Laws concerning Dedications

271 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 2 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When a man maketh a wonderful vow, by thy valuation the persons 'are' Jehovah's. 3 When thy valuation hath been of the male from a son of twenty years even unto a son of sixty years, then hath been thy valuation fifty shekels of silver by the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 And if it 'is' a female—then hath thy valuation been thirty shekels; 5 and if from a son of five years even unto a son of twenty years—then hath thy valuation been of the male twenty shekels, and for the female, ten shekels; 6 and if from a son of a month even unto a son of five years—then hath thy valuation been of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy valuation 'is' three shekels of silver; 7 and if from a son of sixty years and above—if a male, then hath thy valuation been fifteen shekels, and for a female, ten shekels. 8 'And if he is poorer than thy valuation, then he hath presented himself before the priest, and the priest hath valued him; according to that which the hand of him who is vowing doth reach doth the priest value him. 9 'And if 'it is' a beast of which they bring near an offering to Jehovah, all that 'one' giveth of it to Jehovah is holy; 10 he doth not change it nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; and if he really change beast for beast,—then it hath been—it and its exchange is holy. 11 'And if 'it is' any unclean beast of which they do not bring near an offering to Jehovah, then he hath presented the beast before the priest, 12 and the priest hath valued it; whether good or bad, according to thy valuation, O priest, so it is; 13 and if he really redeem it, then he hath added its fifth to thy valuation.

14 'And when a man sanctifieth his house, a holy thing to Jehovah, then hath the priest valued it, whether good or bad; as the priest doth value it so it standeth; 15 and if he who is sanctifying doth redeem his house, then he hath added a fifth of the money of thy valuation to it, and it hath become his. 16 'And if of the field of his possession a man sanctify to Jehovah, then hath thy valuation been according to its seed; a homer of barley-seed at fifty shekels of silver; 17 if from the year of the jubilee he sanctify his field, according to thy valuation it standeth; 18 and if after the jubilee he sanctify his field, then hath the priest reckoned to him the money according to the years which are left, unto the year of the jubilee, and it hath been abated from thy valuation.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 27:1-18

Commentary on Leviticus 27:1-13

(Read Leviticus 27:1-13)

Zeal for the service of God disposed the Israelites, on some occasions, to dedicate themselves or their children to the service of the Lord, in his house for life. Some persons who thus dedicated themselves might be employed as assistants; in general they were to be redeemed for a value. It is good to be zealously affected and liberally disposed for the Lord's service; but the matter should be well weighed, and prudence should direct as to what we do; else rash vows and hesitation in doing them will dishonour God, and trouble our own minds.

Commentary on Leviticus 27:14-25

(Read Leviticus 27:14-25)

Our houses, lands, cattle, and all our substance, must be used to the glory of God. It is acceptable to him that a portion be given to support his worship, and to promote his cause. But God would not approve such a degree of zeal as ruined a man's family.