Leviticus 27:32

_AND ALL THE TITHE OF THE LAND, WHETHER OF THE SEED OF THE LAND, OR OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE, IS THE LORD'S: IT IS HOLY UNTO THE LORD._ All the tithe of the land. This law gave the sanction of divine authority to an ancient usage (Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22). The whole produce of the land was subjected to the tithe tribute-it was a yearly rent which the Israelites, as tenants, paid to God, the owner of the land, and a thank offering they rendered to Him for the bounties of His providence (see Proverbs 3:9; 1 Corinthians 9:11;...

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....

Verse Leviticus 27:32. _WHATSOEVER PASSETH UNDER THE ROD_] The signification of this verse is well given by the rabbins: "When a man was to give the tithe of his sheep or calves to God, he was to shut up the whole flock in one fold, in which there was one narrow door capable of letting out one at a time. The owner, about to give the tenth to the Lord, stood by the door with a rod in his hand, the end of which was dipped in vermilion or red ochre. The mothers of those lambs or calves stood without: the door being opened, the young ones ran out to join themselves to their dams; and as they passed out the owner stood with his rod over them, and counted one, two, three, four, five, c., and when the _tenth_ came, he touched it with the coloured rod, by which it was distinguished to be the tithe calf, sheep, c., and whether poor or lean, perfect or blemished, that was received...

WHATSOEVER PASSETH UNDER THE ROD - According to rabbinical tradition, the animals to be tithed were enclosed in a pen, and as they went out one by one at the opening, every tenth animal was touched with a rod dipped in vermilion. Compare the margin reference. For a more full explanation of what relates to tithes, see the margin reference and Genesis 14:20; Deuteronomy 14:22, Deuteronomy 14:28....

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

AND CONCERNING THE TITHE OF THE HERD, OR OF THE FLOCK,.... Of oxen and sheep, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; for this law only concerns such, as Maimonides x observes, for none but clean beasts were tithed, though the firstlings of unclean beasts were to be redeemed: [EVEN] OF WHATSOEVER PASSETH UNDER THE ROD, THE TENTH SHALL BE HOLY UNTO THE LORD: which being slain, the blood and fat were to be offered the altar, and the flesh eaten by the owners, as Jarchi observes; who adds, this is not reckoned with the rest of the gifts of the priesthood; and we do not find it was given to the priests: the "rod", under which these are said to pass, is either the shepherd's rod, as Aben Ezra under, which they passed morning and evening, when led out or brought in, as in Jeremiah 33:13; or the rod of the tither: the manner of tithing, as described by Maimonides, was this

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 ...

30- 33. TITHES (_cf._ Deuteronomy 14:22 ff; Deuteronomy 26:12 ff., Numbers 21-32*). The tithe offered in kind may be commuted for its value (estimated presumably by the priest) plus 20 per cent. (_cf._ Leviticus 27:13; Leviticus 27:15; Leviticus 27:27). A tithe on cattle is not mentioned elsewhere save in 2 Chronicles 31:5 ff. (_q.v._), though a royal tax of a tenth on animals is spoken of in...

_Laws concerning tithes_ A distinction is here made between the tithe on the yield of the land or of fruit trees, and that on animals. The former according to this passage may be redeemed on payment of 1 1/5th of the estimation. In Numbers 18:21-24 there is no such permission given. See McNeile (_C.B._) there for comparison of the two passages. The tithe on cattle here imposed is, as he points out, a fresh demand, found nowhere else in O.T. except 2 Chronicles 31:6....

WHATSOEVER PASSETH UNDER THE ROD— The Jews understand this of the tithing rod, a rod coloured with ochre, with which a man stood at the door of the field, and numbered the cattle as they came out, marking every tenth with his rod: but Bochart understands it more simply of the shepherd's rod or crook, under which the flock passed as often as he numbered them; which was generally twice a day: of this Jeremiah speaks, chap. Jeremiah 33:13 and to this Ezekiel alludes, saying, in God's name, _I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: i.e._ I will take the same care of you, as a good shepherd does of his flock, which he numbers, and accurately surveys, by making them pass under his rod one by one. Ezekiel 20:37. REFLECTIONS.—The book thus