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Leviticus 27 - Treasury of Scripture Knowledge vs Coke Thomas vs Concise Bible

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Leviticus 27

Leviticus 27:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Leviticus 27:2

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.

When

Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep …

Numbers 6:2 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When either man …

Numbers 21:2 And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you will indeed …

Deuteronomy 23:21-23 When you shall vow a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not slack …

Judges 11:30,31,39 And Jephthah vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you shall without …

1 Samuel 1:11,28 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed …

a singular vow A vow is a religious promise made to God, for the most part with prayer, and paid with thanksgiving. Vows were either of abstinence (

Leviticus 7:16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, …

Ecclesiastes 5:4,5 When you vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure …

Leviticus 27:3

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.

And thy estimation

Leviticus 27:14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy to the LORD, then …

Leviticus 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy …

Leviticus 6:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, a ram without …

Numbers 18:16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shall you redeem, …

2 Kings 12:4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things …

fifty shekels. i.e, at three shillings each,

Leviticus 27:25 And all your estimations shall be according to the shekel of the …

Exodus 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passes among them that are numbered, …

Leviticus 27:4

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

thirty shekels. i.e.,

Zechariah 11:12,13 And I said to them, If you think good, give me my price; and if not, …

Matthew 26:15 And said to them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him to …

Matthew 27:9,10 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, …

Leviticus 27:5

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.

twenty shekels, i.e,

Leviticus 27:6

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.

from

Numbers 3:40-43 And the LORD said to Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males …

Numbers 18:14-16 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be yours…

the male The male five shekels,

Leviticus 27:7

And 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.

from

Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are three score years and ten; and if by reason …

fifteen The old man and old woman, being almost past labour, were nearly of an equal value; the former being estimated at

Leviticus 27:10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad …

Leviticus 27:8

But 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.

poorer

Leviticus 5:7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his …

Leviticus 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two …

Leviticus 14:21,22 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one …

Mark 14:7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you …

Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury…

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to …

according

Jeremiah 5:7 How shall I pardon you for this? your children have forsaken me, …

Leviticus 27:9

And 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.

no reference!

Leviticus 27:10

He 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.

Leviticus 27:15-33 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall …

James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Leviticus 27:11

And 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:

Deuteronomy 23:18 You shall not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into …

Malachi 1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, …

Leviticus 27:12

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

as thou valuest it, who art the priest. [heb] according to thy estimation, O priest.

Leviticus 27:13

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

Leviticus 27:10,15,19 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad …

Leviticus 5:16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he has done in the holy …

Leviticus 6:4,5 Then it shall be, because he has sinned, and is guilty, that he shall …

Leviticus 22:14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put …

Leviticus 27:14

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.

sanctify

Leviticus 27:21 But the field, when it goes out in the jubilee, shall be holy to …

Leviticus 25:29-31 And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may …

Numbers 18:14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be yours.

Psalm 101:2-7 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when will you come …

as the priest

Leviticus 27:12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as you …

Leviticus 27:15

And 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.

then he shall add

Leviticus 27:13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof …

Leviticus 27:16

And 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.

some part Though the words `some part' are not expressed, yet it is generally allowed that they should be supplied here; as it was not lawful for a man to alienate in this manner his whole patrimony: he might express his good will for the house of God but he must not impoverish his own family.

of a field

Acts 4:34-37 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were …

Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was …

an homer. or, the land of an homer, etc., i.e, as much land as required a homer of barley to sow it. The homer was very different to the omer; the latter held about three quarts, the former seventy-five gallons three pints.

Isaiah 5:10 Yes, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of …

Ezekiel 45:11-14 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may …

Hosea 3:2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer …

Leviticus 27:17

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

Leviticus 27:18

But 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.

Leviticus 25:15,16,27,51,52 According to the number of years after the jubilee you shall buy …

Leviticus 27:19

And 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.

