an
ass he might leave him that.
Leviticus 27:9. 9 ‘If
it is an animal that men may bring as an offering to the Lord
all that anyone
gives to the Lord
shall be holy.
YLT 9`And if [it is] a beast of which they bring
near an offering to Jehovah
all that [one] giveth of it to Jehovah is holy;
And if it be a beast whereof men bring an offering to the
Lord
.... That is
it such a creature is devoted
which is of that
kind which are used in sacrifice to the Lord
such as bullocks
sheep
goats
rams
and lambs:
all that any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy; shall be set
apart to sacred uses
and not applied to profane or common uses
but either
were for the use of the altar or of the priests; or the price of them for the
repair of the sanctuary
according as they were devoted.
Leviticus 27:10. 10 He
shall not substitute it or exchange it
good for bad or bad for good; and if he
at all exchanges animal for animal
then both it and the one exchanged for it
shall be holy.
YLT 10he doth not change it nor exchange it
a good
for a bad
or a bad for a good; and if he really change beast for beast
-- then
it hath been -- it and its exchange is holy.
He shall not alter it nor change it
.... Some think these two
words signify the same
but AbarbinelF19Apud Muis. in loc. makes
them different; according to him
to "alter" is for one of another
kind
as one of the herd for one of the flock
or the contrary; and to
"change" for one of the same kind:
a good for a bad
or a bad for a good; or
as the
Targum of Jonathan
"that which is perfect for that which has a blemish in
it
or what has a blemish in it for that which is perfect;'a change might not
be made neither for the better nor for the worse
but the creature devoted was
to be taken as it was; if not fit for sacrifice it was to be sold
and its
price put to other uses; for
as AbarbinelF20Ibid. observes
whatsoever
was devoted to sacred use was never to be put to any profane one; and this was
also to teach men not to be hasty and fickle in such things
but to consider
well what they did
and abide by it; for if such alterations and changes could
be admitted of
a man after he had vowed might through covetousness repent
and
bring a bad one instead of a good one
or
under pretence of bringing a good
one instead of a bad one
might bring a bad one and say it was good
as BechaiF21Apud
Muis. ib. observes; even one worse than he had brought
thinking to impose upon
the ignorance of the priest; and indeed if he was sincere in it
and had a mind
to bring a better than what he had vowed
it was not allowed of; if he made any
change
though it was for the better
he was to be beaten
as MaimonidesF23Hilchot
Temurah
c. 1. sect. 1. affirms:
and if he shall at all change beast for beast; whether of
the same or of a different kind
or whether for better or worse:
then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy: both of them
were to be the Lord's
and appropriated to sacred use
of one sort or another
either for sacrifice or for the priests family
or the price of it for the
repairs of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 27:11. 11 If it is an unclean
animal which they do not offer as a sacrifice to the Lord
then he shall
present the animal before the priest;
YLT 11`And if [it is] any unclean beast of which
they do not bring near an offering to Jehovah
then he hath presented the beast
before the priest
And if it be any unclean beast
of which they do not offer
a sacrifice unto the Lord
.... Any creature
excepting a dog
the
price of which was not to be brought into the house of the Lord; besides oxen
sheep
goats
rams
and lambs; though some understand it even of such that have
blemishes on them
and so not fit to be offered unto the Lord; so Jarchi and
othersF24Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Menachot
c. 12. sect. 1.
:
then he shall present the beast before the priest; to be viewed
examined
and judged of as to its worth
and a value put upon it
that it might
be sold or redeemed
as no other but a beast might; so it is observed birds
wood
frankincense
and ministering vessels
have no redemption
for it is only
said a beastF25Misn. ib. .
Leviticus 27:12. 12 and
the priest shall set a value for it
whether it is good or bad; as you
the
priest
value it
so it shall be.
YLT 12and the priest hath valued it; whether good
or bad
according to thy valuation
O priest
so it is;
And the priest shall value it
whether it be good or bad
.... Put a
price upon it according to its worth
as it shall appear to him:
as thou valuest it
who art the priest
so shall it be; that shall be
the price at which it shall be sold
not to the owner or devoter of it
for he
must give more
as appears from Leviticus 27:13;
but
as Jarchi observes
to all other men who come to purchase it.
Leviticus 27:13. 13 But
if he wants at all to redeem it
then he must add one-fifth to
your valuation.
YLT 13and if he really redeem it
then he hath
added its fifth to thy valuation.
