A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Leviticus · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Verſ. 2. SPeak unto the children of Iſrael, and ſay unto them, &c.]
The Lord having given them laws hitherto concerning the neceſſary duties of his ſervice, concludeth now with this concerning vows and voluntary ſervices, When a man ſhall make a ſingular vow, the perſons ſhall be for the Lord by thy eſtimation. That is, when any man ſhall after a ſingular manner ſeparate any thing by vow from common uſe for the Lords ſervice, the perſons (ſuppoſing it be ſome perſon▪ whether man or woman that is vowed) ſhall be for the Lord according to thy estimation, that is, they ſhall be thenceforth the Lords, and accordingly either they ſhall be ſet apart to the Lords ſervice, or elſe they ſhall be redeemed according to thy eſtimation, to wit, according to that value which the prieſts, by the direction which thou Moſes ſhalt now give, ſhall ſet upon them: for it was Moſes to whom the Lord now ſpake, but it was the prieſt that did value that which was vowed, as is evident ver. 12. though according to that direction which Moſes by Gods command did now preſcribe them. Now for theſe vows of perſons, we muſt know that they were uſually made in time of ſome affliction or diſtreſſe; as when married perſons had no child▪ they did ſometimes vow that if the Lord would give them a child, they would give themſelves or that their child unto the Lord, which was Hannahs vow, 1. …m. 1. 11. and ſo in times of ſickneſſe, or any other diſtreſſe, they were wont to vow unto the Lord delivering them, that they would give ſuch and ſuch perſons, themſelves or their children, over whom they had power, unto the Lord. And if it be queſtioned, after what manner and to what uſe they were vowed unto the Lord: To this ſome Expoſitours anſwer, That in caſe it was a Levite that was vowed, he was then bound by that vow to ſerve …lwayes in the tabernacle or temple (whereas otherwiſe he ſhould have ſerved there onelyonly in his courſe) and ſuch an one they ſay could not be redeemed. But if the perſon vowed were of any other tribe, they were onelyonly vowed to ſuch ſervice of the tabernacle, as they not being of the tribe of Levi were capable of, as for drawing of water, or hewing of wood, which the Gibeonites afterwards did, Joſh. 9. 27. or if they were women, for ſpinning for making the prieſts garments, and providing thoſe things that were neceſſary for the repair of the tabernacle, and other ſuch like ſervices, which accordingly they did perform, or elſe paid the price of their redemption here preſcribed. But others again hold that the aim and intention of theſe perſonall vows, was onelyonly that they ſhould pay the price of their redemption to the prieſts, which was imployed either for the maintenance of the prieſts, Numb. 18. 14. or elſe for the reparations of the Sanctuary, 2. Kings 12. 4, 5.
Verſ. 3. And thy estimation ſhall be of the male from twenty years old even unto ſixty years old.]
He begins with this age, becauſe it comprehends the chief of mans time for ability of body and mind.
Verſ. 4. And if it be a female, then thy estimation ſhall be thirty ſhekels.]
As here, ſo again alſo verſ. 5, 6, 7. ſtill a ſmaller ſumme is appointed for the redemption of a female vowed unto the Lord, then for the redemption of a male, and that not ſo much becauſe of the dignity of the man above the woman, as becauſe the labour and ſervice of a man is counted uſually of much more value then the miniſtery and ſervice of a woman.
Verſ. 5. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, &c.]
Theſe that were vowed to God ſo young, could not be vowed by themſelves, but by their parents, who might as well vow them to God, as ſell them to be ſervants to others, and therefore they were bound by their parents vow, and were to be redeemed. Now though the ſervice of thoſe that were vowed to God in their childhood may ſeem to be more worth, by reaſon the time of their ſervice was likely to be longer, then thoſe that were vowed at thirty and fourty years old; yet is there here a leſſer ranſome appointed for the redemption of children then for thoſe of farre more years, and that becauſe they were valued not according to the years they might live, which vvere uncertain, but according to their preſent eſtate and condition.