Leviticus 27:13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof …

Leviticus 27:20

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

Leviticus 27:21

But 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.

when

Leviticus 25:10,28,31 And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout …

devoted
It is cherem, a thing so devoted to God, as never more to be capable of being redeemed.

Leviticus 27:28,29 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote to the …

Deuteronomy 13:17 And there shall stick nothing of the cursed thing to your hand: that …

Joshua 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, …

Ezra 10:8 And that whoever would not come within three days, according to the …

Ezekiel 44:29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass …

priest's

Numbers 18:14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be yours.

Ezekiel 44:29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass …

Leviticus 27:22

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

his possession

Leviticus 25:10,25 And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout …

Leviticus 27:23

Then 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.

Leviticus 27:12,18 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as you …

Leviticus 27:24

In 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.

Leviticus 27:20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field …

Leviticus 25:28 But if he be not able to restore it to him…

Leviticus 27:25

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

And all

Leviticus 27:3 And your estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even …

to the shekel. A standard shekel; the standard being kept in the sanctuary, to try and regulate all the weights in the land by.

twenty

Exodus 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passes among them that are numbered, …

Numbers 3:47 You shall even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel …

Numbers 18:16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shall you redeem, …

Ezekiel 45:12 And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty …

Leviticus 27:26

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.

the firstling [heb] first born, etc. As these firstlings were the Lord's before, it would have been a solemn mockery to pretend to make them a matter of a singular vow; for they were already appointed, if clean, to be sacrificed.

which

Exodus 13:2,12,13 Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the …

Exodus 22:30 Likewise shall you do with your oxen, and with your sheep: seven …

Numbers 18:17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling …

Deuteronomy 15:19 All the firstling males that come of your herd and of your flock …

Leviticus 27:27

And 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.

and shall add. This was probably intended to prevent rash vows and covetous redemptions. The priest alone was to value the thing; and to whatever his valuation was, a fifth part must be added by him who wished to redeem it.

Leviticus 27:11-13 And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice …

Leviticus 27:28

Notwithstanding 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.

no devoted. This is the cherem, the absolute, irredeemable grant to God.

Leviticus 27:21 But the field, when it goes out in the jubilee, shall be holy to …

Exodus 22:20 He that sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, he shall be …

Numbers 21:2,3 And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you will indeed …

Deuteronomy 7:1,2 When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you go …

Deuteronomy 13:15,16 You shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge …

Deuteronomy 20:16,17 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD your God does give …

Deuteronomy 25:19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest …

Joshua 6:17-19,26 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, …

Joshua 7:1,11-13,25 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: …

Judges 11:30,31 And Jephthah vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you shall without …

Judges 21:5,11,18 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes …

1 Samuel 14:24-28 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured …

1 Samuel 14:38-45 And Saul said, Draw you near here, all the chief of the people: and …

1 Samuel 15:3,18,32,33 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, …

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, …

Acts 23:12-14 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound …

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, …

1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Galatians 3:10,13 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for …

Leviticus 27:29

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

None

Numbers 21:2,3 And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you will indeed …

1 Samuel 15:18-23 And the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy …

which shall be devoted. That is, either that every person devoted to the service of God shall not be redeemed, but die in that devoted state, or, that such as were devoted to death by appointment and law of God, as the Canaanites were, shall be put to death.

Leviticus 27:30

And 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.

Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which has delivered your enemies …

Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house…

Numbers 18:21-24 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel …

Deuteronomy 12:5,6 But to the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all …

Deuteronomy 14:22,23 You shall truly tithe all the increase of your seed, that the field …

2 Chronicles 31:5,6,12 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel …

Nehemiah 10:37,38 And that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, and our offerings, …

Nehemiah 12:44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, …

Nehemiah 13:5,12 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they …

Malachi 3:8-10 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein …

Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe …

Luke 11:42 But woe to you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner …

Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Hebrews 7:5-9 And truly they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office …

Leviticus 27:31

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

Leviticus 27:13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof …

Leviticus 27:32

And 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.

passeth under the rod. The Rabbins say, that when a man gave the tithe of his sheep of calves, he shut them in one fold, in which was a narrow door, to let out but one at a time. He then stood by the door, with a rod dipped in vermilion in his hand, and as they passed he counted them with the rod; and when the {tenth} came he touched it, by which it was distinguished as the tithe calf, sheep, etc.

