Leviticus 27 22

Leviticus 27:22 kjv

And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;

Leviticus 27:22 nkjv

'And if a man dedicates to the LORD a field which he has bought, which is not the field of his possession,

Leviticus 27:22 niv

"?'If anyone dedicates to the LORD a field they have bought, which is not part of their family land,

Leviticus 27:22 esv

If he dedicates to the LORD a field that he has bought, which is not a part of his possession,

Leviticus 27:22 nlt

"If someone dedicates to the LORD a field he has purchased but which is not part of his family property,

Leviticus 27 verses

Leviticus 27 22 Meaning

Leviticus 27:22 clarifies specific regulations concerning land that an Israelite has consecrated to the Lord through a vow. This verse deals particularly with a field that the vower bought (acquired by purchase) and therefore is not part of his ancestral, hereditary possession. This distinction is crucial because it dictates the land's valuation for redemption and its ultimate disposition, especially regarding the Jubilee year. It differentiates acquired property from inherent family legacy, affirming the enduring divine ordinance for the perpetual allocation of land to Israelite families.

Leviticus 27 22 Context

Leviticus Chapter 27 concludes the book of Leviticus, primarily dealing with laws concerning vows and their redemption. Prior chapters focus on the Levitical sacrificial system, purity laws, and holy days, establishing Israel's relationship with God. Chapter 27 introduces how personal vows involving individuals, animals, houses, and fields consecrated to the Lord are to be assessed and redeemed.

Verses 16-25 specifically detail the laws for dedicating fields. Verse 16 discusses "a field of his hereditary possession" (sadeh achuzzato), laying down rules for its valuation and redemption. Verses 22-24, in particular, carve out a distinct category: a field that was bought by the vower, meaning it was not part of his original tribal allotment or family inheritance. This distinction is fundamental because, unlike inherited land which returns to the vower's family in the Jubilee, bought land returns to its original owner in the Jubilee. The broader historical context includes the impending entry into Canaan and the allocation of tribal lands, making the preservation of family inheritance a critical aspect of Israelite social and economic stability, rooted in God's covenant with them.

Leviticus 27 22 Word analysis

• If indeed it is (אך כי־שדה - ʾakh ki-sadeh):

  • אך (ʾakh): "If indeed," "surely," "only." This adverb introduces a particular emphasis or distinction. Here, it functions to contrast this specific case (bought field) from the preceding case (hereditary field in Lev 27:16). It sets up a new category within the rules for consecrated fields.
  • כי (ki): "for," "indeed," "that." Reinforces the certainty or truth of the statement.
  • שׂדה (sadeh): "field." The common Hebrew word for open land, arable ground.

• a field he has bought (מקנה שׂדה - miqneh sadeh):

  • מקנה (miqneh): "purchase," "property," "thing bought." Derived from the verb qanah (קָנָה), meaning "to get," "to acquire," "to buy," "to possess." This word emphasizes that the land was acquired through commercial transaction rather than being inherited through family lines. Its use here immediately signals a different legal status compared to an achuzzah (hereditary possession).

• which is not part of (אשר לא־משדה - ʾasher lo-misadeh):

  • אשר (ʾasher): "which," "that." Relative pronoun linking the clauses.
  • לא (loʾ): "not." A simple negative.
  • משׂדה (misadeh): "from the field of." Preposition min ("from") affixed to sadeh ("field"). This clearly states that this land originates from a source other than his family's inheritance.

• the field of his hereditary possession (אחֻזָּתו - ʾachuzzato):

  • אחֻזָּה (ʾachuzzah): "possession," "hereditary property," "land." This term, found frequently in Numbers and Joshua, denotes land distributed to tribes and families during the allocation of Canaan. It represents the permanent, inalienable family inheritance that could not be sold in perpetuity, due to God's ultimate ownership and desire for familial stability. The suffix -to denotes "his." This is the counterpoint to miqneh, signifying ancestral land allotted by divine command.

• Word-groups analysis:

  • "a field he has bought... which is not part of the field of his hereditary possession": This entire phrase forms the core distinction of the verse. It establishes that consecrated land could be either ancestral (achuzzah) or acquired (miqneh). The laws that follow in verses 23-24 depend entirely on this distinction, emphasizing God's meticulous legal system for property rights in Israel, safeguarding ancestral land distribution as divinely ordained and maintaining the ultimate ownership by the Lord, even as vows are fulfilled. The different handling reflects the reality of land transactions while upholding the principle of the Jubilee.

Leviticus 27 22 Bonus section

The Levitical distinction between "hereditary possession" (achuzzah) and "bought field" (miqneh sadeh) highlights a tension within the Mosaic Law: while Israel was permitted to engage in economic transactions like buying and selling land, these transactions were always subordinate to the higher, divinely ordained principle of the perpetual tribal and familial land inheritance (the achuzzah). This served as an enduring reminder that land was not mere commodity but a divine gift and trust. This principle also acted as a form of social safety net, preventing permanent landlessness among any Israelite family and limiting the accumulation of vast estates, thus promoting an egalitarian social structure where every family had a place and means of sustenance. The ultimate reversion of miqneh land in the Jubilee to its original owner (not the one who consecrated it or the one who last sold it) underscores the unique character of Israelite land law compared to other ancient Near Eastern legal systems.

Leviticus 27 22 Commentary

Leviticus 27:22 introduces a vital nuance in the laws of consecrated fields: the legal status of the land itself. Whereas Leviticus 27:16-21 addressed hereditary fields that belonged to the vower by birthright, this verse deals with a field that was acquired through purchase. This distinction fundamentally altered the rules for valuation and redemption. A purchased field, unlike an inherited one, did not carry the same permanent claim for the vower or his family. At the Jubilee, this field would not revert to the vower (who bought and consecrated it), but rather to its original owner, the family from whom it was initially bought (Lev 27:24). This principle protected the foundational Israelite land system established in the conquest, ensuring that family inheritances were not permanently alienated, even through a vow to the Lord. It underscored God’s sovereign ownership of all land and His equitable distribution among His people, preventing perpetual land concentration or familial destitution.

Example: If Reuben bought a field from Simeon’s family and then vowed it to the Lord, when the Jubilee year came, that field would revert to Simeon’s family, not to Reuben or his descendants.