Leviticus 27

King James Version

Full text for Leviticus Chapter 27

1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons [shall be] for the LORD by thy estimation.

3And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

4And if it [be] a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.

5And if [it be] from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

6And if [it be] from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation [shall be] three shekels of silver.

7And if [it be] from sixty years old and above; if [it be] a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

8But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

9And if [it be] a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that [any man] giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.

10He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.

11And if [it be] any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest:

12And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, [who art] the priest, so shall it be.

13But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth [part] thereof unto thy estimation.

14¶ And when a man shall sanctify his house [to be] holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.

15And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth [part] of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.

16And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD [some part] of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed [shall be valued] at fifty shekels of silver.

17If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.

18But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.

19And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth [part] of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.

20And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.

21But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.

22And if [a man] sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which [is] not of the fields of his possession;

23Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, [even] unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, [as] a holy thing unto the LORD.

24In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, [even] to him to whom the possession of the land [did belong].

25And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.

26¶ Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD'S firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether [it be] ox, or sheep: it [is] the LORD'S.

27And if [it be] of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem [it] according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth [part] of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.

28Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, [both] of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing [is] most holy unto the LORD.

29None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; [but] shall surely be put to death.

30And 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 unto the LORD.

31And if a man will at all redeem [ought] of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth [part] thereof.

32And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

33He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

34These [are] the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Leviticus 27 outlines the laws concerning vows and dedications made to the Lord, detailing the monetary estimation of persons, animals, houses, and fields. It specifies conditions for redemption, often requiring an added fifth part of the estimated value. The chapter also addresses the sanctity of firstlings and tithes, which are holy unto the Lord. These commandments conclude the laws given by the Lord to Moses at Mount Sinai.

Medium Summary

Leviticus 27 details the laws concerning vows and dedications to the Lord, beginning with the monetary valuation of individuals based on age, gender, and financial capacity. It specifies that clean animals vowed to the Lord become holy and cannot be exchanged, while unclean animals can be redeemed at an estimated value plus a fifth. The chapter further outlines procedures for sanctifying and redeeming houses and fields, with special provisions related to the Year of Jubilee for land. All estimations are to be made according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Additionally, the text clarifies that firstborn animals are inherently the Lord's and cannot be vowed. It distinguishes between redeemable vows and "devoted things," which are most holy and cannot be sold or redeemed, with devoted persons facing death. Finally, the chapter establishes the holiness of tithes from the land, fruit, herd, and flock, allowing for their redemption with an added fifth part, except for the tithe of the herd or flock which cannot be exchanged.

Long Summary

Leviticus 27 provides a comprehensive set of regulations concerning vows and dedications made to the Lord by the children of Israel. The chapter begins by detailing the monetary estimation of persons vowed, with specific values assigned based on age categories and gender, ranging from infants to the elderly. Provisions are made for those unable to pay the full estimation, allowing the priest to value them according to their ability. Next, the text addresses the vowing of animals, stating that clean beasts offered to the Lord become holy and cannot be altered or exchanged, lest both the original and the exchange become holy. Unclean beasts, not suitable for sacrifice, can be valued by the priest and redeemed by adding a fifth part to the estimation. The chapter then moves to the sanctification of houses, which are to be estimated by the priest and can be redeemed by the owner with an added fifth part of the valuation. Regulations for sanctifying fields are also provided, with estimations based on seed capacity and adjusted according to the proximity of the Year of Jubilee. A sanctified field not redeemed by its original owner, or sold to another, cannot be redeemed again and becomes the priest's possession in the Jubilee year if it was originally a possession. All estimations throughout the chapter are to be based on the shekel of the sanctuary. The text explicitly states that firstborn animals, whether ox or sheep, are inherently the Lord's and cannot be sanctified or vowed by man. However, an unclean firstborn beast may be redeemed with an added fifth or sold if not redeemed. A distinct category of "devoted things" (cherem) is introduced, which are declared "most holy unto the Lord" and cannot be sold or redeemed, including devoted persons who are to be put to death. Finally, the chapter details the laws concerning tithes, affirming that all tithes of the land, fruit, herd, and flock belong to the Lord and are holy. While tithes of the land and fruit can be redeemed by adding a fifth, the tithe of the herd or flock, determined by passing under the rod, cannot be searched for quality or exchanged, and if exchanged, both become holy and cannot be redeemed. These commandments, concluding the book of Leviticus, were given by the Lord to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Core Concepts

  • Vows of PersonsIndividuals could be vowed to the Lord, with their monetary value estimated by the priest based on age, gender, and the vower's financial ability, allowing for redemption.
  • Sanctification of PropertyRules for dedicating houses and fields to the Lord are outlined, including their estimation by the priest and provisions for redemption, often requiring an additional fifth part of the value.
  • Shekel of the SanctuaryAll monetary estimations for vows and redemptions are explicitly tied to the standard of the "shekel of the sanctuary," ensuring consistent and holy valuations.
  • Devoted Things (Cherem)A special category of "most holy" dedications, including persons, animals, and fields, which cannot be sold or redeemed once devoted, with devoted persons facing death.
  • TithesThe chapter establishes that a tenth of the land's produce, fruit, and livestock belongs to the Lord and is holy, with specific rules for their redemption or non-redemption.
  • Redemption with Added FifthA recurring principle for redeeming vowed persons, unclean animals, houses, fields, and certain tithes is the requirement to add one-fifth of the estimated value to the redemption price.
  • Year of Jubilee ImpactThe value and redeemability of sanctified fields are directly influenced by the proximity of the Year of Jubilee, after which land returns to its original owner.