Leviticus 27:6

6 If the person is between one month and five years, set the value at five shekels of silver for a boy and three shekels of silver for a girl.

Leviticus 27:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 27:6

And if [it be] from a month old even unto five years old
That is, if a man devotes his child to the Lord within such an age, and says, the estimation of this my son or my daughter be upon me, then he was to pay the value, as next directed; for one under a month old no estimation was to be made: the Jews say,

``one less than a mouth old may be vowed, but not estimated F15:''

then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver;
somewhat more than ten shillings:

and for the female thy estimation [shall be] three shekels of silver;
about seven shillings, which is the least value put on any; and though the lives of male or female at this age are equally uncertain, and the service of either of little worth when near the full time fixed; yet the preference is given to the male, as being of the more perfect kind, and its life generally most desirable.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Misn. Eracin, c. 1. sect. 1.

Leviticus 27:6 In-Context

4 For a woman the valuation is thirty shekels.
5 If the person is between the ages of five and twenty, set the value at twenty shekels for a male and ten shekels for a female.
6 If the person is between one month and five years, set the value at five shekels of silver for a boy and three shekels of silver for a girl.
7 If the person is over sixty, set the value at fifteen shekels for a man and ten shekels for a woman.
8 If anyone is too poor to pay the stated amount, he is to present the person to the priest, who will then set the value for him according to what the person making the vow can afford.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.