Lev 27:1-5 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XXVII Laws concerning vows, 1, 2. Of males and females from twenty to sixty years of age, and their valuation , 3, 4. Of the same from five to twenty years , 5. Of the same from a month to five years of age , 6. Of males and females from sixty years old and upwards, and their valuation , 7. The priest shall value the poor according to his ability , 8. Concerning beasts that are vowed, and their valuation , 9-13. Concerning the sanctification of a house, 14, 15. Concerning the field that is sanctified or consecrated to the Lord, to the year of jubilee , 16-24. Every estimation shall be made in shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary , 25. The firstlings of clean beasts, being already the Lord's, cannot be vowed , 26. That of an unclean beast may be redeemed , 27. Every thing devoted to God shall be unalienable and unredeemable, and continue the Lord's property till death , 28, 29. All the tithe of the land is the Lord's , 30; but it may be redeemed by adding a fifth part , 31. The tithe of the herd and the flock is also his , 32. The tenth that passes under the rod shall not be changed , 33. The conclusion of the book , 34. NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII

‏ Leviticus 27:1-5

CHAPTER XXVII

Laws concerning vows, 1, 2.

Of males and females from twenty to sixty years of age, and their valuation, 3, 4.

Of the same from five to twenty years, 5.

Of the same from a month to five years of age, 6.

Of males and females from sixty years old and upwards, and their valuation, 7.

The priest shall value the poor according to his ability, 8.

Concerning beasts that are vowed, and their valuation, 9-13.

Concerning the sanctification of a house, 14, 15.

Concerning the field that is sanctified or consecrated to the Lord, to the year of jubilee, 16-24.

Every estimation shall be made in shekels, according to the

shekel of the sanctuary, 25.

The firstlings of clean beasts, being already the Lord's, cannot be vowed, 26.

That of an unclean beast may be redeemed, 27.

Every thing devoted to God shall be unalienable and unredeemable, and continue the Lord's property till death,

28, 29.

All the tithe of the land is the Lord's, 30;

but it may be redeemed by adding a fifth part, 31.

The tithe of the herd and the flock is also his, 32.

The tenth that passes under the rod shall not be changed, 33.

The conclusion of the book, 34.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII

Verse 2. When a man shall make a singular vow] The verse is short and obscure, and may be translated thus: A man who shall have separated a vow, according to thy estimation, of souls unto the Lord; which may be paraphrased thus: He who shall have vowed or consecrated a soul, i. e., a living creature, whether man or beast, if he wish to redeem what he has thus vowed or consecrated, he shall ransom or redeem it according to the priest's estimation; for the priest shall judge of the properties, qualifications, and age of the person or beast, and the circumstances of the person who has vowed it, and shall regulate the value accordingly; and the money shall be put into his hands for the service of the sanctuary. A vow (says Mr. Ainsworth) is a religious promise made unto the Lord, and for the most part with prayer, and paid with thanksgiving, Nu 21:2,3; Ps 66:12,14. Vows were either of abstinence, such as are spoken of Nu 30:1, 2, and the vow of the Nazarite, Nu 6:1-21; or they were to give something to the Lord, as sacrifices, Le 7:16, or the value of persons, beasts, houses, or lands, concerning which the law is here given. A man might vow or devote himself, his children, (Le 27:5, 6,) his domestics, his cattle, his goods, &c. And in this chapter rules are laid down for the redemption of all these things. But if, after consecrating these things, he refused to redeem them, then they became the Lord's property for ever. The persons continued all their lives devoted to the service of the sanctuary; the goods were sold for the profit of the temple or the priests; the animals, if clean, were offered in sacrifice; if not proper for sacrifice, were sold, and the price devoted to sacred uses. This is a general view of the different laws relative to vows, mentioned in this chapter.

Verse 3. From twenty years old even unto sixty-fifty shekels] A man from twenty to sixty years of age, if consecrated to the Lord by a vow, might be redeemed for fifty shekels, which, at 3s. each, amounted to 7�. 10s. sterling.

Verse 4. And if it be a female] The woman, at the same age, vowed unto the Lord, might be redeemed for thirty shekels, 4�. 10s. sterling, a little more than one half of the value of the man; for this obvious reason, that a woman, if employed, could not be of so much use in the service of the sanctuary as the man, and was therefore of much less value.

Verse 5. From five years old] The boy that was vowed might be redeemed for twenty shekels, 3�. sterling; the girl, for ten shekels, just one half, 1�. 10s.