Jeremiah 33:13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in …

Ezekiel 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you …

Micah 7:14 Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your heritage, which …

Leviticus 27:33

He 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.

Leviticus 27:10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad …

Leviticus 27:34

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

commandments

Leviticus 26:46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws…

Deuteronomy 4:45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which …

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

in mount

Numbers 1:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle …

Galatians 4:24,25 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the …

Hebrews 12:18-25 For you are not come to the mount that might be touched, and that …

Concluding remarks for the book of LEVITICUS

Thus terminates this interesting and important book; a book containing a code of sacrificial, ceremonial, civil, and judicial laws, which, for the purity of their morality, the wisdom, justice, and beneficence of their enactments, and the simplicity, dignity, and impressive nature of their rites, are perfectly unrivalled, and altogether worthy of their Divine Author. All the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law are at once dignified and expressive. They point out the holiness of their author, the sinfulness of man, the necessity of an atonement, and the state of moral excellence to which the grace and mercy of the Creator have destined to raise the human soul. They {include}, as well as {point out}, the gospel of the Son of God; from which they receive their consummation and perfection. The sacrifices and oblations were significant of the atonement of Christ; the requisite qualities of these sacrifices were emblematical of his immaculate character; and the prescribed mode in the form of these offerings, and mystical rites ordained, were allusive institutions, calculated to enlighten the apprehensions of the Jews, the Great High Priest, called and prepared of God, who hat an unchangeable priesthood, and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him.


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Leviticus 27

Lev 27:1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying- It has been thought that some of the people, moved by the promises and threats in the last chapter, expressed a resolution of dedicating themselves and their goods more immediately to God; and that this gave occasion to the following rules for the due regulation of such vows.

Lev 27:2-3. When a man shall make a singular vow, &c.- Or, it may be read, When any one shall set apart to the Lord a vow, according to such valuation of persons as thou shalt fix, and thy valuation shall be of a male from twenty years old to sixty years old; then thou shalt set the value at fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4. But if it be a female, the rate shall be, &c. The phrase in the original shall separate, or set apart, a vow, signifies to separate any thing from a common to a sacred use by solemn promise; for vows were religious promises made to God, for obtaining some blessing, or for deliverance out of some danger; and were accompanied with prayer, and paid with thanksgiving, Num 21:2-3. Psa 66:13-14. Eceles. Lev 5:4. Philo calls this the great vow, ευχη μεγαλη, as proceeding from a singular devotion; whereby a man dedicates, not his cattle or goods, but himself or children, his greatest possessions, to the service of the tabernacle, to minister to the priests in the necessary offices thereof. Any souls or persons thus devoted to the Lord, were to be redeemed according to the rate, or valuation, here appointed: fifty shekels, i.e. about 5£. 15s. (reckoning the shekel at about 2s. 4d.) were to be the valuation of a man from twenty to sixty years old: women are valued at a lower rate, because their services for the tabernacle were of less utility.-Houbigant renders the second verse, If any man shall vow a vow to the Lord, concerning souls of which valuation is to be made: (i.e. in order to redemption). This seems the most just interpretation, and the learned reader will find it largely defended in Houbigant's note on that place.

Lev 27:6. And if it be from a month old- Some children were devoted not only in the first month, but before they were born; as was the case with Samuel, 1Sa 1:11.

