Leviticus 27:27

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And if it be of an unclean H2931 beast H929, then he shall redeem H6299 it according to thine estimation H6187, and shall add H3254 a fifth H2549 part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed H1350, then it shall be sold H4376 according to thy estimation H6187.
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Complete Jewish Bible
But if it is an unclean animal, he may redeem it at the price at which you value it and add one-fifth; or if he does not redeem it, it is to be sold at the price at which you value it.
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Berean Standard Bible
But if it is among the unclean animals, then he may redeem it according to your valuation and add a fifth of its value. If it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.
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American Standard Version
And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall ransom it according to thine estimation, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.
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World English Bible Messianic
If it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back according to your valuation, and shall add to it the fifth part of it; or if it isn’t redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But if it be an vncleane beast, then he shall redeeme it by thy valuation, and giue the fift part more thereto: and if it be not redeemed, then it shalbe solde, according to thy estimation.
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Young's Literal Translation
And if among the unclean beasts, then he hath ransomed it at thy valuation, and he hath added its fifth to it; and if it is not redeemed, then it hath been sold at thy valuation.
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See also
Leviticus 27:11
In the KJVVerse 3,598 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 27:27 outlines the specific regulations for an unclean animal that has been dedicated or vowed to the Lord. Since such an animal was ritually impure and therefore unsuitable for sacrifice, the law provided two distinct alternatives: the original dedicator could redeem it by paying its assessed value plus an additional 20% surcharge, or, if left unredeemed, the animal was to be sold to another party at its estimated value. This detailed regulation underscores the solemnity of vows made to God, the principle of divine ownership over all dedicated items, and the meticulous nature of God's laws concerning purity, restitution, and the proper handling of sacred commitments within the Israelite covenant community.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 27 serves as the concluding chapter of the book, acting as an appendix to the extensive legal and cultic instructions delivered by God through Moses. While the preceding chapters meticulously detail various sacrifices, offerings, and laws of purity, chapter 27 specifically addresses the regulations concerning vows and dedications of persons, animals, houses, and fields to the Lord. This chapter clarifies how items, once vowed, could be redeemed or handled if they were not suitable for direct use in the sanctuary. Verse 27 specifically addresses the unique case of an "unclean beast," distinguishing it from clean animals that could be offered as sacrifices, as extensively detailed in earlier sections such as the regulations for burnt offerings. Its placement at the end of the book emphasizes that even items ritually unfit for the altar still fell under divine jurisdiction once dedicated, requiring a specific, meticulously defined protocol to honor the vow and affirm God's ultimate ownership.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, the distinction between "clean" and "unclean" animals was foundational to their religious and daily life, as comprehensively outlined in Leviticus 11. Unclean animals were prohibited for consumption and, crucially, were ritually unfit for sacrifice on the altar, which was reserved exclusively for unblemished, clean animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats) as a means of atonement and worship. Vows were a significant and solemn aspect of ancient Near Eastern religious practice, representing binding commitments made to a deity, often in exchange for divine favor or as an expression of profound devotion. In Israel, once a vow was made, it was considered sacred and inviolable, as highlighted in Numbers 30:2. The role of the priest in "estimation" (valuation) was critical, as they were the designated authority to objectively assess the market value of the dedicated item, ensuring fairness and strict adherence to the law. The addition of a "fifth part" (20%) was a common surcharge in Levitical law for restitution or reclaiming dedicated items, serving as both a deterrent against rash vows and a reinforcement of the seriousness of dedicated property, a principle also seen in cases of unintentional sin or trespass against holy things, as described in Leviticus 5:16.
  • Key Themes: Leviticus 27:27 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within the book of Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it reinforces the theme of Holiness and Purity, emphasizing God's absolute distinction between the clean and the unclean, and the necessity of ritual purity for approaching Him. Secondly, the passage highlights the Sanctity and Binding Nature of Vows, illustrating that commitments made to God are not to be taken lightly and carry tangible consequences, even if the dedicated item cannot be used directly for sacred purposes. Thirdly, it underscores the principle of Divine Ownership and Sovereignty, asserting that once an item is dedicated to God, it belongs to Him, and its value must ultimately serve His purposes, whether through redemption or sale. Finally, the concept of Redemption is subtly present, where a price is paid to reclaim something dedicated, foreshadowing the greater theological theme of spiritual redemption that permeates the biblical narrative. This verse, therefore, is not merely a legal technicality but a testament to the meticulousness of God's covenant relationship with Israel and His demand for integrity in all matters of faith and devotion, as seen throughout the Mosaic Law.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Unclean (Hebrew, ṭâmêʼ', H2931): This word (H2931) signifies something that is "foul in a religious sense," "defiled," or "polluted." In the context of the Mosaic Law, an "unclean beast" refers to an animal that is ritually impure according to the dietary and purity regulations, rendering it unsuitable for consumption or, crucially, for sacrificial offering on the altar. This distinction was fundamental for maintaining the holiness of the tabernacle and the purity of the worshiping community.
