Leviticus 27:10

10 and it shall not be able to be changed, that is, neither a better for a worse, neither an evil for a good; and if he changeth it, both that, that is changed, and that, for which it is changed, shall be hallowed to the Lord. (and he shall not be able to exchange it for another, that is, neither a better for a worse, nor a bad one for a good one; and if he exchangeth it, both that, which is exchanged, and that, for which it is exchanged, shall be holy to the Lord.)

Leviticus 27:10 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 27:10

He shall not alter it nor change it
Some think these two words signify the same, but Abarbinel F19 makes them different; according to him, to "alter" is for one of another kind, as one of the herd for one of the flock, or the contrary; and to "change" for one of the same kind:

a good for a bad, or a bad for a good;
or, as the Targum of Jonathan,

``that which is perfect for that which has a blemish in it, or what has a blemish in it for that which is perfect;''

a change might not be made neither for the better nor for the worse, but the creature devoted was to be taken as it was; if not fit for sacrifice it was to be sold, and its price put to other uses; for, as Abarbinel F20 observes, whatsoever was devoted to sacred use was never to be put to any profane one; and this was also to teach men not to be hasty and fickle in such things, but to consider well what they did, and abide by it; for if such alterations and changes could be admitted of, a man after he had vowed might through covetousness repent, and bring a bad one instead of a good one, or, under pretence of bringing a good one instead of a bad one, might bring a bad one and say it was good, as Bechai F21 observes; even one worse than he had brought, thinking to impose upon the ignorance of the priest; and indeed if he was sincere in it, and had a mind to bring a better than what he had vowed, it was not allowed of; if he made any change, though it was for the better, he was to be beaten, as Maimonides F23 affirms:

and if he shall at all change beast for beast;
whether of the same or of a different kind, or whether for better or worse:

then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy:
both of them were to be the Lord's, and appropriated to sacred use, of one sort or another, either for sacrifice or for the priests family, or the price of it for the repairs of the sanctuary.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Apud Muis. in loc.
F20 Ibid.
F21 Apud Muis. ib.
F23 Hilchot Temurah, c. 1. sect. 1.

Leviticus 27:10 In-Context

8 If it is a poor man, and [he] may not yield the value, he shall stand before the priest, and as much as the priest appraiseth, and seeth that the poor man may yield, so much he shall give (that much he shall give).
9 Soothly if any man avoweth a beast, that may be offered to the Lord, it shall be holy,
10 and it shall not be able to be changed, that is, neither a better for a worse, neither an evil for a good; and if he changeth it, both that, that is changed, and that, for which it is changed, shall be hallowed to the Lord. (and he shall not be able to exchange it for another, that is, neither a better for a worse, nor a bad one for a good one; and if he exchangeth it, both that, which is exchanged, and that, for which it is exchanged, shall be holy to the Lord.)
11 Soothly if any man avoweth an unclean beast, that may not be offered to the Lord, it shall be brought before the priest,
12 and the priest shall deem whether it is good either evil (and the priest shall decide whether it is good or bad), and he shall set the price;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.