Verſ. 6. And if it be from a monethmonth old, even unto five years old, &c.]
Under this age there vvas no valuation at all, ſee Numb. 13. 40, 47. and 18. 16. yet ſome conceive that by thoſe of a monethmonth old, are meant all that vvere in their firſt monethmonth, even from the firſt monethmonth birth unto a monethmonth fully complete.
Verſ. 8. But if he be poorer then thy eſtimation, then he ſhall preſent himſelf before the prieſt, and the prieſt ſhall value him, &c,]
The party vovved unto the Lord together vvith the party vovving, as vvhen the father vovved his ſonne or daughter: and it is left to the diſcreet charity of the prieſt to ſ… reaſonable rate upon him according to his ability.
Verſ. 9. And if it be a beast whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord, &c.]
That is, a clean beaſt vvithout blemiſh.
Verſ. 10. And if he ſhall at all change beast for beaſt, then it and the exchange thereof ſhall be holy.]
To vvit, by vvay of penalty, and becauſe both vvere in a manner conſecrated to God; and ſuch things as are once conſecrated to God muſt not return to the ovvner again.
Verſ. 11. And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a ſacrifice unto the Lord, &c.]
This vvhichwhich is ſaid of unclean beaſts, to wit, that if any ſuch be vowed, they muſt be redeemed at ſuch a price as the prieſt ſhall value them, &c. may be meant of blemiſhed beaſts, otherwiſe fit for ſacrifice; or rather generally of unclean beaſts, that might not be offered in ſacrifice: onelyonly ſome will have the dog excepted, becauſe of that place, Deut. 23. 18. yea, according to this law, Expoſitours conceive they were bound to do in all other moveable goods that were vowed, to wit, that the prieſts having ſet a price upon them, the party that vowed them might redeem them; and that otherwiſe the prieſts might ſell them, or diſpoſe of them as they thought fit.
Verſ. 13. But if he will at all redeem it, then he ſhall adde a fifth part, &c.]
As is enjoyned in the caſe of purloyning holy things, chap. 5. 16. And he ſhall ma…e amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy things, and ſhall adde the fifth part thereto. So in this caſe of vows, when he that voweth will not ſtand to his promiſe, the Lord layeth on him this penalty for his inconſtancy and lightneſſe of mind, that men might learn to be ſtable-minded, even in ſuch voluntary vows, and not think to have any intereſt in that which is once by a vow given to God.
Verſ. 14. And when a man ſhall ſanctifie his houſe to be holy unto the Lord, &c.]
That is, by a vow, which men were wont to do, as deſiring to obtain from God a ſafe healthfull and proſperous habitation in them.
Verſ. 15. And if he that ſanctified it will redeem his houſe, then he ſhall adde the fifth part, &c.]
Why this was enjoyned, ſee the note before upon verſ. 13. The prieſts did uſually value thoſe things that were vowed at a reaſonable rate, and therefore they might the better pay a fifth part more then the price ſet upon them. But if they did not redeem their houſes at the year of Jubile, the prieſts had the perpetuall poſſeſſion of them, and this made them the more carefull and willing to redeem them.
Verſ. 16. And if a man ſhall ſanc… …fie unto the Lord ſome part of a field of his poſſeſſion, &c.]
