Leviticus 27:11-13 · Bible study
Leviticus 27:11-13 Commentary: Valuing and Redeeming Unclean Vowed Animals
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the law allowed vowing an animal that cannot be sacrificed, the priest's valuation, and the fifth-part redemption penalty.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The law provides a procedure for fulfilling a vow made with an animal that cannot be sacrificed, valuation by the priest and redemption with a fifth penalty.
- Key words: טְמֵאָה (unclean), הֶעֱרִיךְ (evaluate), עֶרְכְּךָ (valuation), חֲמִישִׁית (fifth).
- Main debate: The pronoun “thy valuation” in v.12-13 may refer to the priest or to Moses; some see it as a later editorial insertion (Cambridge Bible).
- Theological theme: God’s holiness and human vows, what is dedicated to God must be honored, even if it cannot be directly offered.
- Best use: Teaching on the seriousness of promises to God and the priestly role in facilitating worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
11But if the vow involves any of the unclean animals that may not be brought as an offering to the LORD, the animal must be presented before the priest.
12The priest shall set its value, whether high or low; as the priest values it, the price will be set.
13If, however, the owner decides to redeem the animal, he must add a fifth to its value.
WEB World English Bible 2000
11If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to Yahweh, then he shall set the animal before the priest;
12and the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall be.
13But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.
KJV King James Version 1769
11And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord, then he shall present the beast before the priest:
12And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
13But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
11And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer an oblation unto Jehovah, then he shall set the beast before the priest;
12and the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou the priest valuest it, so shall it be.
13But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
11`And if it is any unclean beast of which they do not bring near an offering to Jehovah, then he hath presented the beast before the priest,
12and the priest hath valued it; whether good or bad, according to thy valuation, O priest, so it is;
13and if he really redeem it, then he hath added its fifth to thy valuation.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
11And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not bring an offering unto Jehovah, then he shall present the beast before the priest;
12and the priest shall value it, [judging] between good and bad: according to the valuation of the priest, so shall it be.
13And if they will in any wise redeem it, then they shall add a fifth [part] thereof unto thy valuation.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
11An unclean beast, which cannot be sacrificed to the Lord, if any man shall vow, shall be brought before the priest:
12Who judging whether it be good or bad, shall set the price.
13Which, if he that offereth it will give, he shall add above the estimation the fifth part.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 27:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that these verses address a practical problem: a person has vowed an unclean animal to the Lord. Since such an animal cannot be offered in sacrifice, the law provides a way to fulfill the vow without violating ritual law. The animal is presented to the priest, who sets a fair market value, neither high nor low, as Keil and Delitzsch note, a medium price. The owner may then sell the animal for that sum and give the proceeds to the sanctuary, or redeem it by paying the valuation plus a fifth. Calvin sees this as a vow of protection (e.g., for a prized animal at risk), while Gill and Clarke emphasize the deterrent against rash vows: the fifth addition discourages frivolous dedications. All see the priest as the impartial arbiter whose valuation stands.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The core meaning is straightforward: an unclean animal vowed to God must be valued by the priest, and if the owner wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth to its valuation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Permissibility of vowing unclean animals | All commentators conclude that vowing an unclean animal was allowed, despite it being unfit for sacrifice. | Calvin views it as a special vow of protection (e.g., for a sick animal); others assume a general dedication for the sanctuary's benefit. |
| Priest's valuation authority | The priest alone sets the value; his assessment is final. | The exact meaning of 'between good and bad' is debated: some say it means a medium price (Keil), others that it includes any quality (Gill). |
| Pronoun 'thy estimation' | The valuation belongs to the person assigned to set it, priest or Moses. | The LXX omits 'thy' and the Cambridge Bible suggests it may be a later addition by a reviser. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, vows were solemn, binding promises made to God, often in exchange for deliverance or blessing. A person might vow an animal, clean or unclean, as a token of devotion. Clean animals (ox, sheep, goat) could be sacrificed; they became irrevocably holy upon being vowed (v.9-10). But unclean animals, such as donkeys or camels, could not be offered on the altar. The law in Leviticus 27:11-13 resolves this tension: the vow is still valid, but the animal cannot be sacrificed, so it is dedicated to the sanctuary in a different way, through monetary value.
The priest did not set an arbitrary price. The phrase "between good and bad" (v.12) probably means he assessed the animal's quality without bias, arriving at a fair evaluation. This prevented either the owner or the sanctuary from being cheated. The proceeds supported the priests and the tabernacle service.
The owner could redeem (buy back) the animal if he changed his mind or grew attached to it. But the penalty, adding a fifth of the valuation, served multiple purposes. It compensated the sanctuary for the loss of the sale proceeds. It also discouraged frivolous vows, as Clarke notes, making a person think twice before promising what he might not want to give. A similar principle appears in other restitution laws (Lev 5:16; 6:5; 22:14): the fifth addition both restores what is lost and teaches the seriousness of holy things.