Lev 27:8. If he be poorer than thy estimation- If he be too poor to pay the rate. If the man who vowed was unable to pay the affixed price of redemption, he was to represent his case to the priests, who were to rate him according to his ability; or, as it is in the original, according as his hand can find who vowed; an expression which may signify, either that the valuation was to be made according to what a man could do, or earn; or according to what he possessed. By referring to Seneca, lib. i. Controv. n. 2. and Alex. ab Alex. Dic. Geneal. lib. iii. c. 22. the curious reader will see how very remarkably the regulation of vows was vested in the Roman pontiffs and priests.

Lev 27:9. And if it be a beast, &c.- A record kind of things vowed to God, are beasts; which being of two sorts, clean and unclean, it is provided, first, with respect to clean beasts, that every individual of this sort vowed to God, should be applied according to the direct intention of the vow: it was to be, and to be treated as holy. And, secondly, with respect to unclean beasts, when such were devoted, they were to be valued by the priests; and then the owner had liberty either to leave them to the priests' disposal, or to redeem them, by paying the rate set upon them, with a fifth part more, Lev 27:13. The case was the same with regard to houses and fields, the other kinds of things devoted and spoken of in the subsequent verses; see Lev 27:15; Lev 27:19.

Lev 27:12. As thou valuest it, who art the priest- According to the valuation of the priest.

Note; (1.) A zealous heart is not only willing to its power, but above its power. (2.) We should be careful not to be hasty to vow, lest we involve ourselves in difficulties, and repent of our rashness. There is a zeal not according to knowledge. But when we have vowed to the Lord, we should pay without reserve or change: for he loveth the cheerful giver.

Lev 27:15. Thy estimation- The fixed rate.

Lev 27:16. If a man shall sanctify unto the Lord some part of a field of his possession- Bishop Patrick observes, that this intimates it not to have been lawful for a man to vow his whole field or estate; because God would have no man's family made beggars to enrich his sanctuary. The valuation here is an homer of barley-seed at fifty shekels:i.e. so much land as an homer of barley would sow, was to be rated at fifty shekels: (see on Lev 27:2-3.) and so proportionably for greater or less quantities of ground so devoted. Houbigant is of opinion, that not the seed to be sown, but the seed produced by the land, is here referred to as the mode of valuation. The homer here, (as we have before observed) is a different measure from the omer mentioned in Exo 16:16.: that was but the tenth part of an ephah; this was ten ephahs; Eze 45:4. By this, Isa 5:10 may be explained, the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah, i.e. ten bushels shall yield but one. The homer, called also cor, was the largest measure of capacity for things dry; and was equal to about seventy-five gallons five pints English. In the following verses, proper rules are given for the just valuation of fields with regard to the year of jubilee. Thy estimation, is rendered by some, the valuation.

Lev 27:17. According to thy estimation it shall stand- According to the value of it, it shall stand.

Lev 27:20. And if he will not redeem the field, &c.- Our version here is very ambiguous. Houbigant renders it more clearly after the Vulgate; but if he will not redeem the field, and it be sold to another person, it shall not, &c.] The Arabic version has it, and if the priest have sold it, &c.

Lev 27:25. And all thy estimations, &c.- I find the following note on this verse in Dr. Church's Bible, in which he follows the opinion of Bishop Wilkins. "So great care was taken among the Jews for the preservation of commutative justice from all abuse and falsification in weights and measures, that the public standards, by which all other measures were to be tried and allowed, were with much religion preserved in the sanctuary; the care of them being committed to the priests and Levites, whose office it was to look unto all manner of measures and sizes, 1Ch 23:29. Hence this frequent expression, according to the shekel, &c. which doth not refer to any weight or coin distinct from, or more than the vulgar, as some fondly conceive; but doth only oblige men, in their dealing and traffic, to make use of such just measures, as were agreeable to the public standards kept in the sanctuary."

Note; Though we need not sell our houses now for God's service, it becomes us to sanctify them to him, by constant worship and his fear in the midst of them.

Lev 27:26. Shall sanctify it- i.e. Consecrate, because God had already consecrated them. See Exo 13:2.

