Leviticus 27 - Introduction

Leviticus 27:1-34. COMMUTATION OF VOWS AND TITHES (P)

The phraseology of the Priestly Code is conspicuous throughout, e.g. -male" and -female" (3 7), -oblation" (Ḳorbân, 9, 11), -most holy" (lit. holiness of holinesses, 28). Moreover, the law of the Jubile year (Leviticus 27:17 ff.) is assumed to be in force. This fact, and its reference to rights of redemption (ch. 25), may account for the position of the ch. here. The last v.(34) is intended as the conclusion, not merely of this ch., but of the collection of -commandments" contained in P, and referred to the Sinai legislation, just as Leviticus 26:46 of the previous ch. was the conclusion of the -Law of Holiness." See note there.

The subject of this ch. may be thus analysed:

(1) vows, consisting of (a) persons, Leviticus 27:1; (b) cattle, Leviticus 27:9; (c) houses, Leviticus 27:14; (d) land, Leviticus 27:16; but firstborn and -devoted" are excluded, Leviticus 27:26. (2) tithes, Leviticus 27:30; concluding subscription, Leviticus 27:34.