But if he will at all redeem it
.... The owner of it
or
he that has devoted it
if he is determined to have it again at any rate:
then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation; he shall give
the full price for it
as rated by the priest
and for which it might be sold
to another man
and a fifth part of the value of it besides; this was done that
the full price might be paid for it
the priest not knowing
as it might be
the worth of it so well as the owner; and that the value of consecrated things
might be kept to
and to make men careful how and what they devoted
since
though redeemable
they were obliged to pay a large price for them.
Leviticus 27:14. 14 ‘And
when a man dedicates his house to be holy to the Lord
then the
priest shall set a value for it
whether it is good or bad; as the priest
values it
so it shall stand.
YLT 14`And when a man sanctifieth his house
a holy
thing to Jehovah
then hath the priest valued it
whether good or bad; as the
priest doth value it so it standeth;
And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the
Lord
.... Shall set it apart for sacred service
devote it to holy
uses
so that it may be sold
and the money laid out in sacrifices
the repairs
of the temple
&c. under this any other goods are comprehended
concerning
which the Jews say
"he that sanctifieth his goods
and his wife's dowry is
upon him
or he is a debtor; his wife cannot demand her
dowry out of that
which is sanctified
nor a creditor his debt; but if he will redeem he may
redeem
on condition that he gives the dowry to the wife
and the debt to the
creditor; if he has set apart ninety pounds and his debt is an hundred
he may
add a penny more
and with it redeem those goods
on condition he gives the
wife her dowry and the creditor his debt: whether he sanctifies or estimates
his goods
he has no power over his wife's or children's clothes
nor over
coloured things
died on their account
nor on new
shoes he has bought for
themF26Misn. Eracin
c. 6. sect. 2
5.
&c.'again it is saidF1Misn.
Shekalim
c. 4. sect. 8.
"if anyone sanctified his goods
and there were
among them things fit for the altar; wine
oil
and fowls
R. Eliezer says
they might be sold to those that need any of
that kind
and with the price of
them burnt offerings might be bought
and the rest of the goods fell to the
repair of the temple:"
then the priest shall estimate it whether it be good or bad; shall examine
it of what size and in what condition it is
whether a large well built house
or not
and whether in good repair or not
and accordingly set a price upon it:
as the priest shall estimate it
so shall it stand; according to
the price he shall set upon it
it may be sold; whoever will give it may
purchase it
excepting the owner or he that has sanctified it
he must pay a
fifth part more
as follows.
Leviticus 27:15. 15 If
he who dedicated it wants to redeem his house
then he must add
one-fifth of the money of your valuation to it
and it shall be his.
YLT 15and if he who is sanctifying doth redeem his
house
then he hath added a fifth of the money of thy valuation to it
and it
hath become his.
And if he that sanctifieth it will redeem his house
.... An house
set apart for holy uses might be redeemed
either by another paying the price
set upon it by the priest
or by the original owner of it paying a fifth part
more; and this was the case
whether of houses in walled cities or in villages:
so Maimonides says
"he that sanctifies his house
whether it be one of
those in walled cities
or of those in villages
it may be always redeemed; he
that redeems one out of the hand of holiness (or which has been sanctified)
if
it is a house in a walled city
and remains in the possession of the redeemer
twelve months
it is absolutely his; but if it is a house in the villages
and
the jubilee comes
and it is in the possession of the redeemer
it returns to
its owner in the jubileeF2Hilchot Eracin
c. 5. sect. 3
4. :'but if
the owner of it had a mind to redeem it after he had devoted it:
then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy
estimation unto it
and it shall be his; that is
he was to give
a fifth part more for the house than it was valued at by the priest
or than
another might have it for; the reason of which was
to make men careful how
they sanctified or vowed their houses or goods
and that it might be certain
that the full value was given for it
the worth of which the priest might not know
so well as the owner
and the latter
being willing to give the price set by
the former
might give suspicion of it; wherefore
in order to have the full
price of it with certainty
and to set an high value on things devoted
the
owner was to give a fifth part more than the estimation of it: thus
for
instance
if an house thus devoted was valued by the priest at the price of an
hundred pounds
the owner was obliged
if he would redeem it
to give an
hundred twenty pounds.
Leviticus 27:16. 16 ‘If
a man dedicates to the Lord
part of a field of his possession
then your valuation shall be
according to the seed for it. A homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty
shekels of silver.
