Leviticus 27:33

33 He must not inspect whether it is good or bad, and he shall not make any substitution. But if he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute shall become holy; they cannot be redeemed.’”

Leviticus 27:33 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 27:33

He shall not search whether it be good or bad
In a good or bad state of health, fat or lean, perfect or blemished, but take it as it is, be it what it will:

neither shall he change it;
neither for the better nor the worse, no alteration was to be made, but the beast was to be taken as it came:

and if he change it at all, then both it and the change shall be holy;
be sacred to the Lord, and for his use and service; this was done to restrain men from making any alteration, since if they did, both the one and the other were taken from them; yea, were to be beaten with forty stripes, save one ^F2; whether this change was of the herd with the flock, or of the flock with the herd; or of lambs with goats, or goats with lambs; or of males with females, or of females with males; or of perfect with blemished ones, or of blemished ones with perfect ones:

it shall not be redeemed;
from whence the Jews ^F3 gather, that a tithe beast was not to be bought and sold, whether blemished or unblemished.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Misnah Temurah, c. 1. sect. 1, 2.
F3 Maimon. Hilchot Becorot, c. 6. sect. 5, 6.

Leviticus 27:33 In-Context

31 If a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value.

32 Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD.

33 He must not inspect whether it is good or bad, and he shall not make any substitution. But if he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute shall become holy; they cannot be redeemed.’”

34 These are the commandments that the LORD gave to Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai.