The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 27:29,
"No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death."
This chapter discusses how something or someone that was devoted to the Lord could be redeemed back from a dedication as well as what could not be redeemed. In an earlier reflection I provided this thought:
"Bob Deffinbaugh, at bible.org, describes the 'vows' discussed in Leviticus 27 as 'a kind of "credit card" act of worship.' A promise to worship God at a future time by giving something as a person, an animal, a house, an inheritance, land, etc. Something promised to God, to be provided in the future. The reason for the delay in delivering on what was offered is that the worshiper, motivated by gratitude for something God had done or provided them, was unable to provide what was offered at the time and so makes a vow to provide it later. What is discussed in this chapter refers to voluntary gifts folks promised to God and now have reconsidered.
"Recognizing the regret that many may have over having rashly vowed something to the Lord in the heat of a moment, direction here is provided as to how what was vowed might be redeemed back by the worshiper. In the above example of a house, a fifth of the value is to be added to the value of the house if the owner wanted to 'un-vow' it, to 'buy back' his vow to the Lord. In this way the house could be redeemed without harm to the fickle worshiper."
However, we read in the above verse that a person "devoted to destruction" could not be ransomed or redeemed back - he was to be put to death. The NIV makes the comment on this verse as to what devoted to destruction means, "The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them." Does that mean someone could "devote" their spouse they were unhappy with, or the local tax collector and have them put to death? No.
Ellicott's commentary on this verse is as follows, "It is, however, supposed that this Awful vow of banning [the "devoting" in this instance] could only be exercised on notorious malefactors and idolaters as dangerous to the faith of the Israelites, that it could not be made by any private individual on his own responsibility, and that when such cases occurred the community or the Sanhedrin carried out the ban as an act of judicial necessity, thus showing it to be 'most holy unto the Lord.' Accordingly, Leviticus 27:28-29 treat of two different cases. The former regulates objects 'banned unto the Lord,' which differs from the vow of dedication discussed in Leviticus 27:2-8 only in so far that it is unredeemable, whilst Leviticus 27:29 regulates the banning enacted by the law itself (Exodus 22:19), or pronounced by the court of justice on a man who is irretrievably to be put to death."
On this verse John Gill says, "And of either, or of all of these, may the words be understood, and not as they are by some, as if Jewish parents and masters had such a power over their children and servants to devote them to death, or in such a manner devote them, that they were obliged to put them to death; for though they had power in some cases to sell, yet had no power over their lives to take them away, or to devote them to death, which would be a breach of the sixth command, and punishable with death; even a master that accidentally killed his servant did not escape punishment; nay, if he did him any injury, by smiting out an eye, or a tooth, he was obliged to give him his freedom, and much less had he power to take away his life, or devote him to destruction. Some have thought, that it was through a mistaken sense of this law, that Jephthah having made a rash vow sacrificed his daughter, ( Judges 11:30-39 ) ; but it is a question whether he did or not."
Gill also points out the persons devoted to destruction would be idolaters and blasphemers (see Exodus 22:20 and Leviticus 24:10-23), or the Canaanites the Lord himself "devoted", "Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy (the same word as "devoted" in Leviticus 27:29) all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys."
"No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death."
This chapter discusses how something or someone that was devoted to the Lord could be redeemed back from a dedication as well as what could not be redeemed. In an earlier reflection I provided this thought:
"Bob Deffinbaugh, at bible.org, describes the 'vows' discussed in Leviticus 27 as 'a kind of "credit card" act of worship.' A promise to worship God at a future time by giving something as a person, an animal, a house, an inheritance, land, etc. Something promised to God, to be provided in the future. The reason for the delay in delivering on what was offered is that the worshiper, motivated by gratitude for something God had done or provided them, was unable to provide what was offered at the time and so makes a vow to provide it later. What is discussed in this chapter refers to voluntary gifts folks promised to God and now have reconsidered.
"Recognizing the regret that many may have over having rashly vowed something to the Lord in the heat of a moment, direction here is provided as to how what was vowed might be redeemed back by the worshiper. In the above example of a house, a fifth of the value is to be added to the value of the house if the owner wanted to 'un-vow' it, to 'buy back' his vow to the Lord. In this way the house could be redeemed without harm to the fickle worshiper."
However, we read in the above verse that a person "devoted to destruction" could not be ransomed or redeemed back - he was to be put to death. The NIV makes the comment on this verse as to what devoted to destruction means, "The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them." Does that mean someone could "devote" their spouse they were unhappy with, or the local tax collector and have them put to death? No.
Ellicott's commentary on this verse is as follows, "It is, however, supposed that this Awful vow of banning [the "devoting" in this instance] could only be exercised on notorious malefactors and idolaters as dangerous to the faith of the Israelites, that it could not be made by any private individual on his own responsibility, and that when such cases occurred the community or the Sanhedrin carried out the ban as an act of judicial necessity, thus showing it to be 'most holy unto the Lord.' Accordingly, Leviticus 27:28-29 treat of two different cases. The former regulates objects 'banned unto the Lord,' which differs from the vow of dedication discussed in Leviticus 27:2-8 only in so far that it is unredeemable, whilst Leviticus 27:29 regulates the banning enacted by the law itself (Exodus 22:19), or pronounced by the court of justice on a man who is irretrievably to be put to death."
On this verse John Gill says, "And of either, or of all of these, may the words be understood, and not as they are by some, as if Jewish parents and masters had such a power over their children and servants to devote them to death, or in such a manner devote them, that they were obliged to put them to death; for though they had power in some cases to sell, yet had no power over their lives to take them away, or to devote them to death, which would be a breach of the sixth command, and punishable with death; even a master that accidentally killed his servant did not escape punishment; nay, if he did him any injury, by smiting out an eye, or a tooth, he was obliged to give him his freedom, and much less had he power to take away his life, or devote him to destruction. Some have thought, that it was through a mistaken sense of this law, that Jephthah having made a rash vow sacrificed his daughter, ( Judges 11:30-39 ) ; but it is a question whether he did or not."
Gill also points out the persons devoted to destruction would be idolaters and blasphemers (see Exodus 22:20 and Leviticus 24:10-23), or the Canaanites the Lord himself "devoted", "Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy (the same word as "devoted" in Leviticus 27:29) all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys."
I've got some moles in my yard I would like to "devote" to the Lord...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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