Leviticus 27 18

Leviticus 27:18 kjv

But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.

Leviticus 27:18 nkjv

But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money due according to the years that remain till the Year of Jubilee, and it shall be deducted from your valuation.

Leviticus 27:18 niv

But if they dedicate a field after the Jubilee, the priest will determine the value according to the number of years that remain until the next Year of Jubilee, and its set value will be reduced.

Leviticus 27:18 esv

but if he dedicates his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall calculate the price according to the years that remain until the year of jubilee, and a deduction shall be made from the valuation.

Leviticus 27:18 nlt

But if the field is dedicated after the Year of Jubilee, the priest will assess the land's value in proportion to the number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee. Its assessed value is reduced each year.

Leviticus 27 verses

Leviticus 27 18 Meaning

Leviticus 27:18 prescribes the precise valuation method for redeeming a dedicated field (a field vowed to the Lord) when that redemption occurs after a Jubilee year has already passed since its initial dedication. In such a scenario, the priest, acting as God's representative, must recalculate the field's value. This recalculation is based not on the original total worth from the time of dedication, but proportionately to the remaining years until the next Jubilee. The effect of this new, reduced calculation is then applied as a deduction from what would have been the full valuation if the field had been redeemed at an earlier point, reflecting the diminishing period of consecrated use before the land's mandated return in the Jubilee. This ensured a fair and accurate redemption price, adhering to the intricate land laws and principles of equity under the covenant.

Leviticus 27 18 Context

Leviticus 27 is the concluding chapter of the Book of Leviticus, focusing on laws concerning vows and dedicated things. Following the extensive details on holiness, sacrifices, priesthood, and ceremonial purity in preceding chapters, chapter 27 provides regulations for individuals who dedicate persons, animals, houses, or portions of their land to the Lord as a vow. These dedications were acts of devotion, but the Law recognized that circumstances might require the dedicated item or person to be redeemed.

The immediate context leading to verse 18 specifically deals with the dedication and redemption of fields. Verses 16-25 outline various scenarios, with the central principle being that land belongs to God and returns to its original family inheritance during the Jubilee year (Lev 25). The value of dedicated fields for redemption was tied directly to the remaining years until the next Jubilee. Verse 17 establishes the baseline: if a field is dedicated "from the year of Jubilee," its full valuation applies for the entire period until the next Jubilee. Verse 18 then addresses a specific, more complex case: redemption of a dedicated field after a Jubilee has passed since its original dedication. This law reflects the meticulously fair and practical nature of God's commands, accounting for elapsed time and ensuring that all transactions, even sacred ones, are equitable and just, consistent with the foundational laws of land ownership in Israel designed to prevent permanent impoverishment and preserve tribal inheritance.

