Leviticus 27:34 · Bible study
Leviticus 27:34 Commentary: The Sinai Conclusion
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the concluding verse of Leviticus: its role as a seal of divine authority, pointing to the covenant at Sinai and the mediation of Moses.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Concluding subscription affirming divine origin and Mosaic mediation.
- Key words: commandments (מִצְווֹת), commanded (צִוָּה), Mount Sinai (הַר סִינַי).
- Main debate: Whether “these commandments” refers only to chapter 27 or to the whole book of Leviticus.
- Theological theme: Authority of God’s law delivered through God’s mediator at the covenant mountain.
- Best use: Read at the end of a study on Leviticus to reinforce the book’s foundation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
These are the commandments that the LORD gave to Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai.
WEB World English Bible 2000
These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.
KJV King James Version 1769
These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
These are the commandments, which Jehovah commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
These are the commands which Jehovah hath commanded Moses for the sons of Israel, in mount Sinai.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
These are the commandments which Jehovah commanded Moses for the children of Israel upon mount Sinai.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
These are the precepts which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Estos son los mandamientos que ordenó Jehová á Moisés, para los hijos de Israel, en el monte de Sinaí.
Esses são os mandamentos que o SENHOR ordenou a Moisés para os filhos de Israel, no monte Sinai.
Tels sont les commandements que l’ Éternel donna à Moïse pour les enfants d’ Israël, sur la montagne de Sinaï.
Dies sind die Gebote, die der HERR dem Mose gebot an die Kinder Israel auf dem Berge Sinai.
Dit zijn de geboden, die de HEERE Mozes geboden heeft, aan de kinderen Israels, op den berg Sinai.
Questi sono i comandamenti che l’Eterno diede a Mosè per i figliuoli d’Israele, sul monte Sinai.
Teć są przykazania, które rozkazał Pan Mojżeszowi do synów Izraelskich na górze Synaj.
Вот заповеди, которые заповедал Господь Моисею для сынов Израилевых на горе Синае.
這就是 耶和華 在西奈 山 為 以色列 人 所 吩咐 摩西 的命令。
These are the orders which the Lord gave to Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 27:34
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Leviticus 27:34 functions as a concluding subscription for the book. Calvin (1564) highlights that Moses “endeavors to gain their belief of this doctrine, first, from its authority, because it was delivered by God; and secondly, because he had not assumed the office of lawgiver, but had been appointed by God.” Gill (1748) sees it as summarizing the whole book or this chapter. Keil and Delitzsch (1876) identify it as a “new concluding formula” that attaches the chapter to the Sinai legislation. Clarke (1826) compares it to Leviticus 26:46, suggesting it may have originally closed the book. All affirm that this sentence establishes the divine origin and Mosaic mediation of the commandments, whether chapter 27 or the entire work.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: This verse clearly states that the commandments it refers to originate from Yahweh and were given through Moses to Israel at Mount Sinai.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of 'commandments' | The verse refers at least to the laws in chapter 27. | Some (Gill, Keil) see it as summarizing the entire book; others (Clarke) suggest it originally followed chapter 26 and was later added to conclude the added chapter. |
| Mount Sinai vs Tent of Meeting | Both settings anchor the legislation to the Sinai covenant and divine revelation. | Whether this verse reflects a different redactional layer from the Tent of Meeting setting in Leviticus 1:1. |
| Relationship to Leviticus 26:46 | Both are concluding formulas that mention Sinai. | Which verse originally ended the book; some (Clarke) think chapter 27 was a later addition, making 26:46 the original conclusion. |
| Relevance for Christians | The law has a preparatory role leading to Christ (Galatians 3:24). | How directly these commandments apply today: some see enduring moral principles, others view them as wholly superseded by the new covenant. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Sinai is the mountain of the covenant, the location where God gave the law to Israel through Moses after the exodus (Exodus 19, 24). The book of Leviticus opens with God speaking to Moses from the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 1:1), not the mountain. Yet this closing verse reaches back to Sinai. This does not contradict; it anchors the entire book, including the laws on sacrifices, holiness, and vows, in the foundational covenant event. The phrase “in Mount Sinai” appears also at Leviticus 25:1 and 26:46, forming a bracket around the legislation. Israel had been camped at Sinai since Exodus 19, so the setting is the same wilderness region. By concluding with Sinai, the verse reminds readers that every command in Leviticus carries the weight of the original revelation. The Hebrew word “mitzvot” (commandments) often refers to the whole body of divine instructions. This final sentence acts as a colophon, sealing the text as authoritative for the people of God. When Christians read this verse, they see the law given through Moses as a preparatory stage, a “schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” (Galatians 3:24), even as the location itself becomes a theological symbol of the old covenant (Galatians 4:24, 25).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew Masoretic Text is stable, and the versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) agree closely. The only minor variation is that the LXX adds “to the children of Israel” explicitly, but the sense is identical.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, Leviticus 27:34 is the final verse of the book, recited at the conclusion of the Torah portion. The emphasis on Sinai reinforces the oral and written law’s divine origin. Early Christian interpreters like Origen and Augustine used the verse to stress that the law came from God, even as it pointed to Christ. During the Reformation, Calvin appealed to it to demonstrate Scripture’s authority and the unique role of Moses as a faithful servant. Wesley saw in it a contrast between the Mosaic law and the freedom of the gospel. Clarke quoted Ainsworth’s moral application, urging support for ministers and the poor. The verse has been read as a call to honor God’s word and to recognize the seriousness of his commands.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Divine Origin: The commands are Yahweh’s, not Moses’. The verb “commanded” (צִוָּה, piel perfect) emphasizes personal, authoritative giving. God is the source.
