The Law · Chapter 27 of 27

Leviticus 27

The book closes with laws about voluntary vows and dedications to the LORD. God sets valuations for persons vowed to him, and rules for redeeming dedicated animals, houses, and fields by paying their estimated worth plus a fifth. Firstborn animals and the tithe already belong to God and cannot be re-dedicated. Devoted things are most holy, and the tithe of land, herd, and flock is holy to the LORD.

What happens in Leviticus 27

The LORD gives Moses rules for singular vows. When a person is vowed to God, a valuation in shekels is set by age and sex, with the priest adjusting for those too poor to pay. Clean animals vowed become holy and cannot be exchanged; if an unclean animal is vowed, the priest values it, and the owner may redeem it by adding a fifth. A dedicated house is valued by the priest and may be redeemed likewise. A field is valued by the seed needed to sow it, prorated to the year of Jubilee; if not redeemed or if sold to another, it becomes holy to the LORD at Jubilee and passes to the priests.

The firstborn of clean animals already belongs to God and cannot be dedicated. Anything utterly devoted is most holy and cannot be redeemed. The tithe of the land and of the herd and flock, whatever passes under the rod, is holy to the LORD.

Leviticus 27 in context

Leviticus ends not with the great themes of atonement but with the practical matter of vows, the freewill promises people made to God in gratitude or petition. Once made, such vows were binding, and this chapter regulates how they could be honored or redeemed.

It reflects a society where devotion could be expressed by dedicating people, animals, land, or produce to the sanctuary, and it protects both the seriousness of vows and the fair handling of what was given.

Main themes of Leviticus 27

Vows are seriousA vow to God is voluntary but, once made, binding. The chapter's careful rules assume that promises to God must be kept and cannot be lightly discarded. Devotion freely offered still carries weight. God takes seriously what his people pledge to him, teaching that words spoken to heaven are not to be treated carelessly.

Everything can be consecratedPeople, animals, houses, fields, and produce may all be dedicated to the LORD. No sphere of life is excluded from consecration; the ordinary stuff of daily living, home and land and livestock, can be given to God. Worship reaches beyond the altar into economics and property, hallowing the whole of life for God's service.

Redemption at a priceMuch that is dedicated may be bought back by paying its value plus a fifth. The pattern of redemption, restoring by payment, runs through the whole book. What is given to God can be released only at a cost. This recurring logic of a price paid prepares the way for a greater redemption.

This is part of the Law, the foundation of the whole story: creation, covenant, and a God who binds Himself to a people. As you read, watch for God's character and His promises, which all lead toward Christ.

Leviticus 27 (KJV)

1And 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Verses to carry from Leviticus 27

“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.”Leviticus 27:2

“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.”Leviticus 27:28

“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.”Leviticus 27:30

Thematic connection

How Leviticus 27 points to Jesus

Leviticus ends on the theme of redemption at a price, and that note carries straight to the cross. Throughout this chapter, what is consecrated can be released only by payment, plus a fifth. Paul draws on this world when he tells believers ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. We are the persons vowed to God, valued beyond any estimate, redeemed not with silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.

The chapter also insists that no substitute could replace a devoted thing; it was most holy. Christ is that wholly devoted one, fully given to God, who offered himself without reserve. The book of the sacrifices closes fittingly with valuation and redemption, quietly pointing to the priceless payment that would one day set God's people free.

Questions about Leviticus 27

Why does the book of Leviticus end with laws about vows rather than something grander?

Because worship is meant to reach into ordinary decisions and possessions, not stay at the altar. Vows were how people freely expressed devotion, dedicating what they had to God. Ending here shows that holiness touches homes, fields, animals, and promises. The whole of life becomes an offering. It grounds the soaring themes of atonement in the practical, daily reality of a consecrated people.

What does the theme of redemption by payment teach us?

That what is given to God can be released only at a cost, a value plus a fifth, never casually reclaimed. This recurring logic runs through Leviticus and prepares us for the gospel. Paul says we are bought with a price and are not our own. We were the persons vowed to God, redeemed not with silver but with the precious blood of Christ, a payment infinitely greater than any priestly valuation.

Reflection

Leviticus ends where our lives are lived, in promises made, possessions held, ordinary things offered to God. Holiness is not confined to the sanctuary; it touches your home, your work, your word. And the recurring theme of redemption whispers the gospel: you were bought at a price, valued beyond measure, and now you belong to God.

A prayer from Leviticus 27

Lord, you take my promises seriously and receive what I offer. Teach me to make my life, my work and word, an offering to you. Thank you that I am bought by the blood of Christ. I am not my own; I am yours. Amen.

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