Leviticus 27:26

_ONLY THE FIRSTLING OF THE BEASTS, WHICH SHOULD BE THE LORD'S FIRSTLING, NO MAN SHALL SANCTIFY IT; WHETHER IT BE OX, OR SHEEP: IT IS THE LORD'S._ Only the firstling. These, in the case of clean beasts, being consecrated to God by a universal and standing law (Exodus 13:12; Exodus 34:19), could not be devoted; and in that of unclean beasts were subject to the rule mentioned (Leviticus 27:11) - i:e., they were not killed at all but a pecuniary commutation was accepted....

26._Only the firstling of the beasts. _Here a caution is interposed, that none should offer what is already the property of God. For since men are so greatly given to ostentation, and therefore in testifying their piety _whitewash two walls, _as the saying is, _out of the same pot, _God provides against this sin by forbidding the first-born to be offered to Him, since that would be to present stolen goods to Him. The sum is, that they should not, by consecrating to God what is already due to Him, steal from Him in their fictitious liberality what is consecrated and not their own. Nor let us be surprised at this law, because this ambition is almost natural to us all, to desire to lay God under obligation by the empty appearance of liberality, and therefore to seek for various grounds of boasting of religious duties, which, after all, are nought. And, undoubtedly, if this restraint had not...

26-33 Things or persons devoted, are distinguished from things or persons that were only sanctified. Devoted things were most holy to the Lord, and could neither be taken back nor applied to other purposes. Whatever productions they had the benefit, God must be honoured with the tenth of, if it could be applied. Thus they acknowledge God to be the Owner of their land, the Giver of its fruits, and themselves to be his tenants, and dependants upon him. Thus they gave him thanks for the plenty they enjoyed, and besought his favour in the continuance of it. We are taught to honour the Lord with our substance....

APPENDIX. EXPOSITION The final chapter, attached to the book after the concluding exhortation, is a short treatise on persons (Leviticus 27:2), animals (Leviticus 27:9-3), houses (Leviticus 27:14, Leviticus 27:15), lauds (Leviticus 27:16-3), vowed to God; and on the commutation of vows. A man might vow to the service of God whatever he had a right over, that is, himself, his wife, his children, his slaves, his beasts, his houses, his fields. In case persons were vowed, the rule was

ONLY THE FIRSTLINGS OF THE BEASTS,.... These are excepted from being sanctified, or set apart for sacred uses, for a very good reason, suggested in the next clause: WHICH SHOULD BE THE LORD'S FIRSTLING, NO MAN SHALL SANCTIFY IT; it being what he has a claim upon, and ordered to be sanctified to him by a law previous to this, Exodus 13:2; wherefore to sanctify such a creature, would be to sanctify what was his before; not merely in a general sense, in which all creatures are his, but in a special sense, having in a peculiar manner required it as his; and therefore to sanctify, or vow to him, what was his before, must be trifling with him, and mocking of him: WHETHER [IT BE] OX, OR SHEEP; the firstlings of either of them: IT [IS] THE LORD'S; which he has claimed as his own special and peculiar property, antecedent to any vow of its owner.

VII. CONCERNING VOWS The Claims of Jehovah Realized CHAPTER 27 _ 1. The singular vow (Leviticus 27:1)_ 2. The sacrifice (Leviticus 27:9) 3. Concerning the house (Leviticus 27:14) 4. Concerning the land (Leviticus 27:16) 5. Concerning the firstling (Leviticus 27:26) 6. Devoted things (Leviticus 27:28) 7. All holy to Jehovah ...

26F. FOR FIRSTLINGS. Firstlings of oxen and sheep and goats) belong to Yahweh in any case, and thus cannot be voluntarily offered or come under valuation (_cf._ Deuteronomy 23:21). Animals that fall outside this category are treated according to the rule in Leviticus 27:11....

ONLY. nevertheless. Rendered in Leviticus 27:28, "notwithstanding"....

_Classes which may not be vowed_ Firstlings are already the Lord's (Exodus 13:2). If the firstling is, that of an animal which is reckoned among the -unclean" (according to the rule laid down, ch. Leviticus 11:3), it is to be valued and redeemed at 1 1/5 of its valuation. Driver, Exodus 13:13 (J), points out that P's law, as given here, is more favourable to the priests. In Exod. the redemption is to be made by a lamb, a less valuable animal....

SHALL SANCTIFY IT— i.e. _Consecrate,_ because God had already consecrated them. See Exodus 13:2....