That is, if a man ſhall vow unto the Lord ſome part of a field that came by inheritance (for direction is afterwards given, verſ. 22. for fields purchaſed of others, wherein onelyonly they ſhould have right unto the year of Jubile) the prieſt then was to ſet an eſtimation upon it according to the quantity of ſeed that would ſow the land ſo vowed, and that price the owner of the land was to pay to the prieſt if he would redeem it, and a fifth part over and above. This vowing of ſome part of their land unto the Lord was uſually done, in expectation of having their fields yield the greater increaſe▪ and the price here ſet for the redemption of ſuch land was, that they were to pay according to the rate of fifty ſhekels for ſo much land as required an homer of barley ſeed to ſow it, as for inſtance, if an homer would ſow it, then they were to pay fifty ſhekels of ſilver for the redemption of it; if it required two homers to ſow it, then they were to pay a hundred ſhekels; if three homers, then a hundred and fifty ſhekels, &c. and again, if half an homer would ſow it, then they were to pay twenty five ſhekels, and ſo ratably they paid for all land they had vowed according to the quantity of ſeed that would ſow it. Indeed it is queſtioned amongſt Expoſitours whether this ſumme ſet for the redemption of ſuch land was but once paid, or whether ſo much was paid yearly till the year of Jubile came. This laſt many do hold, and that becauſe they judge that fifty ſhekels was not a valuable conſideration (unleſſe it were paid yearly till the Jubile came) for ſo much land as required an homer of ſeed to ſow it. But doubtleſſe in rating the land that was vowed there was a favourable reſpect had to the owner, neither did the Lord intend i… ſhould be rated according to the exact worth of the land; and therefore alſo the ſame price is here ſet down upon all land, whereas we know that an acre of ſome land may be worth foure times as much of other land. So that to me it ſeems moſt probable that the ſumme here ſet was not paid yearly, but onelyonly once, when the land was redeemed.
Verſ. 17. If he ſanctifie his …ield from the year of Jubile, &c.]
That is, if a man do vow a fi…ld unto God immediately after the year of Jubile is paſt, in the firſt of the fifty years that muſt runne to another Jubile, according to thy eſtimation it ſhall ſtand▪ that is, that eſtimation of his land ſhall ſtand before mentioned, to wit, he ſhall pay for the redeeming of …t fifty ſhekels for every omer it will take in barleyſeed anſwerable to the fifty years from Jubile to Jubile. But if he ſanctifie his field after the Jubile, then the prieſt ſhall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, that is, the prieſt ſhall then demand of him for the redemption of his land proportionably according to the years that are behind unto the year of Jubile; as for inſtance, if there remain but thirty years unto the year of Jubile, the land that requires an omer of ſeed to ſow it ſhall then be valued but at thirty ſhekels, & if there remain but twenty five years to Jubile, it ſhall then be valued but at twenty five ſhekels, and ſo proportionably ſtill according as the land is more or leſſe.
Verſ. 19. And i… he that ſanctified the field, will in any wiſe redeem it, then he …all adde the fif…h part, &c.]
See the notes upon verſ. 19. and verſ. 15.
Verſ. 20. And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have ſold the field to another man, &c.]
The meaning of the firſt clauſe is clear, namely, that if the party that had vowed ſome part of his land unto the Lord, refuſe to redeem it, to wit, when the prieſt had ſet a price upon it, it ſhould be taken as if he had voluntarily given the poſſ…ſſion thereof wholly unto God, and then afterward he might not recall it, but it was wholly ſeparated from him. But the meaning of the ſecond clauſe, or if he have ſold the field to another man, is more queſtionable: for many Expoſitours underſtand the party ſelling to be the prieſt, or the treaſurer of the prieſts at leaſt: if it be meant of the owner that vowed the land, that then by his ſelling the land is meant onelyonly his permitting it to be ſold by the prieſts, and therefore many Interpreters tranſlate this ſecond clauſe thus, or if the field be ſold to another man, and ſo they conceive the meaning of this ſecond clauſe to be, that if the field were