Lev 27:28-29. Notwithstanding, no devoted thing, &c.- The word which we render a vow, in the second verse, is נדר neder, by which, (whoever devoted any thing to God,) there remained a power of redemption. Another kind of vow called חרם cherem, is here mentioned; whereby, (whoever devoted any thing to God;) there remained no power of redemption. Things thus devoted were most holy; i.e. so solemnly adjudged or separated to religious uses, that they could not be at all alienated. Some have supposed that cherem signifies a vow, with a curse or imprecation upon themselves if the thing was not employed according to that vow. Every thing thus devoted, was never to be separated from the Lord's service: whether of man or beast, it was to continue in that service till death; which is the whole meaning of the phrase in the 29th verse, rendered, certainly, too ambiguously both in ours and many other versions; but which it is amazing to find that men of learning, but of deistical principles, have perverted in such a manner, as if it countenanced and inculcated the offering of human sacrifices among the Jews. The plain meaning of the verse is only this, that nothing devoted of men shall be redeemed; but shall surely die; in the original, dying he shall die, (as in Gen 2:17.) i.e. shall continue till death in this devoted state. Thus Samuel, for instance, was vowed from infancy unto the Lord, to serve him all the days of his life; and, accordingly, his mother brought him to abide with him for ever: i.e. till he should die, as in this verse. Houbigant, however, renders this verse, whoever of men shall be devoted, shall not be redeemed, but shall be put to death: and he understands it as referring entirely to the divine anathema upon the Canaanites. Dr. Doddridge is nearly of the same opinion; "for," says he, "this passage refers to a vow to destroy the inhabitants of any place which they made war against, and was intended to make them cautious in laying themselves under such obligations. Compare Num 1:3. Deu 17:19. Jos 6:17-18; Jos 24:26; see also Jdg 21:5. 1Sa 24:22." Some of our modern infidels have enlarged with great satisfaction upon this capital defect, as they think it, of the Jewish law: but either interpretation of the words above given, renders their triumph weak and insignificant. Many excellent writers of ours, however, have been at the pains copiously to vindicate this passage: and those who are inclined to see more upon the subject, may consult Doddridge's Theological Lectures, page 358, and the authors there quoted by him.

Lev 27:30. And all the tithe of the land- The tithe is here spoken of as a thing fixed and known; upon which subject see Gen 28:22. All these tithes (whether of the seed of the land, i.e. the corn; or of the fruit of the tree, i.e. wine and oil; Num 18:12; Num 20:5. Deu 14:23.) were to be appropriated to God; i.e. to the maintenance of his priests and ministers. There is a law, indeed, in the last quoted passage of Deuteronomy, which ordains the owners to eat the tithe of their corn, wine, and oil, before the Lord; i.e. in the place where his sanctuary was. But this is to be understood of the tithe of the remainder, after the tenth had been given to the Levites: For, first of all, the first-fruits were to be paid to the priests; Exo 22:29 chap. Lev 2:12 which is reckoned to have been about a sixtieth part of the whole. Then, out of the remainder, they offered the tithes, which were divided into the first and second; the first tithes were paid to the Levites, under which name are comprehended all the ministers of religion of an inferior order to the priests; as the aeditui, door-keepers of the temple, the singers, &c. Out of these tithes, again, the Levites paid a tenth to the priests, Num 26:28 and by this offering they owned the priests to be as far superior to them in their office, as they were to the people in general in their office. The second tithes were the tithe of the residue, or remaining nine parts, out of which the owner was obliged either to take a tithe in kind, and carry to Jerusalem, or to the place where the sanctuary was, &c. there to feast before the Lord, with the Levites and the poor; or, if the place was too remote, he turned it into money, to be applied to the same use. Deu 14:23; Deu 14:29. But these second tithes were every third year to be distributed among the Levites and the poor within their respective cities; of which see Deu 14:28-29. Therefore all the difference was, that what was spent in other years at Jerusalem upon the Levites and the poor, was, the third year, spent in their own cities. Thus, according to Selden, the owner paid near one fifth of his whole yearly income. For instance, suppose it was 6000 ephahs, then the terumah, or oblation of first-fruits was 100, i.e. a sixtieth part; of the remaining 5900, the first tithe, 590 was for the Levites; out of which the priest had 59 for his tithe. Then remains 5310, of which the second tithe 531, was, the first and second year, for the Levites and poor at Jerusalem; and every third year for the same at home; see Selden's Dissertation on Tithes.