Leviticus 27 18 Word analysis

• But if he redeems (ga'al, גָּאַל): This Hebrew verb signifies "to buy back," "recover," or "deliver." In legal contexts, it implies payment of a price to reacquire something. Here, it is the person who originally dedicated the field seeking to take it back from its consecrated status. The term connects to the broader biblical theme of "redemption," often carried out by a "kinsman-redeemer" (goel). Theologically, it implies a cost or effort is involved in restoration, mirroring spiritual redemption through Christ.
• his field (sadeh, שָׂדֶה): This refers to agricultural land, specifically a plot owned as an inheritance. In Israelite society, ancestral land was not just property; it was a divine inheritance tied to family, tribe, and covenant identity (Num 26:52-56). The dedication of a field was a significant act, as it alienated family property for a period.
• after the Jubilee (aḥărey ha'yovel, אַחֲרֵי הַיֹּבֵל): This is a critical temporal qualifier. It means that at least one Jubilee year has passed since the field was originally dedicated. This scenario creates a complex valuation, as the typical 50-year cycle of calculation (Lev 25) for valuation is now fragmented by an intervening Jubilee, which affects all other land but not the perpetually vowed one until it is redeemed.
• then the priest (v'hakkohen, וְהַכֹּהֵן): The priest plays a central role as God's representative and legal administrator. He is the authorized authority to make the binding and just valuation. This highlights the integrated nature of spiritual and civic life in Israel, where religious leaders oversaw economic and legal fairness (Deut 17:9).
• shall calculate the money for him proportionate to the years that remain until the year of Jubilee (v'ḥishav-lo hakkesef al-pi hashanim hanish'arot ad-shenat hayovel):
  • calculate (chashav, חָשַׁב): Implies careful, precise reckoning. It indicates a methodical approach to ensure fairness and adherence to divine law, not arbitrary estimation.
  • money (kesef, כֶּסֶף): Literally "silver." The standard medium of exchange and valuation. Even though land was redeemed, the price was paid in silver, reflecting its monetary equivalent.
  • proportionate to the years that remain until the year of Jubilee: This is the core of the specific calculation. The valuation is not fixed from dedication to next Jubilee. Instead, the "clock" for the new valuation effectively restarts from the intervening Jubilee, with the remaining years until the next Jubilee determining the cost. This makes the redemption cost lower if many years of the original dedication period have already passed through a Jubilee.
• and it shall be deducted from your valuation (v'nigra me'arkeka):
  • deducted (gara', גָּרַע): To diminish, subtract, or lessen.
  • from your valuation (me'arkeka): Refers to the original full "estimation" or "valuation" (עֶרֶךְ, erech) made at the time the field was first dedicated, for the period until the next Jubilee. The phrase means the amount now to be paid is effectively a discounted price based on time already passed, subtracted from that theoretical full value for the entire Jubilee period. The new calculated value is less than the full valuation the field might have held for a full period if dedicated at the Jubilee.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "redeems his field after the Jubilee": This phrase precisely defines the unique circumstance this law addresses. It acknowledges that a field consecrated by vow remains so even if a Jubilee passes, unlike other fields that automatically return. It also indicates that a payment (redemption) is required even though land usually returns free in the Jubilee.
• "the priest shall calculate the money for him": Emphasizes the legal and divine oversight. The process is not left to negotiation between individuals but regulated by God's appointed representative to ensure integrity and justice.
• "proportionate to the years that remain... deducted from your valuation": These clauses highlight the equitable and highly detailed nature of the Law. It's a prorated calculation based on time, demonstrating God's justice even in the smallest details of transactions. It shows meticulous care for fairness, ensuring the dedicant pays only for the benefit of use during the time the field is kept under vow beyond the intervening Jubilee, up to the subsequent Jubilee.

Leviticus 27 18 Bonus section

• God's Sovereignty Over Land: The detailed land laws, including the Jubilee and the redemption of dedicated fields, underscore the fundamental truth that all land in Israel ultimately belonged to God (Lev 25:23). Israelites were mere stewards. This theological underpinning informed every legal decision concerning property, ensuring no one could permanently dispossess a family from its ancestral inheritance.
• Prevention of Permanent Indebtedness/Poverty: The intricate system of valuations, Jubilee, and redemptions acted as a built-in economic reset. It prevented the long-term accumulation of land by a few, or the permanent destitution of families who might sell their inheritance out of hardship. This fostered social equity and reliance on God's provision.
• Educational Purpose of the Law: These complex calculations served to train the Israelites in righteousness, accuracy, and fidelity to God's detailed instructions. It was not just about economic transaction, but about shaping a national character that valued justice, fairness, and the honoring of vows before God.
• The Law as a "Tutor": The specific legal provisions for calculating "years remaining" and "deducting from valuation" provided a tangible, practical illustration of how time affects value and obligation. This mathematical precision prepared them to understand greater spiritual truths about covenant, time, and ultimately, Christ's perfect redemption that fulfilled every demand of the Law (Gal 3:24).

Leviticus 27 18 Commentary

Leviticus 27:18 illustrates the divine precision and fairness embedded in the Mosaic Law concerning dedicated property. It specifically addresses a nuanced case for a field vowed to the Lord, requiring redemption after a Jubilee year has intervened since its dedication. The underlying principle is that while land dedicated to the Lord remained consecrated, its valuation for redemption must align with the broader land laws of Israel, particularly the Jubilee year (Lev 25). The passage avoids financial burden or exploitation, ensuring that the valuation accurately reflects the remaining period until the next Jubilee when the land would typically return to its family inheritance. The priest's role as the unbiased calculator ensures equitable application of the law, highlighting God's meticulous concern for justice in economic and spiritual matters alike. This provision reinforced the foundational theological truth that all land ultimately belonged to God and that human claims were temporal and contingent upon divine law and favor. It discouraged impulsive vows by requiring serious financial commitment, but also provided a mechanism for ethical redemption if circumstances changed.