once ſold to another man, becauſe the owner refuſed to redeem it, the owner might not afterwards redeem it, and ſo it ſhould be for ever alienated from him. But conſidering that theſe two …lauſes are joyned together by that copulative particle Or, And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have ſold the field to another man, it is hard to underſtand the ſ…ſt clauſe of him that vowed the land, and the ſecond of the prieſts; and therefore other Expoſitours do better underſtand this ſecond clauſe, as well as the firſt, of the party that had vowed the land to the Lord, to wit, that if he refuſed to redeem the land, or if af…er he had vowed it to God, he never ſought to perform his vow, but ſacrilegiouſly robbed God by ſelling his land to ſome other man, in either of theſe caſes he ſhould not ever after that have power to redeem his land; though when he had ſold it, the man that had bought it ſhould enjoy it to the year of Jubile, yet then it ſhould return not to the ſeller, but to the prieſt, who ſhould enjoy it as the Lords by a former vow, It ſhall not be redeemed any more, ſaith the text, and verſ. 21. The poſſeſion thereof shall be the prieſts. But yet firſt, becau…e it is expreſly ſaid, that the prieſts ſhould have no inheritance in the land▪ Numb. 18. 20. And the Lord ſpake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither ſhalt thou have any part amongst them; ſecondly, becauſe there was ſu…h care taken by the law of God that the land belonging to one tribe ſhould not for ever be alienated and paſſed over to another tribe, therefore many Expoſitours hold▪ that though the poſſeſſion of ſuch lands as were vowed to God, came to the prie…ts in the year of Jubile, becauſe they were not redeemed, yet the prieſts were bound a… every Jubile, when they returned to them, to ſell them again to ſome of the tribe to which the land belonged, yea to the next kinſman of the firſt owner if he would buy them, and that the prieſts might not keep them in their own hands.
Verſ. 21. But the field when it goeth o…t in the Jubile ſhall be holy unto the Lord, as a field devoted, &c.]
See the note upon verſ. 28.
Verſ. 23. And he ſhall give thy estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the Lord.]
Here in the redemption of lands, which were not of a mans inheritance, but purchaſed of another, there is no addition of the fifth part required, as before, verſ. 19. becauſe the party vowing it was himſelf but a termer in it or a leaſſee unto the year of Jubile, and ſo had no more advantage by repoſſeſſing it then another ſhould have by buying it, if he refuſed it.
Verſ. 26. OnelyOnly the firſtlings of the beasts which ſhould be the Lords firſtlings, no man ſhall ſanctifie it whether it be ox or ſheep.]
That is, no man ſhall vow to give unto the Lord the male firſtling of an ox, ſheep or goat, and that becauſe their male firſtlings were already the Lords in that regard as they were firſtlings. But might they then vow any other male firſtlings? Doubtleſſe no: for all ſuch firſtborn whatſoever were the Lords, Numb. 8. 17. All the first-born of the children of Iſrael are mine ſaith the Lord, both man and beaſt: But becauſe the firſt-born of ſheep and ſuch other catel, as uſed to be ſacrificed, could not be redeemed, Numb. 18. 17. and ſo could never be vowed unto the Lord, whereas all other firſt-born might be redeemed, and after that might again be conſecrated to the Lord by a vow, yea before they were redeemed they might be vowed with reſpect to the time after redemption, as Samuel Hannahs firſt-born ſonne was vowed, 1. Sam. 1. 11. therefore the firſtlings of oxen and ſheep are here particularly mentioned, becauſe they were never capable of being vowed unto the Lord.
Verſ. 27. And if it be an unclean beast then he ſhall redeem it according to thy estimation, &c.]
That is, if any ſhall vow an unclean beaſt, then he may redeem it; and if he will redeem it, it ſhall be redeemed according to thy eſtimation, &c. for this is not ſpoken of redeeming the firſt-born of unclean beaſts, but of unclean beaſts that were vowed, as before verſ. 11. which is evident in that here is injoyned the adding of a fifth part over and above the price of the cattel redeemed, which is no where enjoyned for the redeeming of the firſt-born.
Verſ. 28. Notwithstanding no devoted thing that a man ſhall devote unto the Lord, &c.]