YLT 16`And if of the field of his possession a man
sanctify to Jehovah
then hath thy valuation been according to its seed; a
homer of barley-seed at fifty shekels of silver;
And if a man shall sanctify unto the Lord some part of a
field of his possession
.... That which he enjoyed by inheritance from his father
to
distinguish it from a field of his own purchase
as in Leviticus 27:22;
and which might be devoted
not all of it
but a part of it; partly that he
might have something to live upon
or to improve for a livelihood for himself
and family
and partly that estates might not be alienated entirely from their
families and tribes in which they were:
then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof; not according
to the field
the goodness or badness of that
one field being good and another
bad
as Jarchi observes
but according to the quantity of seed which it
produced
or rather which it required for the sowing of it:
an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of
silver; which was near six pounds of our money; and here we must
carefully distinguish between an "omer"
beginning with an
"o"
and an "homer"
beginning with an "h"; not
observing this has led some learned men into mistakes in their notes on this
place
for an "omer" was the tenth part of an "ephah"
Exodus 16:36; and
an "ephah" is but the tenth part of an "homer"
Ezekiel 45:11;
which makes a very great difference in this measure of barley
for an homer of it
contained ten ephahs or bushels; and even according to this account a bushel of
barley is rated very high
for ten bushels at fifty shekels
reckoning a shekel
half a crown
or them at six pounds five shillings
are at the rate of twelve
shillings and sixpence a bushel
which is too high a price for barley;
wherefore as an ephah
the tenth part of an homer
contained three seahs or
pecks
and which some call bushels
then an homer consisted of thirty bushels
which brings down the value of it to little more than two shillings a bushel
which is much nearer the true value of barley; but the truth of the matter is
that the value of barley for sowing is not ascertained
as our version leads us
to think; for the words should be rendered
if the "seed be an homer of
barley"
it
the field
shall be valued "at fifty shekels of
silver": if the field take so much seed to sow it as the quantity of an
homer of barley
then it was to be rated at fifty shekels of silver; and if it
took two homers
then it was to be rated at an hundred shekels
and so on.
Leviticus 27:17. 17 If
he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee
according to your valuation it
shall stand.
YLT 17if from the year of the jubilee he sanctify
his field
according to thy valuation it standeth;
If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee
.... The very
year
as Aben Ezra
while it is current
or when it is past
and he immediately
sanctifies it for an holy use
and one comes to redeem it
as Jarchi says
as
soon as ever it is devoted
and a priest has valued it
and there is a
purchaser of it:
according to thy estimation it shall stand; what price
soever the priest set upon it
that it was to go at
and he that had a mind to
purchase it might have it for it
unless it was he that devoted it
and then he
was to give a fifth part more
as afterwards expressed.
Leviticus 27:18. 18 But
if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee
then the priest shall reckon to
him the money due according to the years that remain till the Year of Jubilee
and it shall be deducted from your valuation.
YLT 18and if after the jubilee he sanctify his
field
then hath the priest reckoned to him the money according to the years
which are left
unto the year of the jubilee
and it hath been abated from thy
valuation.
But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee
.... Some
years after it
more or fewer
or it may be
when half way towards another
jubilee
or nearer:
then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the
years that remain
even unto the year of the jubilee; thus
for
instance
if it only required an homer of barley to sow it
and the whole value
of it from jubilee to jubilee was but fifty shekels of silver; then supposing
it to be sanctified in the middle of the fifty years
or at twenty five years'
end
it was to be reckoned at twenty five shekels
and sold for that money
and
so in proportion
reckoning a shekel for a year:
and it shall be abated from thy estimation; not the year
of jubilee
but a shekel for every year was to be deducted from the original
value of fifty shekels
according to the number of years that had passed or
were to come.
Leviticus 27:19. 19 And
if he who dedicates the field ever wishes to redeem it
then he must add
one-fifth of the money of your valuation to it
and it shall belong to him.
YLT 19`And if he really redeem the field -- he who
is sanctifying it -- then he hath added a fifth of the money of thy valuation
to it
and it hath been established to him;
And if he that sanctified the field shall in any wise redeem it
.... Is
desirous of it
and determined upon it at any rate
repenting that he had
parted with it in this manner:
then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy
estimation to it: the Jerusalem Targum is
the fifth part of the shekels of
silver: that is
if he has a mind to redeem it
and is resolved on it
as soon
as he has sanctified it
then
besides the fifty shekels of silver it is rated
at
and might be sold for to another
he must pay a fifth part thereof
that
is
ten shekels more
for reasons before given
Leviticus 27:15
and it shall be assured to him; remain firm and stable
with him
abide by him
and he in the possession of it as his property
ever
after
as if he had never sanctified it.