  • Redeem (Hebrew, gâʼal', H1350): This primitive root (H1350) means "to redeem according to the Oriental law of kinship," implying the act of buying back, ransoming, or reclaiming, often by a near kinsman. In Leviticus 27:27, it refers to the act of repurchasing an item that had been dedicated to God. This concept is foundational to biblical theology, representing the liberation or restoration of something or someone by the payment of a price, allowing the dedicator to regain possession of the unclean animal by paying its assessed value plus a penalty, thereby honoring the original vow financially.
  • Estimation (Hebrew, ʻêrek', H6187): The noun (H6187) refers to the "valuation," "assessment," or "appraisal" of an item. In Leviticus 27, this estimation was typically made by the priest, who served as God's designated representative. This ensured an objective and authoritative valuation, preventing disputes and upholding the sanctity of the dedicated item, whether it was to be redeemed or sold, thereby maintaining order and fairness within the covenant community.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And if [it be] of an unclean beast": This opening clause establishes the specific condition under which the subsequent regulations apply. It identifies the subject as an animal that is ritually impure according to God's laws, fundamentally distinguishing it from clean animals that could be offered as sacrifices. This condition highlights the strict boundaries of purity within Israelite worship.
  • "then he shall redeem [it] according to thine estimation": If the individual who dedicated the unclean animal desires to reclaim it, they are permitted to do so by paying its determined value. The phrase "thine estimation" refers to the impartial valuation set by the priest or the designated authority, ensuring that the transaction is fair and adheres to the established legal framework, and that the financial commitment of the vow is upheld.
  • "and shall add a fifth [part] of it thereto": This crucial addition mandates a 20% surcharge on the estimated value. This "fifth part" serves multiple purposes: it acts as a penalty for reclaiming something dedicated to God, underscores the seriousness and binding nature of vows, and discourages rash or insincere dedications. It reinforces the principle that once something is vowed, it truly belongs to the Lord, and reclaiming it incurs an additional, tangible cost.
  • "or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation": This clause provides the alternative disposition for the unclean beast if the original dedicator chooses not to redeem it. In such a scenario, the animal would be sold to another party at the priest's assessed value. The proceeds from this sale would then go to the sanctuary, affirming that the dedicated item, even if not physically offered, still served the Lord's purposes through its monetary value, upholding the sanctity of the vow.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 27:27 employs several literary devices to convey its precise legal instructions and reinforce its underlying theological principles. The most prominent is Legal Language, characterized by its prescriptive, conditional structure ("And if... then he shall...") and its meticulous precision, which is characteristic of the Mosaic Law. This ensures clarity and leaves no ambiguity regarding the proper procedure for handling dedicated unclean animals. Repetition of the phrase "according to thine estimation" underscores the paramount importance of the priestly valuation as the authoritative and objective standard, preventing subjective or fraudulent dealings. There is also a clear Contrast presented between the two possible outcomes: redemption with a penalty versus outright sale, highlighting the two pathways for handling a dedicated unclean animal and the consequences associated with each. Furthermore, the "fifth part" can be interpreted as a form of Symbolism, representing the tangible cost of altering or reclaiming a sacred commitment, thereby emphasizing the seriousness with which God views vows made to Him and the integrity expected from His covenant people.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 27:27, though seemingly a minor legal detail, profoundly reinforces several foundational theological principles of the Old Covenant. It underscores God's absolute Holiness and His demand for separation, vividly evident in the distinction between clean and unclean animals—only what was ritually pure could approach Him for sacrificial purposes. The verse also highlights the Sanctity of Vows, demonstrating that commitments made to the Lord are binding and carry serious implications; the added surcharge for redemption served as a tangible deterrent against rash promises and a reinforcement of the vow's solemnity. Furthermore, the concept of Divine Ownership is central: once dedicated, an item, even an "unclean" one, belonged to the Lord, and its value ultimately served His purposes, whether through redemption or sale to support the sanctuary. This passage also subtly introduces the theme of Redemption, where a price is paid to reclaim something, foreshadowing a much greater spiritual reality of liberation and restoration.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the specific practice of dedicating unclean beasts is no longer applicable under the New Covenant, the enduring principles embedded in Leviticus 27:27 offer profound and timeless lessons for contemporary believers. This passage calls us to a deeper understanding of God's immutable character—His meticulous holiness, His unwavering justice, and His expectation of integrity and faithfulness from His people. It challenges us to reflect on the seriousness with which we approach our commitments, particularly those made to God. Do we treat our promises, our tithes, our service, our spiritual disciplines, or our declarations of faith with the same gravity and reverence as the Israelites were expected to treat their vows? The "fifth part" serves as a stark reminder that there is a tangible cost to our decisions, especially when we attempt to reclaim what we have dedicated or when we fall short of our commitments to God. This ancient law encourages us to live lives marked by unwavering faithfulness, uncompromised integrity, and a profound respect for the sacred, understanding that all we have and all we are ultimately belong to the Lord, having been bought with an immeasurable price.