Lev 27:32. Whatsoever passeth under the rod- The Jews understand this of the tithing rod, a rod coloured with ochre, with which a man stood at the door of the field, and numbered the cattle as they came out, marking every tenth with his rod: but Bochart understands it more simply of the shepherd's rod or crook, under which the flock passed as often as he numbered them; which was generally twice a day: of this Jeremiah speaks, chap. Jer 33:13 and to this Ezekiel alludes, saying, in God's name, I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: i.e. I will take the same care of you, as a good shepherd does of his flock, which he numbers, and accurately surveys, by making them pass under his rod one by one. Eze 20:37.

REFLECTIONS.-The book thus concludes; and from the whole of these commandments we have much to learn. What thankfulness is due for the mercies we enjoy in the clear light of gospel-day, when these shadows are passed away, and Christ the Sun of righteousness is risen, to guide our feet into the paths of peace! We now no longer see through the dark glass of types and figures, but face to face behold a reconciled God in Christ. The burdensome services of ceremonial ordinances are ceased, and all our present required offering is the broken and contrite heart. In this liberty, wherewith Christ has made us free, every humble believer rejoices; and while ceremonial uncleanness is no longer his concern, he labours more solicitously to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.


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Leviticus 27

VOWS AND TITHES

We have in this closing chapter a supplement to the whole book. Hitherto we dealt with obligations and duties resting on all Israelites alike, but now we come to vows of an additional and voluntary character (Deu 23:22).

PERSONS MIGHT BE VOWED (Lev 27:1-8)

The thought is, that persons might be vowed for service in the sanctuary; but since service could not be found for so large a number, and especially for young children, who might be vowed, there might be a money equivalent for them. This equivalent, which was to be paid into the treasury of the sanctuary, was determined by the labor value of the person vowed as based on sex and age. It was always low enough not to burden the poor.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS MIGHT BE VOWED (Lev 27:9-13)

If the animal were suitable for sacrifice, it might be accepted for the service; but if otherwise, the priest must set a price on it for which it might be sold by the owner and the money placed in the treasury. In this case one-fifth more was to be added to the price, as a check perhaps, to prevent the making of rash vows.

EXCLUSIONS FROM VOW (Lev 27:26-33)

Houses and fields might be vowed (Lev 27:14-25), upon the same principles as the foregoing. But three kinds of property could not be vowed: the firstlings of the beasts (Lev 27:26); a “devoted thing,” in the sense of an accursed thing like the property in Jericho, (Lev 27:28-29 compared with Jos 7:17); and “the tithe of the land” (Lev 27:30). The reason for these prohibitions was that these already belonged to God, so their human possessors had no right to them.

There is a serious matter here in the devotement or accursing of human beings, but we postpone its consideration till we meet with a conspicuous application of the principle at a later period.

LAW OF THE TITHE

The tithe was one of the things belonging to God in any event, and which could not be voluntarily vowed.

This is specially interesting as raising the question whether the tithe is binding upon Christians at the present time. In our judgment it is not; but that does not mean that Christians may give according to impulse or caprice, since the New Testament lays down the principle of giving a fixed portion of our income to the Lord as He has prospered us (1Co 16:1-2; 2Co 8:7-9). It is customary under the Gospel to leave much to the individual conscience regarding the details of worship and conduct, which, under the Mosaic law was regulated by rule. Paul gives the explanation in Gal 4:1-5.