Leviticus 27:20. 20 But
if he does not want to redeem the field
or if he has sold the field to another
man
it shall not be redeemed anymore;
YLT 20and if he do not redeem the field
or if he
hath sold the field to another man
it is not redeemed any more;
And if he will not redeem the field
.... He that sanctified
it
does not care to give for it the settled price of the fifth part besides
but chooses it should be disposed of for the uses he devoted it to:
or if he have sold the field to another man; that is
either the original owner having bought it and sold it again
or rather the
priest
the treasurer
as Jarchi
who had the disposal of it
for the uses and
purposes for which it was devoted
when sold by him:
it shall not be redeemed any more; it was not in the power
of him that sanctified it to make a purchase of it again; the buyer of it might
not sell it to him again
for otherwise
by that means
he might come at it
cheaper than the law directs; besides
there is another reason for it
which is
suggested in Leviticus 27:21.
Leviticus 27:21. 21 but
the field
when it is released in the Jubilee
shall be holy to the Lord
as a devoted
field; it shall be the possession of the priest.
YLT 21and the field hath been
in its going out in
the jubilee
holy to Jehovah as a field which is devoted; to the priest is its
possession.
But the field
when it goeth out in the jubilee
.... Out of
the hand of him that bought it:
shall be holy unto the Lord
as a field devoted; though it
went out of the hand of the purchaser
it did not return to him that sanctified
or devoted it
but was separated to sacred uses for the service of the Lord;
for every devoted thing
whether of man
beast
or field
was most holy to the
Lord
Leviticus 27:28
the possession thereof shall be the priests'; it did not
return to the treasurer of the sanctuary
who had sold it to another for the
repair of the temple
as Jarchi observes
but as a devoted field it was given
to the priests
as it is said
"everything devoted in Israel shall be
thine"
Numbers 18:14; and
even this was divided
as he says
between the priests of that ward or course
that happened to be on the day of atonement of the jubilee year: but in case it
never was redeemed
but remained sanctified in the year of jubilee
the priests
did not possess it without paying for it; and so the Jewish canon runsF3Misn.
Eracin
c. 7. sect. 4.
"the jubilee comes
and the field is not redeemed
the priests enter into it
and pay the price of it;'on which one of the
commentatorsF4Bartenora in ib. observes
when anyone has redeemed
it
the money becomes sacred for the repairs of the temple; and when the
jubilee comes
it goes out (i.e. of the hands of the purchaser) to the priests
freely; but if it is not redeemed
the priests must pay the price of fifty
shekels
and take it; and if even it was bought by a priest before out of the
hands of the treasurer
it went from him to his brethren the priests
in the
year of jubilee: the rule is this
"if any of the priests redeem it
and
lo
it is in his possession
he may not say
seeing it goes out to the priests
in the year of jubilee
lo
it is in my possession
lo
it is mine
but it
shall go out to all his brethren the priestsF5Misn. Eracin
c. 7.
sect. 3. .'
Leviticus 27:22. 22 ‘And
if a man dedicates to the Lord a field which he has
bought
which is not the field of his possession
YLT 22`And if the field of his purchase (which [is]
not of the fields of his possession) [one] sanctify to Jehovah –
And if a man sanctify unto the Lord a field which he hath
bought
.... With his own money
of some person in poverty and distress
who was obliged to sell it
and which
according to a former law
returned to
the original proprietor in the year of jubilee:
which is not of the fields of his possession; which he has
not by inheritance from his fathers. Jarchi observes
there is a difference
between a field bought
and a field possessed; for a field bought is not
divided to the priests in the year of jubilee
because a man cannot sanctify it
but until the year of jubilee; for in the year of jubilee it would go out of
his hands
and return to the owner; wherefore if he comes to redeem it
he must
redeem it with the price fixed for the field of possession: the Jewish doctors
are divided about a field bought of a father by a son
whether it is a field of
purchase or of possessionF6Misn. Eracin
c. 7. sect. 5. .
Leviticus 27:23. 23 then
the priest shall reckon to him the worth of your valuation
up to the Year of
Jubilee
and he shall give your valuation on that day as a holy offering
to the Lord.