Questions for Reflection

  • How seriously do I take my commitments and vows, especially those made to God in prayer, worship, or personal declarations of faith?
  • In what ways does God's demand for holiness, even in seemingly minor regulations like this, shape my understanding of His character and my daily walk?
  • Are there "unclean" aspects of my life—habits, attitudes, or possessions—that I have perhaps tried to dedicate to God without truly transforming them, and what does this verse teach me about their true disposition in light of God's purity?

FAQ

Why couldn't an unclean beast be sacrificed?

Answer: Unclean animals were ritually unfit for sacrifice because they did not meet God's stringent standards of purity and holiness required for the sacrificial system. The purpose of sacrifices was multifaceted: to atone for sin, express worship, and maintain a covenant relationship with a holy God. Only unblemished, clean animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats) were designated for the altar, symbolizing the purity and perfection required for an acceptable offering. The comprehensive laws concerning clean and unclean animals, meticulously detailed in Leviticus 11, distinguished between animals permissible for consumption and those that were not, and this distinction extended directly to their suitability for sacred, cultic purposes.

What was the purpose of adding a "fifth part" (20%)?

Answer: The addition of a "fifth part" (one-fifth, or 20%) to the estimated value served as a surcharge or penalty for reclaiming something that had been dedicated to the Lord. This principle is not isolated but is seen elsewhere in Levitical law, such as in cases of restitution for unintentional sin against holy things or for trespasses, as explicitly outlined in Leviticus 5:16. Its purpose was multifaceted: it underscored the profound seriousness and binding nature of vows made to God, served as a deterrent against rash or insincere dedications, and ensured that the act of reclaiming a dedicated item came at a tangible and significant cost, thereby upholding the sanctity of the vow and reinforcing God's ultimate ownership.

What happened to the money from the sale or redemption?

Answer: Whether the unclean beast was redeemed by the original dedicator (with the added fifth part) or sold to another party, the monetary value (or the proceeds from the sale) would invariably go to the sanctuary. This revenue would then be used to support the priests in their service and to fund the ongoing operations and maintenance of the tabernacle (and later, the temple). This practice powerfully affirmed the principle that once something was dedicated to the Lord, its value, if not its physical presence, ultimately belonged to Him and was to be used for His divine purposes, demonstrating that God's ownership was comprehensive and absolute.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 27:27, with its intricate details concerning the redemption of an unclean beast, finds its profound and ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Humanity, in its fallen, sinful state, is spiritually "unclean" and utterly unfit to approach a holy God or offer anything acceptable for atonement. We are, in a spiritual sense, like the unclean beast—dedicated to sin and unable to offer ourselves as a worthy sacrifice. However, the concept of redemption in this verse beautifully foreshadows the ultimate and perfect redemption wrought by Christ. He is our true Kinsman-Redeemer (reflecting the deeper meaning of gâʼal), who did not redeem us with perishable things like silver or gold, or the assessed value of an animal, but with His own precious and sinless blood, as powerfully declared in 1 Peter 1:18-19. He paid the immeasurable cost, not merely an added "fifth part" or a surcharge, but the full, infinite penalty for our sin, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, we are not merely "redeemed" to our former state, but transformed, made clean, and consecrated to God, not by our flawed vows, but by His perfect, unblemished offering. Our lives are now fully His, bought with an incomparable price, and we are called to live as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1), recognizing that we are no longer our own, but belong entirely to Him who redeemed us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

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Commentary on Leviticus 27 verses 26–34

Here is, I. A caution given that no man should make such a jest of sanctifying things to the Lord as to sanctify any firstling to him, for that was his already by the law, Lev 27:26. Though the matter of a general vow be that which we were before obliged to, as of our sacramental covenant, yet a singular vow should be of that which we were not, in such circumstances and proportions, antecedently bound to. The law concerning the firstlings of unclean beasts (Lev 27:27) is the same with that before, Lev 27:11, Lev 27:12.

