Leviticus 27

⁴⁴ Though it seems that only men’s discharges are discussed in verses 2–12, the Hebrew term any man in verse 2 can apply to both men and women. Furthermore, in verse 33 the regulations for a man or a woman with a discharge are included as part of the summary of the chapter.

⁴⁵ In Mark 5:25–34, a woman is described who had been bleeding for twelve years. All during that time she suffered not only from her disease (and her doctors!) but also from the ostracism that resulted from her uncleanness. Her desperation led her, even in her unclean state, to reach out and touch a priest. She fell at his feet, trembling with fear. But the priest was different from all the others; it was Jesus. He reached out and healed her. Jesus reached out to all who were unclean, both ceremonially and morally; and He continues today to invite all people to “touch” Him by faith and be healed.

⁴⁶ For a discussion on the Most Holy Place and the curtain, see Exodus 26:31–35 and comment. For a discussion of the atonement cover and the ark, see Exodus 25:10–22 and comment.

⁴⁷ The Day of Atonement is still observed by devout Jews today; it is called “Yom Kippur” (day of atonement).

⁴⁸ The Day of Atonement always fell exactly six months after the Passover, the annual celebration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Exodus Chapter 12).

⁴⁹ The term sanctuary area refers to the tabernacle itself (Exodus 26:1–37) and its surrounding courtyard (Exodus 27:9–19). The term “tabernacle area” could also be used. The altar of burnt offering where all animals were sacrificed was located in this courtyard at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (verse 7). In the Old Testament, the term “Tent of Meeting” usually refers to the tabernacle, but in this chapter it refers to only one room of the tabernacle, the Holy Place—as distinct from the other room, the Most Holy Place.

⁵⁰ For a discussion of the sin offering, see Leviticus 4:1–35 and comment. For a discussion of the burnt offering, see Leviticus 1:1–17 and comment.

⁵¹ The Testimony was the name of the two stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed; the tablets were kept inside the ark.

⁵² Note that whenever sin is involved, a sin (or guilt) offering must precede the burnt offering. God will not accept our offer to dedicate (or consecrate) ourselves until our sin has first been dealt with.

⁵³ For the meaning of the term cut off, see Leviticus 7:19–21 and comment.

⁵⁴ Exceptions to this law are given in Deuteronomy 12:15,20–21.

⁵⁵ Whenever the Israelites worshiped other gods, they were said to prostitute themselves; that is, they made themselves like prostitutes—women who go after men who are not their husbands. God considered Himself as a “husband” to Israel; therefore, when the Israelites worshiped other gods they were committing “spiritual adultery” (Hosea 1:2).

⁵⁶ For the meaning of the term cut off, see Leviticus 7:19–21.

⁵⁷ Some pagan rituals included the drinking of blood; the blood was thought to give extra “life force” to the one drinking it.

⁵⁸ Blood sacrifice has been part of man’s worship of God since Abel’s sacrifice recorded in Genesis 4:4. Noah sacrificed animals after the Flood (Genesis 8:20). Thus, from the beginning, blood has been held sacred by both man and God. God commanded Noah not to eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it (Genesis 9:4). And the command is repeated in Leviticus 3:17; 7:26–27.

⁵⁹ For further discussion, see footnote to comment on Genesis 9:4–7; Leviticus 3:17 and comment.

⁶⁰ In Leviticus 22:8, the priests are instructed never to eat anything found dead. Since Israel was meant to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6), this instruction applied to the people as well.

⁶¹ There is very little mention of life after death or eternal life in the Old Testament. But it is clearly assumed by the New Testament writers that those Old Testament figures who lived by faith (expressing itself in obedience) would receive eternal life (Matthew 22:31–32; Hebrews 11:16). For further discussion of Old Testament views of death and the afterlife, see General Article: What Happens After Death?

⁶² Gleaning laws are also discussed in Deuteronomy 24:19–22, where it says that not only grain and grapes are to be left for the poor but olives as well. For a wonderful example of gleaning, see Ruth Chapter 2.

In addition to the gleaning laws, further provision for the poor is described in Exodus 23:10–11; Deuteronomy 14:28–29.

⁶³ It’s hard to imagine how one could be so cruel as to put a stumbling block in front of a blind person (verse 14). But that’s no different from someone deliberately misleading a simple or inexperienced person for one’s own advantage.

⁶⁴ We rebuke the one who wrongs us because we love him. Loving reproof is a duty we owe to one another, and we need to receive it and give it in love (Psalm 141:5). However, before rebuking someone, we need to be sure of our facts! Maybe our neighbor has a good explanation for his actions and has not wronged us after all.

⁶⁵ This does not mean that believers must despise themselves. To cease loving self doesn’t mean we must have a poor image of ourselves. We are members of God’s family; we are made in His image. Our worth is derived from Him. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; we must value and care for it (1 Corinthians 6:19). But that is different from loving self.