YLT 23then hath the priest reckoned to him the
amount of thy valuation unto the year of jubilee
and he hath given thy
valuation in that day -- a holy thing to Jehovah;
Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation
even unto the year of jubilee
.... The priest was to
estimate the field of purchase sanctified
and set a price upon it according to
the best of his judgment
and give it to the person that sanctified it
or whoever
would redeem it; and this estimate was made
according to the number of years
there were to the year of jubilee:
and he shall give thine estimation in that day; the price set
upon the field by the priest immediately
either the sanctifier
but without
adding the fifth part
as in Leviticus 27:19; so
MaimonidesF7Hilchot Eracin
c. 4. sect. 26. observes
or any other
purchaser:
as a holy thing unto the
Lord; to sacred uses
as the repairs of the temple
&c. to which
the purchase money was appropriated.
Leviticus 27:24. 24 In
the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought
to
the one who owned the land as a possession.
YLT 24in the year of the jubilee the field
returneth to him from whom he bought it
to him whose [is] the possession of
the land.
In the year of jubilee
the field shall return unto him of whom it
was bought
.... Not to him that sanctified it
whether he redeemed it or
not; nor to him that bought it of the treasurer of the temple after it was
sanctified; but to the original proprietor and owner of it
of whom he bought it
that sanctified it
for so it follows:
even to him to whom
the possession of the land did belong; which was a possession
of his he had by inheritance from his fathers
and therefore
according to the
law of the year of jubilee
was then to return to him
and could be retained no
longer
nor even converted to holy uses; for as it is said in the MisnahF8Ut
supra. (Hilchot Eracin
c. 4. sect. 26.)
"a field of purchase goes not
out to the priests in the year of jubilee; for no man can sanctify a thing which
is not his own;'as what he had purchased was no longer his than to the year of
jubilee
and therefore could not devote it to sacred uses for any longer time.
Leviticus 27:25. 25 And
all your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty
gerahs to the shekel.
YLT 25And all thy valuation is by the shekel of the
sanctuary: twenty gerahs is the shekel.
And all thy estimation shall be according to the shekel of the
sanctuary
.... The shekel kept in the sanctuary
which was the standard of
all shekels; not that there was a shekel in the sanctuary different from the
common one; for every shekel ought to have been as that
of the full weight and
worth of it; and the estimation was to be according to such a shekel
and the
money paid in such
even in full weight:
twenty gerahs shall be the shekel; which the Targum of
Jonathan calls "meahs" or "oboli"
one of which was about
three halfpence of our money
scarce so much
and weighed near eleven grains
as Bishop CumberlandF9Of Scripture Weights and Measures
ch. 4. p.
111. has calculated: see Ezekiel 45:12.
Leviticus 27:26. 26 ‘But
the firstborn of the animals
which should be the Lord’s firstborn
no man shall dedicate; whether it is an ox or sheep
it is the Lord’s.
YLT 26`Only
a firstling which is Jehovah's
firstling among beasts -- no man doth sanctify it
whether ox or sheep; it [is]
Jehovah's.
Only the firstlings of the beasts
.... These are excepted
from being sanctified
or set apart for sacred uses
for a very good reason
suggested in the next clause:
which should be the Lord's firstling
no man shall sanctify it; it being what
he has a claim upon
and ordered to be sanctified to him by a law previous to
this
Exodus 13:2;
wherefore to sanctify such a creature
would be to sanctify what was his
before; not merely in a general sense
in which all creatures are his
but in a
special sense
having in a peculiar manner required it as his; and therefore to
sanctify
or vow to him
what was his before
must be trifling with him
and
mocking of him:
whether it be ox
or sheep; the firstlings of either
of them:
it is the Lord's; which he has claimed as
his own special and peculiar property
antecedent to any vow of its owner.
Leviticus 27:27. 27 And
if it is an unclean animal
then he shall redeem it according to
your valuation
and shall add one-fifth to it; or if it is not redeemed
then
it shall be sold according to your valuation.
YLT 27And if among the unclean beasts
then he hath
ransomed [it] at thy valuation
and he hath added its fifth to it; and if it is
not redeemed
then it hath been sold at thy valuation.
And if it be of an unclean beast
.... This is
to be understood
not of the firstling of unclean creatures in common
which
were to be redeemed with a lamb
and not with money
according to the estimation
of the priest
and a fifth part added to that; but of such as were sanctified
or vowed
for the reparation of the sanctuary
as Jarchi notes:
then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation; the price the
priest should set upon it
how much it was worth in his judgment:
and shall add a fifth part of it thereto; to the price
set upon a fifth part of that over and above the sum; this the sanctifier
or
he that made the vow
was obliged to pay
if he thought fit to redeem it:
or if it be not redeemed; by him
he does not
choose to give the price
and the fifth part:
then it shall be sold according to thy estimation; to another
man
without the fifth part
that chooses to purchase it
and then the purchase
money was laid out for sacred uses.