That is, nothing that is anathematized, ſo it is in the Greek: nothing deſtroyed or wholy cut off, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth. Things devoted, I conceive, were ſuch things as were conſecrated and ſet apart abſolutely unto God withou… power of redemption, and that not by an ordinary vow, but with a curſe of deſtruction denounced and deſired upon any whoſoever it be, that ſhall divert that to any private uſe. Hence the offerings of the temple, mentioned Luke 21. 5. are there called anathemata.
Verſ. 29. None devoted which ſhall be devoted of men ſhall be redeemed, but ſhall ſurely be put do death.]
Three ſeverall wayes this clauſe of the law concerning devoted things is underſtood by Expoſitours: firſt, ſome underſtand it onelyonly of beaſts, yea principally of unclean beaſts, devoted of men, that is, devoted by men, conceiving that this is added to ſatisfie a doubt, namely, that if things devoted might not be ſold, what then ſhall be done with thoſe devoted unclean beaſts which were not fit for the Lords uſe? to which they ſay an anſwer is here given, namely, that however they might not be ſold, but muſt be put to death. Again ſecondly, ſome underſtand it generally of all devoted things, whether men or beaſts or lands, &c. and theſe by the laſt clauſe, wherein it is ſaid, that ſuch things ſhall ſurely be put to death, underſtand a finall ſeparating ſuch things from all civill uſe unto the Lord, either by death or otherwiſe, to wit, that ſuch things were either to be put to death, or elſe that they were to be irrecoverably cut off from all civill uſe, which in a metaphoricall phraſe is a kind of death, ſuch things being civilly dead (as we uſe to ſay) in regard of the former owner. But thirdly, ſome underſtand it onelyonly of men that are devoted: for men, they ſay, are here mentioned, not as the perſons devoting, but as the perſons devoted; and therefore it is not tranſlated, None devoted, which ſhall be devoted by men, but, None devoted, which ſhall be devoted of men, or from amongſt men, ſhall be redeemed, that is, no men that are devoted ſhall be redeemed, but ſhall ſurely be put to death. And this ſeems the moſt probable Expoſition, and moſt agreeable with our tranſlation. OnelyOnly then it muſt be underſtood of ſuch as were devoted unto deſtruction, which was done ſometimes by a ſpeciall and extraordinary vow, and ſo the Canaanites were devoted, Numb. 21. 2. Iſrael vowed a vow unto the Lord, and ſaid, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then will I utterly deſtroy their cities; or elſe by Gods ſpeciall command, and ſo the inhabitants of Jericho were devoted, Joſh. 6. 17. and the Amalekites, 1. Sam. 15. 3. for if we extend it to the devoting of men to Gods ſervice, then that laſt clauſe, they shall ſurely be put to death, cannot be meant otherwiſe then in that metaphoricall ſenſe before ſpoken of, namely that ſuch were to be wholly given up for ever to the Lord, as men dead unto the world, and ſo Samuel, they ſay, was devoted to the Lord.
Verſ. 30. And all the tithe of land, whether of the ſeed of the la…d, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lords.]
There are two ſorts of tithes in the Law, the firſt which was given to the Levites, Numb. 18. 21. the ſecond which (after the paiment of the former tithe) was ſeparated and carried up to Jeruſalem, and there eaten by the owners, Deut. 12. 6, 7, 11. this may be meant of both, though principally of the firſt, as is methinks evident by that generall expreſſion, all the tithe of the land, &c.
Verſ. 31. And if a man will at all redeem ought of …i… tithes, he shall adde thereto the fifth part thereof, &c.]
Which was to make ſu… that the Levites ſhould loſe nothing by the cunning of the owners buying: the ſecond tithe might be turned into money, Deut. 14. 23. but for the Lords uſe, not their own private commodity.
Verſ. 32. And concerning tithe of the herd or of the flock, even whatſoever paſſeth under the rod, &c.]
This phraſe hath reſpect unto the manner of tithing, which was thus; as they went out of the fold or barn one by one, the tithing man with his rod numbred them, and the tenth, as it caſually paſſed by, whether good or bad, male or female, was marked out for the tithe.