- Mediated Certainty: Moses is the chosen instrument. He does not invent or interpret; he delivers. This validates the prophetic office and assures Israel of the message’s reliability.
- Covenant Context: Mount Sinai is the place of betrothal between God and Israel. The verse ties all the preceding laws back to that founding event, reminding the people of their identity and obligation.
Five-point outline
- Authority: The commandments come from Yahweh, the covenant Lord.
- Mediation: Moses stands between God and Israel, a type of the coming Mediator.
- Location: Sinai is not just geography; it is the mountain of the law, a place of holy encounter.
- Completeness: “These are the commandments” suggests a finished body of instruction.
- Obedience: The verse calls for a response: these are given “for the children of Israel.”
Illustration hooks
- A signed contract or a notary stamp: the closing signature gives the whole document its binding force.
- A builder’s cornerstone plaque: it declares who built the structure and on whose authority.
- A graduation certificate stating the institution: it validates everything that came before.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does this verse sound so repetitive? Is it just a formality, or does it matter for how we read Leviticus today?
- If we are not under the old covenant, does this verse have any authority for Christians?
- How does knowing that a command comes directly from God change how I obey it?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the final sentence of Leviticus. It does not introduce new content but seals what has come before. As you discuss, consider why the writer wanted to end this way and what it tells us about God’s word.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “these are the commandments” tell you about the literary structure of Leviticus?
- Why do you think Moses is mentioned here? What role did he play in giving the law?
- Compare this verse with Leviticus 26:46. What is similar? What is different? What might that mean for how the book ends?
- The verse emphasizes the location “on Mount Sinai.” Why does the place matter for understanding the authority of these commands?
- Read John 1:17 and Galatians 4:24, 25. How does the New Testament use Mount Sinai as a symbol? How does that affect the way Christians read this concluding verse?
- If someone said “these commandments are old and irrelevant,” how would you respond using this verse?
- How can this verse encourage you to trust that the Bible is not just human opinion but God’s communicated will?
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)
| Leviticus 26:46 | These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws, which Yahweh made between him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by Moses. |
| Numbers 1:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, |
| Deuteronomy 4:5 | Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Yahweh my God commanded me, that you should do so in the middle of the land where you go in to possess it. |
| Deuteronomy 4:45 | These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, |
| John 1:17 | For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. |
| Galatians 4:24 | These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. |
| Galatians 4:25 | For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. |
| Hebrews 12:18 | For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm, |
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 concludes that the tithing laws teach believers to honor God with their wealth, support his ministers, and give alms to the poor. Forgetting these duties, he warns, risks losing the blessed inheritance promised to those who served Christ in the hungry, thirsty, and imprisoned.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that God gave more than a bare list of commandments: He provided interpretation alongside the Decalogue to clarify His will. Moses then urges the people to receive this whole teaching with trust, both because it comes from God and because Moses himself was called and appointed by God as their teacher.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note draws attention to the precise origin of these commands: they were given directly by the Lord through Moses at Mount Sinai, not added later. This anchors the instructions in the foundational covenant moment, underscoring their full authority and binding force for Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that the commandments refer not just to the chapter but to the entire book Moses delivered. He notes they were given near Mount Sinai in the wilderness, not while Moses was on the mountain itself, but after the tabernacle was set up and the Lord spoke from there.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the ceremonial laws in Leviticus, though a heavy yoke, served a vital purpose as a guardian that led people to Christ. Studying these laws remains highly instructive, since they carry spiritual meaning that connects directly to the New Testament. Their burden was part of God's training for a younger age of faith.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch note that this law does not introduce tithing for the first time. Instead, it incorporates a practice already known from Abraham and Jacob into the covenant legislation, regulating it to fit the spirit of the law. The directions simply assume tithing as an established part of worship.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the chapter on vows is not
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry warns against a careless approach to vows: no one should treat sanctifying something to the Lord as a jest by offering a firstling, for that already belongs to God by law. A meaningful vow gives what is not already owed, distinguishing devoted things from what is holy by command.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that the commandments given at Sinai mix moral rules with ceremonial shadows that pointed forward to Christ. Under the gospel, believers are not bound by those shadows but enjoy clear light, because Christ himself is now our priest, temple, altar, sacrifice, purification, and everything needed for true worship.