Leviticus 27:28. 28 ‘Nevertheless
no devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all that he
has
both man and beast
or the field of his possession
shall be sold
or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the Lord.
YLT 28`Only
no devoted thing which a man devoteth
to Jehovah
of all that he hath
of man
and beast
and of the field of his
possession
is sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to Jehovah.
Notwithstanding
no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the
Lord
.... This is a different vow from the former
expressed by
"sanctifying"; for though "sanctifying" and
"devoting" were both vows
yet the latter had an execration or curse
added to it
by which a man imprecated a curse upon himself
if that itself
which he devoted
was put to any other use than that for which he devoted it;
wherefore this sort of vow was absolute and irrevocable
and what was vowed was
unalienable
and therefore not to be sold or redeemed as afterwards expressed
whereas things sanctified might:
of all that he hath
both of man and beast
and of the
field of his possession
shall be sold or redeemed; but must be
put to the use for which it was devoted. This must be understood of such as
were his own
and he had a right to dispose of; which were in his own power
as
Aben Ezra interprets the phrase
"of all that he hath": if of men
they must be such as were his slaves
which he had a despotic power over; such
as he could sell
or give to another
or leave to his children for a perpetual
inheritance
Leviticus 25:46;
and could dispose of as he pleased
and so devote to the service of the
priests: thus Jarchi interprets it of menservants and maidservants
Canaanitish
ones; and if of beasts
such as were his own property
and not another's; and
if of fields
such as were his possession by inheritance. Some Jewish writers
as Abendana
from the phrase
"of all that he hath"
gather
that a
man might devote only a part of what he had
and not the whole; and so it is
said in the Misnah
"a man may devote of his flock and of his herd
of his
servants and maidens Canaanites
and of the field of his possession; but if he
devote all of them
they are not devotedF11Eracin
c. 8. sect. 4.
'the vow is null and void; and so one of the commentatorsF12Bartenora
in ib. upon it says
he may devote some movable things
but not all; some of
his Canaanitish servants and maidens
but not all; some part of the field of
his possession
but not the whole: but a man's children
and Hebrew servants
and purchased fields
according to the Jewish canon
might not be devoted;"if
anyone devotes his son or his daughter
his servant or his handmaid
that are
Hebrews
or the field of his purchase
they are not devoted (or to be reckoned
so)
for no man devotes (or ought to devote) what is not his ownF13lb.
sect. 5. .'A commentatorF14Bartenora in Misn. Eracin
c. 8. sect. 5.
excepts his daughter
and says
he may devote his daughter
because he may sell
her while a minor
but not an adult virgin; see Exodus 21:7
every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord; and therefore
not to be appropriated to any use but his
nor to be meddled with
not even
touched or handled by any but the priests
as the most holy things that were
eatable were only to be eaten by them.
Leviticus 27:29. 29 No
person under the ban
who may become doomed to destruction among men
shall be
redeemed
but shall surely be put to death.
YLT 29`No devoted thing
which is devoted of man
is ransomed
it is surely put to death.
None devoted
which shall be devoted of men
shall be redeemed
.... This is
said
not of such men as are devoted to the Lord
as in the preceding verse;
for it is not said here as there
"none devoted unto the Lord"
but
of such as are devoted to ruin and destruction
for whom there was no
redemption
but they must die; nor is it said
"which is devoted by men
but of men"
or from among men; whether they be devoted by God himself
as
all idolaters
and particularly the seven nations of the land of Canaan
and
especially the Amalekites
who therefore were not to be spared on any account
but to be put to death
Exodus 22:20. So in
the TalmudF15T. Bab. Gittin
fol. 38. 2.