CHRISTIAN VOWS

Has a vow of any kind a place in the practical life of Christians? It seems not forbidden in the New Testament, but neither is it approved.

The true conception of Christian life and duty leaves no room for a promise to God of what is not due, inasmuch as through the transcendent obligation of grateful love to Him for our redemption, everything is due (2Co 5:14-15).

The question is not speculative, since it constitutes one of the distinctions between Romanism and Protestantism. The Romish theory of works of supererogation comes in here, and closely associated with it, the doctrine of purgatory. Here is the germ of the celibate life of the clergy, of sisterhoods and monasticism, the tendency of which is towards legalism on the one hand and moral declension on the other (Gal 4:9; Col 2:16-23).

QUESTIONS

1. What particular kind of vows is dealt with here?

2. For what service were persons vowed?

3. What properties could not be vowed, and why?

4. Quote 1Co 16:1-2.

5. Is a vow normal in the Christian life?

LAW OF THE TITHE

The tithe, or the dedication of the tenth of one’s possessions to God, is a practice of antiquity, and a question arises as to whether the obligation is still resting upon those who would serve God in this dispensation? An answer was given in the last lesson, but it is desirable to enlarge upon it.

While we hear nothing of the tithe in the first Christian centuries, it came into practice in the fourth century, and later was established as a law of the church for some centuries.

The modern spirit has become more and more averse to it, until under the present voluntarism it has seemed likely to disappear altogether.

In consequence of this there has been a revival of interest in it of late as necessary for the maintenance and extension of the church, those who would revive it holding that the principle is still binding on the Christian.

In settling the question, it is to be remembered that the moral obligation is one thing and the legal another. Morally it is our duty to set apart for God a fixed proportion of our income, but the precise proportion is a subject on which the New Testament is silent. For the moral obligation see 1Co 16:1-2, where no reference is made to the legal obligation. If the tithe had been still binding as to the letter, this would have been the place for the apostle to have mentioned it.

As a matter of fact, it is commonly found in the New Testament that the individual is left at liberty regarding the details of worship and conduct as compared with conditions under the Mosaic law (Gal 4:1-5).

One author however, calls attention to a matter of importance not commonly considered in the discussion of this subject. For example, the people of Israel were under a theocratic government, where God Himself ruled, where the whole system of law was divinely executed. When thus carried out this system would have prevented excessive accumulation of wealth in the hands of individuals, as we have seen in the consideration of earlier chapters of this book. There would thus have been secured an equal distribution of property, such as the world has never seen, and doubtless never will until the millennium. Under such circumstances it would have been possible to exact a certain proportion of income for sacred purposes with a certainty that it would have worked with perfect fairness to all.

But with us it is different. Wealth is unequally distributed in our economy, and no law of the tithe could be made to work as in Israel. To the poor it would be a heavy burden, and to the rich a tax so small as to amount to exemption. The poor man would sometimes be required to take bread out of the mouths of wife and children, while the millionaire would still have thousands to spend in luxuries. The latter might often more easily give nine-tenths of his income than the former one-twentieth.

While, therefore, the law of the tithe would not seem to be binding upon us to the letter, from the moral point of view it is still in force. It forbids the Christian to give simply according to impulse or whim. He is to lay by in store as the Lord hath prospered him. Let there be systematic giving to the Lord’s work under the law of a fixed proportion of gifts to income, inspired by recalling God’s grace to us (2Co 7:9), and the Lord’s treasury will never be empty, nor will the Lord Himself be robbed of His due.

QUESTIONS

1. Is the tithe a Biblical conception only?

2. What is the difference between the moral and legal obligation to tithe?

3. Why could the tithe operate successfully in Israel?

4. Why not in our system of political economy?

5. What obligation of giving rests on Christians?




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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by R. A. Torrey [ca. 1880]
Expanded version courtesy INT Bible ©2013, Used by permission
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