Albert Barnes Commentary Leviticus 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 27
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Leviticus 27:1 (ASV)
Dues. The position which this chapter holds after the formal conclusion, (Leviticus 26:46), suggests that it is of a supplementary character. There seems, however, no reason to doubt its Mosaic origin.
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall accomplish a vow, the persons shall be for Jehovah by thy estimation. And 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." — Leviticus 27:2-3 (ASV)
Rather, When a man makes a special vow which concerns thy valuation of persons to Yahweh, if thy estimation shall be of the male, etc. The expression “thy estimation” is addressed either to Moses or to the priest (Leviticus 27:12): it denoted a legal valuation. The vow of a person was perhaps most frequently made in cases of illness or danger, under the impulse of religious feeling, either in the way of thankfulness for blessings received, or of supplication for something desired. A man might dedicate himself, his wife, his child, or his bondservant. This might have been an old custom; but the Law ordained that he who had taken such a vow should pay a sum of money to the sanctuary, determined according to the age and sex of the person.
"And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. And 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. And 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. And if it be from sixty years old and upward; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels." — Leviticus 27:4-7 (ASV)
The relative values of the persons appear to be regulated according to an estimate of the probable value of their future work:
As regards the shekel of the sanctuary, see Exodus 38:24 note.
"But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the ability of him that vowed shall the priest value him." — Leviticus 27:8 (ASV)
If he is poorer than your estimation - Too poor (to pay) your valuation. Compare (Leviticus 27:7), (Leviticus 27:11).
"And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto Jehovah, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand." — Leviticus 27:14 (ASV)
Sanctify - that is, vow to devote. This law relates to houses in the country (Leviticus 25:31), which were under the same general law as the land itself, with a right of redemption for the inheritor until the next Jubilee. See (Leviticus 27:17–19). For houses in walled towns the right of redemption lasted for only one year (Leviticus 25:29).
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