this is interpreted of
Canaanitish servants and handmaids; or whether devoted by men to destruction
either by the people of Israel
as their avowed enemies they should take in
war
whom
and their cities
they vowed to the Lord they would utterly destroy
Numbers 21:2; and
of such Aben Ezra interprets the words of the text; or such as were doomed by
the civil magistrates to die for capital crimes
by stoning
burning
strangling
and slaying with the sword. And this sense is given into by many;
because the judges kill with many kinds of death
therefore
says Chaskuni
it
is said "every devoted thing"
as if he should say
with whatsoever
of the four kinds of death the judges pass sentence of destruction on a man
he
must die that death; so Jarchi and Ben Melech interpret it of such as go out to
be slain
i.e. by the decree of the judges; and if one says
his estimation
or
the price of him be upon me
he says nothing
it is of no avail:
but shall surely be put to
death; as the same writer observes
lo
he goes forth to die
he shall
not be redeemed
neither by price nor estimation. The Targum of Jonathan
is
"he shall not he redeemed with silver
but with burnt offerings
and
holy sacrifices
and petitions of mercy
because he is condemned by a sentence
to be slain.'And of either
or of all of these
may the words be understood
and not as they are by some
as if Jewish parents and masters had such a power
over their children and servants to devote them to death
or in such a manner
devote them
that they were obliged to put them to death; for though they had power
in some cases to sell
yet had no power over their lives to take them away
or
to devote them to death
which would be a breach of the sixth command
and
punishable with death; even a master that accidentally killed his servant did
not escape punishment; nay
if he did him any injury
by smiting out an eye
or
a tooth
he was obliged to give him his freedom
and much less had he power to
take away his life
or devote him to destruction. Some have thought
that it
was through a mistaken sense of this law
that Jephthah having made a rash vow
sacrificed his daughter
Judges 11:30; but
it is a question whether he did or not.
Leviticus 27:30. 30 And
all the tithe of the land
whether of the seed of the land or of
the fruit of the tree
is the Lord’s. It is holy to
the Lord.
YLT 30And all tithe of the land
of the seed of the
land
of the fruit of the tree
is Jehovah's -- holy to Jehovah.
And all the tithe of the land
.... Of which there were
various sorts
the first tithe
the tithe out of the tithe
the second tithe
and the poor's tithe
which are generally reduced to three
"The first
tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron
who ministered at
Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away
and went
and spent it every year at
Jerusalem:' (Tobit 1:7)so MaimonidesF16Hilchot
Maaser Sheni
c. 1. sect. 1. says
"after they had separated the first
tithe every year
they separate the second tithe
as it is said Deuteronomy 14:22;
and in the third year
and in the sixth
they separate the poor's tithe
instead of the second tithe:'so that
properly speaking
there were but two
tithes
though commonly reckoned three; the tithes of all eatables were given
to the Levites every year
and a tenth part of that given by the Levites to the
priests
and the second tithe was eaten by the owners; instead of which
according to the above writer
in the third and sixth years it was given to the
poor
and called theirs; of this second tithe
Jarchi interprets this law
and
so does MaimonidesF17Hilchot Maaser
c. 1. sect. 2. :
whether of the seed of
the land
or of the fruit of the tree
is the Lord's: is to be
given to him as an acknowledgment of his being the proprietor of the land
and
that all the increase of it is owing to his blessing
and therefore is given in
way of gratitude to him: the former of these takes in all sorts of corn that is
man's food
as wheat and barley; and the latter wine and oil
and all sorts of
fruits that are eatable; for it is said to be a general rule
that whatever is
for food
and is preserved (having an owner
and not being common)
and grows
up out of the earth
is bound to tithesF18Misn. Masserot
c. 1. sect.
1. :
it is holy unto the
Lord; the first tithe was eaten by the priests and Levites only
and
the other before the Lord in Jerusalem only
and that by clean persons.
Something of this kind obtained among the Heathens
it may be in imitation of
this
particularly among the Grecians; PisistratusF19In Laert. Vit.
Solon. p. 36. tells Solon
that everyone of the Athenians gave a tenth part of
his inheritance
not to me
says he
who was their governor
but for public
sacrifices
and the common good
and when engaged in war
to defray the charge
of it; and so
by the oracle of Apollo
the Corcyraenans were directed to send
to Olympia and Delphos the tenth part of the produce of their fieldsF20Pausan.
Phocica
sive
l. 10. p. 624. ; and by the same oracle
the island of the
Syphnians
in which was a golden mine
were ordered to bring the tenth of it to
the same placeF21Ibid. p. 628. . So the PelasgiF23Dionys.
Halicarnass. apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 4. p. 159. in a time of scarcity
vowed the tithes of all their increase to the gods
and having obtained their
wish
devoted the tenth of all their fruits and cattle to them.
Leviticus 27:31. 31 If a man wants at all to
redeem any of his tithes
he shall add one-fifth to it.
YLT 31`And if a man really redeem [any] of his
tithe
its fifth he addeth to it.
