Leviticus 27:29 kjv
None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 27:29 nkjv
No person under the ban, who may become doomed to destruction among men, shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 27:29 niv
"?'No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.
Leviticus 27:29 esv
No one devoted, who is to be devoted for destruction from mankind, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 27:29 nlt
No person specially set apart for destruction may be bought back. Such a person must be put to death.
Leviticus 27 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:2 | "when the LORD your God gives them over to you, you shall devote them to destruction." | God's command for herem on nations. |
| Deut 20:16-17 | "you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction." | The specific herem command for certain cities. |
| Josh 6:17-18 | "the city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction... take no devoted thing." | Jericho under herem, consequence for violation. |
| Josh 7:1-26 | "Achan ...took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people..." | Achan's violation of herem and its fatal outcome. |
| Num 21:2-3 | "Israel vowed to the LORD and said, 'If you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will devote their cities to destruction.'" | Vow leading to herem on cities/people. |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have; do not spare them, but kill..." | Saul's failure to fully enact the herem. |
| Deut 13:12-18 | "If you hear in one of your cities... worthless fellows have gone out... then you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, devoting it to destruction." | Herem applied to an apostate Israelite city. |
| Ex 22:20 | "Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction." | Death penalty for idolatry, falling under the ban. |
| Deut 17:5 | "bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and stone that man or woman to death." | Capital punishment for covenant breaking sins. |
| Ex 21:12 | "Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death." | Legal basis for capital punishment. |
| Num 35:31 | "You shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death." | No ransom for life already justly condemned. |
| Ps 49:7-9 | "Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life... that he should live on forever..." | Human inability to redeem a life destined for death. |
| Prov 21:18 | "The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright." | A contrast of destinies, emphasizing unredeemable wickedness. |
| Heb 10:26-31 | "There remains no longer a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment... vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord." | Severe judgment for unrepented sin, no ransom. |
| Deut 19:13 | "Show no pity. You shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel..." | Emphasis on carrying out justice, no mercy for the condemned. |
| Num 14:44-45 | "but they and all that belonged to them the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country struck down." | Consequences of rejecting divine will, often resulting in being "struck down." |
| Jer 51:3 | "against him who bends his bow, against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Spare not her young men; devote all her army to destruction." | Prophetic declaration of herem against Babylon. |
| Micah 4:13 | "for I will make your horn iron... you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and devote their gain to the LORD, your wealth to the Lord of the whole earth." | Divine judgment and consecration of spoil to the Lord. |
| Rom 1:32 | "Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die..." | Understanding divine judgment and deserving death. |
| Rev 22:11 | "Let the evil doer still do evil; let the filthy still be filthy; and let the righteous still do right; and let the holy still be holy." | Irreversible state of those confirmed in their path, for judgment or righteousness. |
Leviticus 27 verses
Leviticus 27 29 Meaning
Leviticus 27:29 declares that any human being irrevocably dedicated or "devoted" (Hebrew: herem) to the Lord for utter destruction cannot be redeemed, but must certainly be put to death. This refers to persons who have been justly subjected to the ban by divine command or a legal verdict due to grave sin, blasphemy, idolatry, or being part of nations under God's judgment (like the Canaanites), distinguishing them from general vows that could be redeemed with a price.
Leviticus 27 29 Context
Leviticus chapter 27 deals with regulations concerning vows and dedicated things. Much of the chapter specifies how dedicated items—persons, animals, or fields—can be redeemed from the Lord's service or ownership by paying a valuation. For example, a person vowed to the Lord could be redeemed by paying a sum based on their age and sex (Lev 27:1-8). Animals, houses, and fields also had redemption clauses (Lev 27:9-25). However, certain things, such as a firstborn animal or what is inherently the Lord's, cannot be redeemed (Lev 27:26-27). Leviticus 27:28 introduces a special category: "no devoted thing (Hebrew: herem) that a person devotes to the LORD, of anything that he has, whether man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the LORD." Verse 29 then specifically elaborates on herem when applied to "men," emphasizing its finality. Unlike other vows which allowed for a "buying back," things put under herem, particularly persons, are irrevocably given over, typically to destruction as an act of divine judgment. This stark contrast underscores the absolute nature of the herem designation when divinely or legally mandated for capital punishment due to severe covenant breach.
