The Third Book of Moses: Leviticus

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- Chapter 27 -

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ’If anyone makes a special vow to Yahweh, use the following valuations.

Your standard value for a male from twenty to sixty years old must be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

For a female of the same ages your standard value must be thirty shekels.

From five years to twenty years old your standard value for a male must be twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

From one month old to five years your standard value for a male must be five shekels of silver, and for a female three shekels of silver.

From sixty years old and up for a male your standard value must be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.

But if the person making the vow cannot pay the standard value, then the person being given must be presented to the priest, and the priest will value that person by the amount the one making the vow is able to afford.

If someone wants to sacrifice an animal to Yahweh, and if Yahweh accepts it, then that animal will be set apart to him.

The person must not alter or change such an animal, a good one for a bad one or a bad for a good. If he does at all change one animal for another, then both it and the one for which it is exchanged become holy.

However, if what the person has vowed to give Yahweh is in fact unclean, so that Yahweh will not accept it, then the person must bring the animal to a priest.

The priest will value it, by the market value of the animal. Whatever value the priest places on the animal, that will be its value.

If the owner wishes to redeem it, then a fifth of its value is to be added to its redemption price.

When a man sets apart his house as a holy gift to Yahweh, then the priest will set its value as either good or bad. Whatever the priest values it, so it will be.

But if the owner who set apart his home wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth of its value to its redemption price, and it will belong to him.

If a man sets apart some of his own land, then the valuation of it will be in proportion to the amount of seed required to plant it-a homer of barley will be valued at fifty shekels of silver.

If he sets apart his field during the year of Jubilee, the valuation of it will stand.

But if he sets apart his field after the year of Jubilee, then the priest must calculate the value of the field by the number of years that remain until the next year of Jubilee, and the valuation of it must be reduced.

If the man who set apart the field wishes to redeem it, then he must add a fifth to the valuation, and it will belong to him.

If he does not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it cannot be redeemed any more.

Instead, the field, when it is released in the year of Jubilee, will be a holy gift to Yahweh, like the field that has been completely given to Yahweh. It will belong to the priest.

If a man sets apart a field that he has bought, but that field is not part of his family’s land,

then the priest will figure the valuation of it up to the year of Jubilee, and the man must pay its value on that day as a holy gift to Yahweh.

In the year of Jubilee, the field will return to the man from whom it was bought, to the land’s owner.

All the valuations must be set by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Twenty gerahs must be the equivalent of one shekel.

No one may set apart the firstborn among animals, since the firstborn already belongs to Yahweh; whether ox or sheep, it is Yahweh’s.

If it is an unclean animal, then the owner may buy it back at the valuation of it, and a fifth must be added to that value. If the animal is not redeemed, then it is to be sold at the set value.

But nothing that a man devotes to Yahweh, from all that he has, whether human or animal, or his family land, may be sold or redeemed. Everything that is devoted is very holy to Yahweh.

No ransom may be paid for the person who is devoted for destruction. That person must be put to death.

Instruction on Tithes

(Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Deuteronomy 26:1–15; Nehemiah 13:10–14)

All the tithe of the land, whether grain grown on the land or fruit from the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh.

If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value.

As for every tenth of the herd or the flock, whatever passes under the shepherd’s rod, one-tenth must be set apart to Yahweh.

The shepherd must not search for the better or the worse animals, and he must not substitute one for another. If he changes it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed will be holy. It cannot be redeemed.’”

These are the commandments that Yahweh gave at Mount Sinai to Moses for the people of Israel.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to the LORD in a vow, according to your valuation,

your valuation of a male from twenty years old to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel

(a)

of the sanctuary.

If she is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.

If the person is from five years old to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels.

If the person is from a month old to five years old, then your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver.

If the person is from sixty years old and upward; if he is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.

But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay.

“‘If it is an animal of which men offer an offering to the LORD, all that any man gives of such to the LORD becomes holy.

He shall not alter it, nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good. If he shall at all exchange animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy.

If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to the LORD, then he shall set the animal before the priest;

and the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall be.

But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.

“‘When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the LORD, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall stand.

If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his.

“‘If a man dedicates to the LORD part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it. The sowing of a homer

(b)

of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels

(c)

of silver.

If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand.

But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation.

If he who dedicated the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall remain his.

If he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more;

but the field, when it goes out in the Jubilee, shall be holy to the LORD, as a devoted field. It shall be owned by the priests.

“‘If he dedicates a field to the LORD which he has bought, which is not of the field of his possession,

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 thing to the LORD.

In the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land belongs.

All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs

(d)

to the shekel.(e)

“‘However the firstborn among animals, which belongs to the LORD as a firstborn, no man may dedicate, whether an ox or a sheep. It is the LORD’s.

If it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back according to your valuation, and shall add to it the fifth part of it; or if it isn’t redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

“‘Notwithstanding, no devoted thing that a man devotes to the LORD of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed. Everything that is permanently devoted is most holy to the LORD.

“‘No one devoted to destruction, who shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed. He shall surely be put to death.

Instruction on Tithes

(Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Deuteronomy 26:1–15; Nehemiah 13:10–14)

“‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD.

If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add a fifth part to it.

All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD.

He shall not examine whether it is good or bad, neither shall he exchange it. If he exchanges it at all, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.’”

These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.

Footnotes

(a)27:3 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.

(b)27:16 1 homer is about 220 liters or 6 bushels

(d)27:25 A gerah is about 0.5 grams or about 7.7 grains.

(e)27:25 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.