II. Things or persons devoted are here distinguished from things or persons that were only sanctified. 1. Devoted things were most holy to the Lord, and could neither revert nor be alienated, Lev 27:28. They were of the same nature with those sacrifices which were called most holy, which none might touch but only the priests themselves. The difference between these and other sanctified things arose from the different expression of the vow. If a man dedicated any thing to God, binding himself with a solemn curse never to alienate it to any other purpose, then it was a thing devoted. 2. Devoted persons were to be put to death, Lev 27:29. Not that it was in the power of any parent or master thus to devote a child or a servant to death; but it must be meant of the public enemies of Israel, who, either by the appointment of God or by the sentence of the congregation, were devoted, as the seven nations with which they must make no league. The city of Jericho in particular was thus devoted, Jos 6:17. The inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were put to death for violating the curse pronounced upon those who came not up to Mizpeh, Jdg 21:9, Jdg 21:10. Some think it was for want of being rightly informed of the true intent and meaning of this law that Jephtha sacrificed his daughter as one devoted, who might not be redeemed.

III. A law concerning tithes, which were paid for the service of God before the law, as appears by Abraham's payment of them, (Gen 14:20), and Jacob's promise of them, Gen 28:22. It is here appointed, 1. That they should pay tithe of all their increase, their corn, trees, and cattle, Lev 27:30, Lev 27:32. Whatsoever productions they had the benefit of God must be honoured with the tithe of, if it were titheable. Thus they acknowledged God to be the owner of their land, the giver of its fruits, and themselves to be his tenants, and dependents upon him. Thus they gave him thanks for the plenty they enjoyed, and supplicated his favour in the continuance of it. And we are taught in general to honour the Lord with our substance (Pro 3:9), and in particular to support and maintain his ministers, and to be ready to communicate to them, Gal 6:6; Co1 9:11. And how this may be done in a fitter and more equal proportion than that of the tenth, which God himself appointed of old, I cannot see. 2. That which was once marked for tithe should not be altered, no, not for a better (Lev 27:33), for Providence directed the rod that marked it. God would accept it though it were not the best, and they must not grudge it though it were, for it was what passed under the rod. 3. That it should not be redeemed, unless the owner would give a fifth part more for its ransom, Lev 27:31. If men had the curiosity to prefer what was marked for tithe before any other part of their increase, it was fit that they should pay for their curiosity.

IV. The last verse seems to have reference to this whole book of which it is the conclusion: These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses, for the children of Israel. Many of these commandments are moral, and of perpetual obligation; others of them, which were ceremonial and peculiar to the Jewish economy, have notwithstanding a spiritual significancy, and are instructive to us who are furnished with a key to let us into the mysteries contained in them; for unto us, by those institutions, is the gospel preached as well as unto them, Heb 4:2. Upon the whole matter, we may see cause to bless God that we have not come to mount Sinai, Heb 12:18. 1. That we are not under the dark shadows of the law, but enjoy the clear light of the gospel, which shows us Christ the end of the law for righteousness, Rom 10:4. The doctrine of our reconciliation to God by a Mediator is not clouded with the smoke of burning sacrifices, but cleared by the knowledge of Christ and him crucified. 2. That we are not under the heavy yoke of the law, and the carnal ordinances of it (as the apostle calls them, Heb 9:10), imposed till the time of reformation, a yoke which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear (Act 15:10), but under the sweet and easy institutions of the gospel, which pronounces those the true worshippers that worship the Father in spirit and truth, by Christ only, and in his name, who is our priest, temple, altar, sacrifice, purification, and all. Let us not therefore think that because we are not tied to the ceremonial cleansings, feasts, and oblations, a little care, time, and expense, will serve to honour God with. No, but rather have our hearts more enlarge with free-will offerings to his praise, more inflamed with holy love and joy, and more engaged in seriousness of thought and sincerity of intention. Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart, and full assurance of faith, worshipping God with so much the more cheerfulness and humble confidence, still saying, Blessed be God for Jesus Christ!

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 26–34. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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