And if a man
will redeem ought of his tithes
.... Of his
own
and not his neighbour's
as Jarchi observes; for if he redeemed the tithes
of his neighbour
but did not add a fifth part
which he was obliged to do if
he redeemed his own
as follows:
he shall add thereunto the fifth part thereof; besides
giving the value for what part of his tithes he redeemed
he gave a fifth part
of that sum over and above; as
supposing the tithe was worth fifty shillings
then he gave that
and ten shillings more
and so in proportion. The use of
this redemption
as Jarchi suggests
was
that he might have liberty of eating
it in any place: for he understands it of the second tithe
as before observed
and which was to be eaten at Jerusalem.
Leviticus 27:32. 32 And
concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock
of whatever passes under the
rod
the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.
YLT 32`And all the tithe of the herd and of the
flock -- all that passeth by under the rod -- the tenth is holy to Jehovah;
And concerning the tithe of the herd
or of the flock
.... Of oxen
and sheep
as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; for this law only concerns
such
as MaimonidesF24Hilchot Becorot
c. 6. sect. 1. observes
for
none but clean beasts were tithed
though the firstlings of unclean beasts were
to be redeemed:
even of whatsoever
passeth under the rod
the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord: which being
slain
the blood and fat were to be offered the altar
and the flesh eaten by
the owners
as Jarchi observes; who adds
this is not reckoned with the rest of
the gifts of the priesthood; and we do not find it was given to the priests:
the "rod"
under which these are said to pass
is either the
shepherd's rod
as Aben Ezra under
which they passed morning and evening
when
led out or brought in
as in Jeremiah 33:13; or
the rod of the tither: the manner of tithing
as described by Maimonides
was
this;"he gathers all the lambs and all the calves into a field
and makes
a little door to it
so that two cannot go out at once; and he places their
dams without
and they bleat
so that the lambs hear their voice
and go out of
the fold to meet them
as it is said
"whatsoever passeth under the rod";
for it must pass of itself
and not be brought out by his hand; and when they
go out of the fold
after another
he begins and counts them with the rod
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
and the tenth that goes out
whether male or female
whether perfect or blemished
he marks with a red mark
and says
this is the titheF25lbid. c. 7. sect. 1. :'the time of
tithing the cattle was on the first of Elul or August; for so it is saidF26Misn.
Roshhashanah
c. 1. sect. 1.
"the first of Elul is the beginning of the
year for the tithing of beasts;'when they tithed all that were born the
preceding year: but we are elsewhere toldF1Misn. Becorot
c. 9.
sect. 1.
there were three times for tithing beasts; fifteen days before the
passover
(which was the last of Adar or February
) and fifteen days before the
Pentecost
and fifteen days before the feast of tabernacles
which was the last
of Elul or August; and these tithings were made for the sake of those that went
up to these feasts
that it might be certain the cattle sold and eaten were
tithed.
Leviticus 27:33. 33 He
shall not inquire whether it is good or bad
nor shall he exchange it; and if
he exchanges it at all
then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be
holy; it shall not be redeemed.’”
YLT 33he enquireth not between good and bad
nor
doth he change it; and if he really change it -- then it hath been -- it and
its exchange is holy; it is not redeemed.'
He shall not search whether it be good or bad
.... In a good
or bad state of health
fat or lean
perfect or blemished
but take it as it
is
be it what it will:
neither shall he change it; neither for the better
nor the worse
no alteration was to be made
but the beast was to be taken as
it came:
and if he change it at all
then both it and the change shall be
holy; be sacred to the Lord
and for his use and service; this was
done to restrain men from making any alteration
since if they did
both the
one and the other were taken from them; yea
were to be beaten with forty
stripes
save oneF2Misnah Temurah
c. 1. sect. 1
2. ; whether this
change was of the herd with the flock
or of the flock with the herd; or of
lambs with goats
or goats with lambs; or of males with females
or of females
with males; or of perfect with blemished ones
or of blemished ones with
perfect ones:
it shall not be redeemed; from whence the JewsF3Maimon.
Hilchot Becorot
c. 6. sect. 5
6. gather
that a tithe beast was not to be
bought and sold
whether blemished or unblemished.
Leviticus 27:34. 34 These
are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the
children of Israel on Mount Sinai.
YLT 34These [are] the commands which Jehovah hath
commanded Moses for the sons of Israel
in mount Sinai.
These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses
.... Meaning
either what are contained in this chapter
or rather in the whole book
which
he delivered to Moses:
for the children of Israel; to be observed by them
priests and people: and these were given to him
in Mount Sinai; either when upon it
or rather when near
it
in the wilderness of it
after the tabernacle was set up
and the Lord
spake to him out of that; see Leviticus 1:1.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》