Speak 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.
Read it in contextRules about Valuations
Start reading at Leviticus 27:1 (Leviticus 27:1 to Leviticus 27:29).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
27:1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
27:2Speak 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.
27:3And 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.
27:4And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
27:5And 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.
27:6And 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.
27:7And 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.
27:8But 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.
27:9And 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.
27:10He 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.
27:11And 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:
27:12And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
27:13But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
27:14And 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.
27:15And 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.
27:16And 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.
27:17If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.
27:18But 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.
27:19And 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.
27:20And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
27:21But 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.
27:22And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;
27:23Then 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.
27:24In 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.
27:25And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
27:26Only 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.
27:27And 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.
27:28Notwithstanding 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.
27:29None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional author, with the laws presented as the LORD's instructions given through him. Aaron and his sons are key recipients of priestly instructions, not alternate named authors. Biblical references: Leviticus 1:1; Leviticus 27:34. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Leviticus 26:1–27:34): The covenant blessings, warnings, and concluding regulations concern the children of Israel. Moses is the intermediary through whom the LORD delivers them. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel under the Sinai covenant. Some instructions address the whole congregation; others specifically address Aaron and the priests. Biblical references: Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 19:2. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Rules about Valuations. Read Leviticus 27:1 through Leviticus 27:29 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The laws and priestly narratives are set in Israel's Sinai sanctuary setting. A modern date of composition is not given by a publication statement in the text. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The tabernacle and Israel's camp form the main setting. Instructions about priests, offerings, houses, and the land have different immediate objects. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Rules about Valuations (Leviticus 27:1 to Leviticus 27:29).
Start reading at Leviticus 27:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Hebrews explicitly relates the sacrificial and priestly order to Christ's priesthood and offering. Read the comparison in Hebrews rather than assigning an unsupported meaning to each ritual detail. See Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:10. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Take worship, holiness, and the treatment of others seriously. Distinguish ritual uncleanness, moral wrongdoing, and the specific duties of priests; they are not interchangeable categories. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Leviticus 27
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Leviticus presents the LORD's instructions to Moses for Israel, including priestly duties. A command's immediate audience, sanctuary setting, and covenant purpose should remain visible. The opening identifies Moses as the recipient of speech, not by itself as the narrator of every line. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Leviticus
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Leviticus presents the LORD's instructions to Moses for Israel, including priestly duties. A command's immediate audience, sanctuary setting, and covenant purpose should remain visible. The opening identifies Moses as the recipient of speech, not by itself as the narrator of every line.
Connection to the wholeThe consecration and beginning of priestly service lead to an account of judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of distinguishing holy from common.
Connection to the wholeThese distinctions order Israel's life around the sanctuary; ritual uncleanness should not automatically be equated with a personal moral offense.
Connection to the wholeThe chapter brings priestly access, blood, and cleansing together in a recurring observance within the covenant's sacrificial order.