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 27:1-7,
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: "If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value, set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel; for a female, set her value at thirty shekels; for a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels; for a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver; for a person sixty years old or more, set the value of a male at fifteen shekels and of a female at ten shekels."'"
I can't help but notice that the value of a vow is different if what was dedicated was a person - depending on gender. The males had a much higher value than the females. Was the Lord indicating he thought more highly of the male gender than the female as persons?
This is reminiscent for me of the difference placed on male babies versus female, Leviticus 12:2-5, "A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding." A woman was considered "unclean" for twice as long if she had a female baby as was if she had a male.
While I still don't have an answer about the difference in the period of uncleanness of the mother following birth based on the gender of the baby (some find it in the circumcision of the male baby-- in that, of course, the female does not undergo it), the purpose of establishing the relative value of a dedication of a male being higher than a female seems to me to be seen in verses 17-18 where the relative value of a field is discussed, "If they dedicate a field during the Year of Jubilee, the value that has been set remains. 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."
It appears to me the difference between the value of the dedication to the Lord of a male versus female is based on earning potential. If the relative value of a field is based on the time the vow of a field is made relative to the year of jubilee, then it was relative to how many harvests were involved-- earning potential. Clearly, in those days, the earning potential of male versus female was substantial.
In any event, God is not a misogynist. He loves us all and he sent his Son to pay the ransom price for male and female alike. He suffered and died for women as much as men. I am reminded of the famous passage, "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29.
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: "If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value, set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel; for a female, set her value at thirty shekels; for a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels; for a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver; for a person sixty years old or more, set the value of a male at fifteen shekels and of a female at ten shekels."'"
I can't help but notice that the value of a vow is different if what was dedicated was a person - depending on gender. The males had a much higher value than the females. Was the Lord indicating he thought more highly of the male gender than the female as persons?
This is reminiscent for me of the difference placed on male babies versus female, Leviticus 12:2-5, "A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding." A woman was considered "unclean" for twice as long if she had a female baby as was if she had a male.
While I still don't have an answer about the difference in the period of uncleanness of the mother following birth based on the gender of the baby (some find it in the circumcision of the male baby-- in that, of course, the female does not undergo it), the purpose of establishing the relative value of a dedication of a male being higher than a female seems to me to be seen in verses 17-18 where the relative value of a field is discussed, "If they dedicate a field during the Year of Jubilee, the value that has been set remains. 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."
It appears to me the difference between the value of the dedication to the Lord of a male versus female is based on earning potential. If the relative value of a field is based on the time the vow of a field is made relative to the year of jubilee, then it was relative to how many harvests were involved-- earning potential. Clearly, in those days, the earning potential of male versus female was substantial.
In any event, God is not a misogynist. He loves us all and he sent his Son to pay the ransom price for male and female alike. He suffered and died for women as much as men. I am reminded of the famous passage, "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29.
How wonderful is that?!
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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