Textual Notes
The phrase “thy estimation” in verses 12 and 13 (referring to the priest) has generated textual discussion. The Cambridge Bible notes that the LXX omits the pronoun in all such cases, and it may represent a later insertion by a reviser to harmonize with verse 15 and other passages where ‘thy’ clearly refers to Moses. The Hebrew forms are ambiguous; some suggest the phrase originally came from directions addressed directly to the priest. The consulted sources note no other significant variants.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as teaching the principle that vows to God must be kept, even when the object of the vow cannot be used as originally intended. Early and medieval interpreters, while less focused on ceremonial law, saw in it a warning against rash vows. Reformation commentators like Calvin and Matthew Henry emphasized the discernment of the priest and the deterrent effect of the fifth addition. In modern application, the passage is often used to illustrate the seriousness of commitments to God and the need for honesty in what we offer.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The unique problem of unclean animals. Why would anyone vow what cannot be offered? Vows were not limited to sacrifices; people dedicated property as an act of trust in God (Calvin). The law accommodates this broader devotion.
- The priest’s role as fair arbitrator. He sets value "between good and bad", a just medium. God entrusts human judgment in matters of valuation, showing that fairness and truth matter even in our promises to him.
- Redemption with a cost. To reclaim the animal, the owner adds a fifth. This penalty guards against cheap vows and reminds us that retracting a commitment to God has consequences.
Five-point outline
- Presentation: the animal is brought before the priest (v.11).
- Valuation: the priest assesses its worth, good or bad (v.12).
- Standing: the priest’s word is final, "so shall it be" (v.12).
- Redemption option: the owner may buy it back (v.13).
- Penalty: one-fifth of the valuation is added to the price.
Illustration hooks
- A teenager promises to give a parent a prized guitar as a pledge of good behavior, but the parent cannot use the guitar. The teenager must sell it and give the money, or pay a penalty to keep it.
- A library book you checked out with great enthusiasm, then never read. To avoid a fine you must return it, but if you want to keep it beyond the due date, you pay extra.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really want people to vow things they cannot fully give?
- Is the fifth addition unfair, or does it teach something about integrity?
- How does an Old Testament law about donkey-vows apply to my life today?
Leading a Discussion
This passage reminds us that vows to God are serious, even when the thing promised is imperfect or unsuitable. God provides a way to honor the vow without compromising his holiness. As you discuss, consider how your own commitments to God, whether spoken vows or everyday promises, reflect reverence and honesty.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the law allowed vowing an unclean animal in the first place? What does this teach about God’s willingness to receive imperfect offerings?
- The priest had the authority to value the animal. How does entrusting human leaders with spiritual decisions reflect God’s design?
- Read Leviticus 27:13. Why add a fifth? What does this penalty reveal about the cost of reclaiming what we have dedicated?
- Compare the fifth addition here with other restitution texts (Lev 5:16; 6:5). What pattern do you see?
- How does the priet’s role as evaluator challenge our tendency to undervalue or overvalue what we offer to God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 23:18 | You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God. |
| Malachi 1:14 | “But the deceiver is cursed who has in his flock a male, and vows and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.” |
| Leviticus 5:16 | He shall make restitution for that which he has done wrong regarding the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven. |
| Leviticus 6:4 | then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, |
| Leviticus 6:5 | or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty. |
| Leviticus 22:14 | “‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest. |
| Leviticus 27:10 | He shall not alter it, nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good. If he shall at all exchange animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. |
| Leviticus 27:15 | If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that requiring an extra fifth of the value on redeemed vowed items was designed to discourage both hasty pledges and selfish buybacks. The priest alone set the value, and the original owner had to pay that plus a fifth to reclaim it.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin distinguishes between sacrificial offerings and vows of dedication. A vow concerning an unclean animal is not a sacrifice but a commitment of the animal to God's protection, with a valuation set by the priest. The owner must redeem it with a payment, and no substitution is allowed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator draws attention to a textual problem with the pronoun "thy" in the phrase "thy estimation." He suggests it may have been inserted by a later reviser to harmonize with similar passages, or could be a survival from older priestly instructions that lost its clear meaning.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators highlight that the priest alone determines the value of an unclean beast presented for a vow, with his valuation final. If the owner later wishes to redeem the animal, he must add one-fifth to that priest-set price. This rule prevents personal bargaining and upholds the priest's judgment as binding.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that when an unclean beast is vowed, it cannot be sacrificed, so the priest sets its value for sale to someone else. The original owner, however, must pay the full valuation plus an extra fifth to get it back. Birds, wood, frankincense, and ministering vessels could not be redeemed at all.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight the priest's fair pricing for an unclean animal vowed to the Lord, valuing it at a medium rate between high and low. If the owner redeems it, he adds one-fifth to the valuation as compensation for taking back what he had vowed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this chapter as directing the sanctification of personal piety, not merely regulating vows. Its core is the "manliness of individual piety"—keeping one's word to God with integrity. The laws oppose moral evasion and demand faithfulness in all obligations, showing that true freedom exists within such covenant duty.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that these detailed regulations show how seriously God takes a voluntary vow: once a person or animal is given to the Lord, it becomes holy and cannot be swapped or taken back. The provision allowing the poor to be valued according to their means reveals God's gracious consideration of each person's circumstances.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that unclean in this context covers two possibilities: the species of animal itself is not permitted for sacrifice, or the individual animal is defective in quality and therefore disqualified. Either way, it designates an animal that could not rightly be offered.