Leviticus 27:21 kjv
But the field, when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.
Leviticus 27:21 nkjv
but the field, when it is released in the Jubilee, shall be holy to the LORD, as a devoted field; it shall be the possession of the priest.
Leviticus 27:21 niv
When the field is released in the Jubilee, it will become holy, like a field devoted to the LORD; it will become priestly property.
Leviticus 27:21 esv
But the field, when it is released in the jubilee, shall be a holy gift to the LORD, like a field that has been devoted. The priest shall be in possession of it.
Leviticus 27:21 nlt
When the field is released in the Year of Jubilee, it will be holy, a field specially set apart for the LORD. It will become the property of the priests.
Leviticus 27 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 25:10 | And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty...it shall be a Jubilee for you...each of you shall return to his property. | Establishes the Jubilee and return of land, which v. 21 supersedes. |
| Lev 25:28 | But if he is not able to restore it to him, then what he has sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee... | Regular land sale limitations and return in Jubilee. |
| Num 18:14 | Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours [the priests]. | Confirms priests' entitlement to herem items. |
| Josh 6:17 | The city [Jericho] and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab...shall live. | Example of a city herem, meaning utter destruction for God. |
| Josh 6:19 | But all silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD. | Precious metals from herem cities go into the Lord's treasury. |
| Ezra 10:8 | Whoever did not come within three days...all his property would be forfeited (devoted)... | The term "devoted" (similar concept of being given over). |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them... | Illustrates herem in context of complete destruction. |
| Deut 13:17 | Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hand...that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of His anger. | Devoted things in the context of covenant judgment and purity. |
| Mal 3:8-10 | Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me by not tithing and bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse. | Speaks of rightful dues to God and the priesthood, aligning with priestly possession. |
| Heb 7:5 | Those among the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a command in the Law to collect a tithe... | Reinforces the priestly entitlement to what is designated for God. |
| Acts 4:34-35 | For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land...would sell them and lay the proceeds at the apostles' feet. | While not herem, shows giving land/proceeds to communal, spiritual leadership. |
| Rom 12:1 | Therefore I urge you...to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God... | Spiritual parallel to full devotion and surrender to God's ownership. |
| Eph 5:25-27 | ...Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her...that He might present to Himself the church in splendor. | Christ's ultimate devotion and self-giving for His church. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | Whatever things were gain to me, these I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ...that I may gain Christ. | Apostle Paul's total spiritual devotion, counting all as refuse for Christ. |
| 2 Cor 5:15 | He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him... | Principle of living entirely for Christ due to His ownership. |
| 1 Cor 6:19-20 | ...you are not your own, for you have been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. | Believers are bought and owned by God, a spiritual 'devotion.' |
| Psa 24:1 | The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. | Foundation of God's ultimate ownership over all things. |
| Prov 3:9 | Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce. | Principle of consecrating resources to God. |
| Deut 20:16 | Only in the cities of these peoples...you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. | Broader context of herem for judgment against idolatry. |
| Isa 60:13 | ...to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. | Foreshadows God's claim over things for His sanctuary's glory. |
Leviticus 27 verses
Leviticus 27 21 Meaning
Leviticus 27:21 declares that a field which has been "devoted" (set apart with an ultimate vow) to the Lord, whether by the owner or for his personal estimation, is no longer subject to the regular return of land during the Jubilee year. Instead, such a devoted field permanently becomes the Lord's property and falls into the hands of the priests, indicating its ultimate and irredeemable consecration for sacred use or complete surrender to the Most High God.
Leviticus 27 21 Context
Leviticus chapter 27 concludes the detailed legal exposition begun in Leviticus 1, focusing on laws regarding vows and dedicated things. It provides regulations for estimating the value of individuals, animals, houses, and fields consecrated to the Lord. The purpose is to define what happens when Israelites vow specific things to God. Verses 16-25 specifically deal with the estimation of fields dedicated to the Lord. Verse 21, however, introduces a special category: fields that are "devoted" (herem). Unlike regularly vowed items, which often had provisions for redemption, a "devoted" item represented the strongest and most permanent form of dedication. This specific law distinguishes devoted fields from other consecrated items by removing their right of return at the Jubilee, thereby cementing their permanent transfer to divine ownership and priestly custody. Historically, this occurs within the framework of Mosaic Law given to Israel in the wilderness, establishing statutes for a people whose life was to be distinct and centered on God's commands.
