Leviticus 27:33

33 The owner must not pick out the good animals from the bad. He must not choose one animal instead of another. But if he does, both animals become holy. They can't be bought back.' "

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 Suppose a man buys back some of his tenth. Then he must add a fifth of the cost to it.

32 " 'The whole tenth of his herds and flocks will be holy. They will be set apart for me. That includes every tenth animal that its shepherd marks with his wooden staff.

33 The owner must not pick out the good animals from the bad. He must not choose one animal instead of another. But if he does, both animals become holy. They can't be bought back.' "

34 The LORD gave Moses all of those commands on Mount Sinai for the people of Israel.