Leviticus 27:8

But if the one making the vow is too poor to pay the valuation, he is to present the person before the priest, who shall set the value according to what the one making the vow can afford.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord instructs Moses on the administrative procedures for vows and dedications at the sanctuary. This verse addresses a specific contingency within those laws when a vow-maker lacks the financial means to meet the standard valuation.

The words — The Hebrew term מָ֥ךְ (makh) denotes being impoverished, while וְ/הֶֽעֱרִ֥יךְ (ve./he.'e.Rikh) means he will evaluate or set the value. These terms establish the priest's authority to adjust the financial requirement based on the vow-maker's actual capacity.

The thread — This provision for poverty parallels Leviticus 14:21 and Leviticus 5:7, which also lower ritual costs for those who cannot afford standard offerings. It operates within the same legal framework as Mark 14:7, which notes the perpetual presence of the poor but addresses charitable opportunity rather than ritual valuation.

Why it lands — The text requires the priest to assess the vow-maker's financial capacity before fixing the valuation amount. It demands practical compliance with vows while preventing financial ruin through a standardized, priest-mediated adjustment.

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.

The Hebrew words

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if מָ֥ךְmakh[is too] impoverished הוּא֙hu'he מֵֽעֶרְכֶּ֔ךָme./'er.Ke./khafor/ valuation/ your וְהֶֽעֱמִידוֹ֙ve./he.'e.mi.D/oand/ he will station/ him לִפְנֵ֣יli/f.Nei<to>/ before הַכֹּהֵ֔ןha./ko.Henthe/ priest וְהֶעֱרִ֥יךְve./he.'e.Rikhand/ he will evaluate אֹת֖וֹ'o.T/o<obj.>/ him הַכֹּהֵ֑ןha./ko.Henthe/ priest עַל־'al-on פִּ֗יPi[the] mouth of אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sher[that] which תַּשִּׂיג֙ta.Sigit will reach יַ֣דyad[the] hand of הַנֹּדֵ֔רha./no.Derthe/ [one who] vows יַעֲרִיכֶ֖נּוּya.'a.ri.Khe./nuhe will evaluate/ him הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ סha./ko.Henthe/ priest

King James Version

But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

Cross-references

Leviticus 14:21 If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,
Mark 14:7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
Leviticus 5:7 If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
Leviticus 5:11 But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.
Leviticus 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Jeremiah 5:7 “Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.
Luke 21:1 Then Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.