Leviticus 27 21 Word analysis
go out in the Jubilee: (yatsa' יָצָא בַּיּוֹבֵל) "Go out" typically implies departing or being released. Here, "go out in the Jubilee" refers to the established custom (Lev 25) where land sold or alienated would revert to its original owner in the 50th year, the Jubilee. The significance in this verse is its negation: the field will not "go out" (i.e., return to the original owner) in the Jubilee, highlighting its exceptional and permanent dedication.
to the priests: (lakkohanim לַכֹּהֲנִים) Refers to the descendants of Aaron, who served in the sanctuary. As custodians of divine property and recipients of sacred contributions (Num 18), they acted on behalf of the Lord. The transfer to the priests signifies that the item becomes sacred property for their sustenance or use in the holy service, rather than personal enrichment.
devoted: (cherem חֵרֶם) This is a crucial Hebrew term here, distinguishing this category from qodesh (holy or consecrated). Herem signifies a ban or a complete and irrevocable dedication to the Lord, often implying its utter withdrawal from common use, sometimes even by destruction (as with idolatrous cities or forbidden items), or by permanent transfer to God's sanctuary/priesthood. Unlike other vows where redemption was possible, a herem item was irredeemable (v. 28). This concept reinforced God's ultimate sovereignty and the absolute nature of certain vows made to Him. Polemically, it might contrast with surrounding cultures' vows to their deities, where the items might still serve personal benefit or be retrieved. Here, items utterly devoted to Yahweh become definitively His.
his possession: (ahuzzato אֲחֻזָּתוֹ) Refers to the field or land held as an inheritance within Israel. This denotes the original rightful ownership of the individual, which is then definitively and permanently transferred to God's domain through the act of devotion (herem). It highlights that even private, inherited land, ordinarily untouchable due to the Jubilee laws, can become fully the Lord's.
utterly devoted: (cherem yiheyeh חֵרֶם יִהְיֶה) The repetition or emphatic phrasing of "devoted shall it be" underscores the finality and irrevocability of the status of this field. It is not merely a holy item but one under a sacred ban, utterly given over, never to return. This phrasing leaves no ambiguity regarding its perpetual nature.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
"for when it goeth out in the Jubilee it shall be holy unto the LORD as a devoted field; it shall be to the priest as his possession": This phrase clarifies the fate of such a field. "Goeth out in the Jubilee" refers to the point of permanent transfer, the time when all other lands revert. "Holy unto the LORD as a devoted field" reinforces its absolute sanctity and dedicated status, distinguished by cherem. "It shall be to the priest as his possession" specifies the administration and custody. The priest acts as the steward or trustee of the Lord's dedicated property. The fact it goes "to the priest as his possession" during Jubilee implies a permanent, inherited priestly possession, distinct from a lease or temporary arrangement, and not for personal family return.
"it shall be to the priest as his possession": This emphasizes the practical implementation of the herem. The priests, as the Lord's representatives and beneficiaries of His sacred portion, are the designated recipients. This ensures that the devoted item, now permanently outside human claim, continues to serve God's purposes, contributing to the upkeep of His tabernacle and His ministers. It's not a general return to a common fund but specifically for the priesthood, who manage God's consecrated resources.
Leviticus 27 21 Bonus section
The concept of herem is often understood in two main ways: items devoted for destruction (e.g., in holy war, Josh 6:17) or items irrevocably given over for sacred use (as in this verse). Leviticus 27:21 falls into the latter category, showing that certain dedicated possessions of God were not meant to be destroyed but consecrated entirely for His sanctuary's support through His priestly servants. This is distinct from regular sacrificial offerings or tithes, representing a higher, non-negotiable level of consecration. This demonstrates the varied forms of consecration to Yahweh and highlights His singular claim over what is dedicated to Him. Spiritually, this verse could represent how believers are to yield specific areas of their lives, once "their possession," into God's permanent custody, where it no longer "goes out" for their own gain but remains utterly devoted to His service and the service of His Kingdom representatives.
Leviticus 27 21 Commentary
Leviticus 27:21 underscores the profound meaning of ultimate devotion in the ancient Israelite worship system. When an item, specifically a field, was declared herem (devoted), it moved beyond typical human ownership or even the redeemable category of consecrated things. The Jubilee year, designed to restore social and economic equity by returning ancestral lands to their original families, highlights the exceptional nature of herem. Such a field defied the natural cycle of return, becoming perpetually owned by God. This legal status means the land permanently fell to the care and use of the priesthood, acting as divine stewards. It vividly demonstrates that God's ownership of all things (Psa 24:1) can manifest through specific acts of human consecration, particularly when such acts are as definitive as a herem vow. It served to teach the people about the absolute nature of God's claims and the solemnity of promises made to Him. This ultimate surrender to the Lord, to the point of forfeiting future personal claims, sets a profound theological precedent for absolute obedience and faith, foreshadowing the complete giving of one's life to God as seen in the New Testament (Rom 12:1).