Leviticus 27 29 Word analysis
No devoted thing: The Hebrew word is herem (חֵרֶם). It signifies something irrevocably dedicated or set apart for God, usually by being excluded from common use, often involving utter destruction. This differs from kodesh (קֹדֶשׁ), which means holy and set apart for sacred use, or neder (נֶדֶר), a general vow that can often be redeemed. Herem often implies God's anathema or ban, especially upon those who violate His covenant or resist His will, leading to their designated annihilation. It's about irreversible consecration to divine justice, not simply ritual dedication.
that may be devoted: This phrase is a repetition of the verb form of herem, "yachrîm," from the root חרם (ḥāram). The use of the noun herem followed by the verb "to devote" strongly emphasizes the absolute and confirmed nature of this kind of dedication. It underlines the finality and lack of options for reversal.
of men: The Hebrew is 'adam (אָדָם), meaning humankind or a specific individual. This specification is crucial as it distinguishes the subject of this verse from animals, fields, or objects, which, when under herem, would be utterly destroyed, often by fire, but without the emphasis on execution. When herem applies to men, it means they are irrevocably destined for execution because of actions or identity that brought them under the divine ban. It's not a private person's option to devote a human to death.
shall be ransomed: The Hebrew word is yigga’el (יִגָּאֵל), derived from the root ga'al (גָּאַל), which means to redeem, to buy back, or to deliver. The explicit negation "no... shall be ransomed" makes it clear that this type of herem cannot be mitigated, bought out, or avoided by any payment, unlike other types of vows or dedications described in the preceding verses of the chapter. Its condemnation is absolute.
he shall surely be put to death: The Hebrew expression is mot yumat (מוֹת יוּמַת). This is a strong Hebrew idiom known as the "infinitive absolute construction," meaning "dying, he shall die" or "he shall certainly die." It expresses an emphatic certainty and severity. This is the legal or divinely commanded outcome for someone under the herem designation when applied to a human, signifying their irreversible appointment with capital punishment due to their transgressions against God.
"No devoted thing that may be devoted of men shall be ransomed": This phrase clarifies that once a human being is placed under the herem (the ban or irrevocable devotion for destruction), there is no possibility of a substitute, payment, or negotiation for their life. This sets a distinct and severe boundary, illustrating that certain judgments or designations of persons by God are irreversible by human means. It highlights a category of individuals whose fate is sealed by their actions, not a vow of sacrifice by an Israelite.
"he shall surely be put to death": This statement serves as the inevitable and emphatic consequence of a person being herem. It underlines the legal and divine mandate for their execution, reinforcing that such individuals are beyond any form of human or ritual redemption from their condemnation. It underscores the justice and holiness of God which requires such decisive action against what is utterly defiling or antagonistic to His covenant.
Leviticus 27 29 Bonus section
This verse functions as a strong theological boundary. It acts as a safeguard against potential misuse of vows, preventing any individual from dedicating another person to God for sacrifice and then trying to redeem them later, as this practice was explicitly forbidden (e.g., in Dt 18:10-12). Instead, it primarily relates to situations where a human being is already subjected to divine judgment and designated for death by God Himself or by His Law operating through authorized human courts, as was the case for the blasphemer, the sorcerer, or the apostate in Israel. It distinguishes between redeemable items/persons for temple service and irredeemable items/persons irrevocably condemned by God for destruction due to extreme opposition or violation of His holy covenant, which often required an immediate and irreversible purge for the well-being and purity of the covenant community.
Leviticus 27 29 Commentary
Leviticus 27:29 stands as a stark contrast to the redemptive themes prevalent in the rest of the chapter, where most vowed persons or things could be redeemed for a price. This verse specifies that a human devoted under the herem (the ban of utter destruction) cannot be ransomed; death is the only outcome. This is not about human sacrifice offered by an Israelite. Instead, it refers to a person divinely or legally designated for capital punishment due to egregious sin, often involving idolatry or severe covenant breach, or being part of nations under God's righteous judgment (e.g., the inhabitants of Canaan, or a person guilty of capital crime within Israel after a judicial process). Such a person is "devoted" to God not for service, but for justice and destruction. This irrevocability underscores the extreme gravity of falling under God's anathema, revealing His absolute holiness, justice, and the uncompromising nature of His judgments against severe rebellion and defilement. It highlights that certain acts of human sin lead to a state from which there is no redemption, requiring eradication to preserve the purity of the covenant community.
- Example 1: The Canaanites under herem were not eligible for ransom, their fate was destruction.
- Example 2: An Israelite caught in flagrant, unrepented idolatry might be put under this herem through judicial process, making redemption impossible and leading to death by stoning.