Leviticus 27:15

Study note

Setting — Moses delivers this statute to Israel regarding the redemption of property consecrated to the sanctuary. The verse follows the priest's valuation of a consecrated house in Leviticus 27:14 and precedes the valuation rules for consecrated land in Leviticus 27:16.

The words — The Hebrew יִגְאַל (yig'al) means "he will redeem," and חֲמִישִׁית (chamishit) means "the fifth part." The text states that the original owner who consecrated a house must pay an additional twenty percent of the priest's assessed silver value to reclaim it.

The thread — This redemption rule parallels Leviticus 27:13, which requires a fifth added to the value of a redeemed animal. The same pattern of valuation and redemption applies to consecrated land in Leviticus 27:16.

Why it lands — The text establishes a fixed financial penalty for reclaiming sacred property, ensuring the sanctuary receives full compensation. The reader must recognize that consecration creates a binding transaction where redemption requires more than the original assessed worth.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.