Leviticus 27:27

27 " 'Suppose it is an animal that is not "clean." Then the owner may buy it back at the value that has been decided. And he must add a fifth to its value. But suppose he does not buy it back. Then it must be sold at the value that has been decided.

Leviticus 27:27 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 27:27

And if [it be] of an unclean beast
This is to be understood, not of the firstling of unclean creatures in common, which were to be redeemed with a lamb, and not with money, according to the estimation of the priest, and a fifth part added to that; but of such as were sanctified, or vowed, for the reparation of the sanctuary, as Jarchi notes:

then he shall redeem [it] according to thine estimation;
the price the priest should set upon it, how much it was worth in his judgment:

and shall add a fifth [part] of it thereto;
to the price, set upon a fifth part of that over and above the sum; this the sanctifier, or he that made the vow, was obliged to pay, if he thought fit to redeem it:

or if it be not redeemed;
by him, he does not choose to give the price, and the fifth part:

then it shall be sold according to thy estimation;
to another man, without the fifth part, that chooses to purchase it, and then the purchase money was laid out for sacred uses.

Leviticus 27:27 In-Context

25 " 'Every amount of money must be weighed out in keeping with the standard weights that are used in the sacred tent.

26 " 'But no one can set apart the first male animal that is born to its mother. That animal already belongs to me. It does not matter whether it is an ox or a sheep. It belongs to me.

27 " 'Suppose it is an animal that is not "clean." Then the owner may buy it back at the value that has been decided. And he must add a fifth to its value. But suppose he does not buy it back. Then it must be sold at the value that has been decided.

28 " 'But nothing a man owns and sets apart to me can be sold or bought back. It does not matter whether it is a person or an animal or a family's land. Everything that is set apart to me is very holy to me.

29 " 'No one who is set apart in a special way to be destroyed can be bought back. He must be put to death.