⁶⁶ For Christians, these prohibitions against divination and sorcery would include prohibitions against all forms of fortune telling, astrology, palm reading, and every other kind of superstition that is found in modern society today. It is God alone who controls events and circumstances, and to Him alone we must look for guidance.

Because sorcery and divination and other occult practices involve pagan worship and the acknowledgement of other gods, the punishment for engaging in such practices was severe: death (Exodus 22:18). For further discussion, see Exodus 22:18–20 and comment.

⁶⁷ Pagan peoples shaved their head and cut their body both as a sign of mourning and also as a means of getting their gods’ attention.

⁶⁸ Jesus said that if we use an honest measure, we’ll get an honest measure in return; likewise, if we treat others generously, we too will be treated generously (Luke 6:38).

⁶⁹ For the meaning of cut off, see Leviticus 7:19–21 and comment.

⁷⁰ There may be rare instances when abortion is justified—in particular to save the life of the mother. A discussion of such exceptions is beyond the scope of this commentary.

⁷¹ For further discussion of practitioners of the occult, see comment on Exodus 22:18–20; first footnote to comment on Leviticus 19:26–31.

⁷² Most death sentences in Israel were carried out by stoning. Often the guilty person was placed in a pit and stones were thrown down on him. A less common method of capital punishment was burning by fire (verse 14).

⁷³ Notice in verse 9 that both mother and father are treated equally; it is as bad to curse one as it is the other. Also, according to Deuteronomy 21:18–19, both the mother and father together are to bring their son before the elders or judges.

⁷⁴ It seems unnatural to us that parents should be required to accuse their own son, knowing it might result in his death. But in a conflict of interests, we are called to put the interests of God before the interests of ourselves and our loved ones—no matter what the cost (see Matthew 10:37–38).

⁷⁵ For references to verse 10, see Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:20; for verse 11, see Leviticus 18:8; for verse 12, see Leviticus 18:15; for verse 13, see Leviticus 18:22; for verse 14, see Leviticus 18:17; for verses 15–16, see Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18:23.

⁷⁶ For the reference to verse 17, see Leviticus 18:9; for verse 18, see Leviticus 18:19; for verse 19, see Leviticus 18:12–13; for verse 20, see Leviticus 18:14; for verse 21, see Leviticus 18:16.

⁷⁷ The failure of the priests to set an example became one of Israel’s greatest problems in later years and ultimately resulted in the Israelites being driven into exile.

⁷⁸ Many of the pagan peoples in Old Testament times believed that their gods actually “ate” the sacrifices offered to them. Here, the word food is only symbolic. God is spirit (John 4:24); He doesn’t eat.

⁷⁹ In the Greek language (the language in which the New Testament was written), the word for “anointed one” is “Christ.” In Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament), the word for “anointed one” is “Messiah.”

⁸⁰ In verse 3, to be cut off means to be “excluded” from the worshiping community of Israel (see Leviticus 7:19–21 and comment).

⁸¹ For a discussion of infectious skin disease and bodily discharge (verse 4), see Leviticus 13:1–46; 15:1–15; for defilement by a corpse and the emission of semen (verse 4), see Leviticus 21:1–4; 15:16–18; for any crawling thing (verse 5), see Leviticus 11:29–31; and for anything found dead or torn (verse 8), see Leviticus 17:15.

⁸² There was an exception to the rule that no unauthorized person (verse 13) could eat any of the holy food (sacred offering): a person in great need could eat it. David ate the holy bread from the table in the Holy Place (1 Samuel 21:6), and Jesus referred to this instance to show that a person in need could eat holy food (Mark 2:25–26). Jesus added that God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 12:7).

⁸³ Defective animals could be eaten at home, but (except for the freewill offering) they could not be offered as sacrifices (Deuteronomy 15:21–22).

⁸⁴ The grain offering consisted of two-tenths of an ephah (about 4 liters) of flour mixed with oil, together with a drink offering of a quarter of a hin (1 liter) of wine.

⁸⁵ In the Greek language, “Pentecost” means “fiftieth.”

⁸⁶ For a discussion of the burnt offerings, the grain offering and the sin offering, see Leviticus 1:14; 2:1–16; 4:1–2,22–35 and comments.

⁸⁷ Today some countries have a special national“Thanksgiving Day” to acknowledge that the ultimate source of all harvests and all prosperity is God Himself. Such national days of thanksgiving are modeled on this Feast of Tabernacles.

⁸⁸ We should note again that the Israelites would begin to fully celebrate these festivals only after they had settled in Canaan and could raise the produce necessary for all the required offerings.

⁸⁹ The burnt offering, grain offering and sin offering are described in Leviticus Chapters 1–2,4.

