What is the meaning of Leviticus 27:4? Or - Leviticus 27 opens with various “if…then” statements (vv.1-8). The word “Or” signals another possible situation in those vows of dedication. Similar transitions appear in Leviticus 13:47 or Numbers 5:6, where a new but related case is addressed. - Scripture consistently provides clear alternatives so God’s people know exactly how to obey (Deuteronomy 30:15-19). This small word underscores the orderly, comprehensive nature of God’s law. if it is a female, - The verse deals with a person whose life has been vowed or consecrated to the LORD (vv.1-3). Here the specific subject is a woman. - Earlier in the chapter a male between twenty and sixty years old was valued at fifty shekels (v.3). Now a female in that same age range is valued at thirty. This echoes Exodus 38:8, where women ministered at the entrance of the tabernacle but had different ceremonial roles than men. - The distinction lies in economic capacity, not spiritual worth. Both sexes bear God’s image equally (Genesis 1:27) and both offer sacrifices identical in quality (Leviticus 12:6; 15:29). The valuation merely reflects average earning power in an agrarian society. then your valuation - “Valuation” (also used in vv.2,3,5-8) refers to the monetary substitute paid to the sanctuary if the vowed person is redeemed instead of serving. This parallels Numbers 18:15-16, where firstborn children could be redeemed for five shekels. - The priest determined and received the payment (Leviticus 27:8), ensuring vows remained both voluntary and accountable. It prevented rash promises from endangering a family’s livelihood (cf. Proverbs 20:25). - Ultimately, all valuation laws taught Israel that every life belongs to God and carries a tangible cost (Psalm 24:1). shall be thirty shekels. - A shekel equaled about two-fifths of an ounce of silver; thirty shekels was a significant sum, roughly four years of temple tax (Exodus 30:13-14; Matthew 17:24-27). - Thirty shekels was also the compensation for a gored slave (Exodus 21:32), showing that God set a fair and consistent standard in civil and sacred matters alike. - Remarkably, Jesus was later betrayed for “thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:15), the price of a servant, highlighting His willing humility (Philippians 2:7) and fulfilling Zechariah 11:12-13. The valuation in Leviticus thus anticipates the redemptive cost ultimately paid for us (1 Peter 1:18-19). summary Leviticus 27:4 assigns a redemption price of thirty shekels for a woman vowed to the LORD. The verse sits within a detailed, fair system that allowed God’s people to fulfill or redeem their promises without exploitation. While reflecting ancient economic realities, it upholds the truth that every life is God’s treasured possession and foreshadows the ultimate payment accomplished by Christ, whose own thirty-shekel betrayal led to the salvation of all who believe. |
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