Leviticus 27 can be a bit confusing, so first, a bit of background. The chapter is explaining what should happen when any Israelite decided to dedicate or consecrate something specially to God – an animal, a field, or even themselves or a family member. They might make a vow to give it to God in the future, or do it on the spot. But there was also the possibility – sometimes – of redeemingthe thing they had consecrated to God. That might mean buying it back from the priests in the sanctuary, or paying for its value (+20%) instead of giving the physical object.

We’ll look at these rules today and tomorrow – and that will bring us to the end of Leviticus!

Leviticus 27

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons, 3 if the valuation concerns a male from twenty to sixty years of age, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. 4 Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. 5 And if the person is from five to twenty years of age, then your valuation for the male shall be twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

6 Now if the person is from one month to five years of age, then your valuation for the male shall be five shekels of silver, and for the female three shekels of silver. 7 And if the person is sixty years of age or older, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels for the male and ten shekels for the female. 8 But if the one making the vow is too poor to pay the valuation, he is to present the person before the priest, who shall set the value according to what the one making the vow can afford.

9 If he vows an animal that may be brought as an offering to the LORD, any such animal given to the LORD shall be holy. 10 He must not replace it or exchange it, either good for bad or bad for good. But if he does substitute one animal for another, both that animal and its substitute will be holy.

11 But if the vow involves any of the unclean animals that may not be brought as an offering to the LORD, the animal must be presented before the priest. 12 The priest shall set its value, whether high or low; as the priest values it, the price will be set. 13 If, however, the owner decides to redeem the animal, he must add a fifth to its value.

14 Now if a man consecrates his house as holy to the LORD, then the priest shall value it either as good or bad. The price will stand just as the priest values it. 15 But if he who consecrated his house redeems it, he must add a fifth to the assessed value, and it will belong to him.

REFLECTIONS

After I read this, I thought: Why do I find this passage strange? It’s complicated, yes. But I realised that one other reason is because I’m used to thinking of the offerings in Leviticus as compulsory. If you touch a dead animal, you have to offer an animal sacrifice, and so on. But the offerings in chapter 27 are … well, freestyle. You just decide to dedicate, say, a whole HOUSE to God.

Why would anyone do that? Well, you might if your heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness to God. Or because you want to not just bring your needs to God in prayer, but also express practically how much you love him and are devoted to him.

In fact, maybe there’s a reason this comes after chapter 26 – when God’s people have been rescued from exile and their hearts have been transformed, then they will devote all kinds of things to him out of overflowing love and thankfulness.

What a beautiful picture – and what a challenge to us! This won’t necessarily look the same for us in practical terms. But we’ve received the greatest rescue and heart-transformation through Jesus. Use today’s passage to guide you in asking God to fill that transformed heart with a thankful response of practical devotion to him.