⁹⁰ It was assumed that debtors would make every effort to repay their debts on time; it was no advantage to them to lose their liberty and their land.

⁹¹ Societies have two choices. Either they can protect the rights of the poor through legislation, or they can let the poor grow poorer and poorer until finally in desperation they rise up and overthrow the rich.

⁹² During the jubilee year, it’s possible that two years of planting had to be forgone—the forty ninth year and the fiftieth year.

⁹³ The fact that the Israelites were themselves aliens and tenants under God should have helped them remember to treat kindly the actual aliens who lived among them (Exodus 22:21; 23:9) and also their own fellow Israelites who had fallen on hard times and had become indebted.

⁹⁴ The redemption price in these first two instances was determined by the number of years remaining to the Jubilee. The original price paid by the buyer would have been based on the full number of years remaining to the Jubilee; therefore, if the land was redeemed prior to the Jubilee, only the balance (the value of the unused years) would have to be refunded to the buyer (verse 27).

⁹⁵ The Levites were not given a regular tribal allotment of land; rather, they were given towns to live in (Numbers 35:1–5).

⁹⁶ According to Exodus 21:2–6, a Hebrew servant was to be released after six years. But here in verses 39–46, Moses is talking about an Israelite who sells himself; in that case, he and his family were to be released in the Year of Jubilee.

⁹⁷ A slave had fewer rights than an indentured servant; slaves were considered to be a form of property. Only aliens and temporary residents could become slaves in Israel. Slaves were not released in the jubilee year; however, they were to be treated humanely. Masters had to remember that they too had a Master in heaven; if they hoped to be treated kindly themselves, they would have to treat their slaves kindly also (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1).

⁹⁸ Ungodly people also benefit from God’s common blessings of rain and sunshine and food. Sometimes it seems as if the ungodly are prospering and the godly are suffering. But in the end God will judge those who disobey His commands—sometimes in this life, but certainly in the next.

⁹⁹ The covenant God is referring to in verse 9 is primarily the Sinaitic covenant (the Israelites hadn’t even left Mount Sinai yet); but since the Sinaitic covenant grew out of earlier covenants that God made with Abraham, we can understand them all together forming one great covenant (see Genesis 12:2–3; 15:18–21; 17:7–8).

¹⁰⁰ God’s “walking” is an example of anthropomorphism, as in Genesis 3:8. For further discussion, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.

¹⁰¹ In verse 30, God says He will destroy Israel’s high places. These were hilltops where the Canaanites and later the Israelites set up altars for the worship of false gods.

In verses 33–35, God looks ahead to the great Exile, when the Israelites would be taken captive to Babylon. During that time (approximately seventy years) the land would produce no harvest; it would finally enjoy its sabbath years (see Leviticus 25:1–7), which the Israelites in their disobedience had refused to observe while they were living in the land.

¹⁰² Circumcision was the external sign of God’s covenant with Abraham (see Genesis 17:9–13 and comment). But circumcision also had an important symbolic meaning: it symbolized the “cutting away” of one’s sinful nature—a circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:28–29). Thus a rebellious and sinful heart could be called an uncircumcised heart (verse 41).

¹⁰³ God made the same basic covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 12:1–3; 15:18–21; 17:9–14; 26:2–4; 28:10–15). This covenant was renewed at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:3–8). God will never break His part of the covenant; it is irrevocable (see Romans 11:28–29). Many Christians believe that a faithful remnant of Israel will indeed experience a renewal of the ancient covenant blessings promised to the patriarchs (see Romans 11:1–32). But for this to take place, this “remnant” of Jews will still need to confess their sins. Not only that, they will still need to pay for their sin (verse 41). Even after we have confessed our sins, those sins still have to be “paid for.” All sins have consequences—God’s punishment. Punishment is a necessary part of our restoration. We may be “freely” forgiven, but sin itself is never “free.”

¹⁰⁴ A well known Old Testament example of dedicating one’s child to the Lord is that of Hannah, who dedicated her son Samuel to serve the Lord for his entire life (1 Samuel1:10–11,21–28).

¹⁰⁵ The monetary equivalent was measured in shekels. The standard shekel—the sanctuary shekel (verse 3)—was twelve grams of silver. Only much later was the silver made into coins.

¹⁰⁶ The absolute value of land was determined by the amount of seed required for it—in other words, by the surface area that was suitable for planting (verse 16). A homer of seed was over two hundred liters. If a person wanted to redeem his land, he would have to pay the price set by the priest at the time of dedication, plus twenty percent.

¹⁰⁷ Sometimes people and objects were “devoted” to the Lord by totally destroying them; this was particularly true of the Canaanite cities that Israel would later be attacking. For further discussion of the expression “totally destroy,” see comment on Numbers 21:1–3 and first footnote to comment.