Leviticus 27:8

_SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM, WHEN A MAN SHALL MAKE A SINGULAR VOW, THE PERSONS SHALL BE FOR THE LORD BY THY ESTIMATION._ When a man shall make ... Persons have at all times and in all places been accustomed to present votive offerings, either from gratitude for benefits received or in the event of deliverance from apprehended evil. And Moses was empowered by divine authority to prescribe the conditions of this voluntary duty. THE PERSON SHALL BE FOR THE LORD ... - better rendered thus: 'According to thy estimation, the person shall be for the Lord.' Verse 3. THY ESTIMATION SHALL BE FIFTY SHEKELS OF SILVER. An Israelite servant was usually valued at 50 silver shekels, a non-Israelite servant at 30 shekels (Exodus 21:32). Since the context relates to those who voluntarily dedicated themselves to the service of the sanctuar

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....

IF HE BE POORER THAN THY ESTIMATION - Too poor (to pay) thy valuation. Compare Leviticus 27:7, Leviticus 27:11....

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

BUT IF HE BE POORER THAN THY ESTIMATION,.... If he is so poor that he is not able to pay the value that, is set upon him, according to the rules before given: THEN HE SHALL PRESENT HIMSELF BEFORE THE PRIEST; that has made the estimation, according to the above directions, observing the difference of years, and of male and female; but if a person could not pay the said sums that were appointed, he might apply to the priest, and tell his case: AND THE PRIEST SHALL VALUE HIM; put a price upon him he is able to pay, as follows: ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY THAT VOWED SHALL THE PRIEST VALUE HIM; he was to examine into his circumstances, and as they appeared to him he was to put a value on him, which was to be paid, but not less than, a shekel; for if he could not pay that, it was to remain as a debt until he could q; and it was the ability of him that made the vow that was to be inquired into,...

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 ...

COMMUTATION FOR A PERSON. Where an individual vows himself or herself to Yahweh (_cf._ Judges 11:30 f., 1 Samuel 1:28) the commutation price will vary in proportion to the valuation of his or her labour; for a man in the prime of life this will amount to 50 sacred silver shekels (_cf._ thirty pieces of silver). This would be equivalent in early post-exilic times to something under £ 7 (the sacred silver shekel probably being equivalent to the heavy Phœ nician silver shekel, p. 116). For an infant or young child, a boy is valued at a sum roughly equivalent to 14s., a girl about 8s., and so on. In cases of poverty a special valuation is to be made....

_The case of persons_...

IF HE BE POORER THAN THY ESTIMATION— _If he be too poor to pay the rate._ If the man who vowed was unable to pay the affixed price of redemption, he was to represent his case to the priests, who were to rate him according to his ability; or, as it is in the original, _according as his hand can find who vowed;_ an expression which may signify, either that the valuation was to be made according to what a man could do, or earn; or according to what he possessed. By referring to Seneca, lib. i. _Controv._ n. 2. and Alex. ab Alex. Dic. Geneal. lib. iii. c. 22. the curious reader will see how very remarkably the regulation of vows was vested in the Roman pontiffs and priests....

APPENDIX: CONCERNING VOWS 27:1-34 A. VOWS OF PERSONS 27:1-8 TEXT 27:1-8 1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall accomplish a vow, the persons shall be for Jehovah by thy estimation. 3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. 5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 6 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. 7 And if it be from sixty years old and...