DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2014 February 5
Flock of Sheep in the Campagna (1656)
Claude Lorrain (c. 1600 - 1682)
Baroque Style
Akademie der bildenden Kunste, Vienna, Austria
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: The animals in the painting above could be used to make vows, as well as many other things, as described below.
Leviticus 27 gives detailed rules for making and commuting vows. People Dedicated to God. The priest was required to put a monetary value on anyone who was dedicated to God, probably in consideration of their value as a laborer or potential laborer in the Tabernacle, whether they actually labored there or not. This was their redemption price in the event that they or someone else wanted to release (i.e., redeem) them from their vows. Males 20 to 60 years old were to be valued at 50 shekels of silver; females of that age were to be valued at 30 shekels. For ages 5 to 20 the value was 20 shekels for males and 10 for females. From a month to 5 years the value was 5 for males and 3 for females. But if the people were too poor to pay these fees, the priest was to set a value in accord with their ability to pay (1-8). Animals Dedicated to God. Beasts normally could not be redeemed; or, if they were redeemed, the substitute could not be redeemed. An unclean beast could be devoted to God; but if it was redeemed it would require an additional 20 percent fee in addition to the value set on it by the priest (9-13). Houses Dedicated to God. Houses devoted to God could be redeemed with a 20 percent fee above its value (14-15). Lands Dedicated to God. Dedicated lands will be valued in accord with the value of its produce at the rate of 50 shekels per homer (about 8 bushels) of barley seed. If the dedication of the land is made after the year of Jubilee, then the priest will pro-rate the estimated value, decreasing it proportionally. Redemption will require an addition of 20 percent to the estimated value. If the one who dedicates the land does not redeem it, or if he sells it, it cannot be redeemed. In the year of jubilee, unredeemed land becomes the possession of the priest. If someone buys dedicated land it will become his in the year of Jubilee (16-25). Rules for Special Cases. Firstborn animals belong to the LORD and cannot be dedicated. But unclean animals can be dedicated and later redeemed by adding 20 percent to the value; or they can be sold if they are not redeemed. Anything or anyone who is completely devoted to the LORD (not merely dedicated, as in the previous rules) cannot be redeemed - whether it man, beast, or field. Moreover anything devoted to destruction must be put to death or destroyed (e.g., Joshua 7; 1 Samuel 15). Tithes of the land, seed, or fruit trees can be redeemed by adding 20 percent to the value. When someone selects a tithe from the herds or the flock, every tenth animal which he counts will belong to the LORD, without distinction as to whether it is good or bad. No substitutes are allowed; but if a substitute is made, then the original animal and the substitute will belong to the LORD. These may not be redeemed (26-33). Conclusion. These laws were given at Mount Sinai (34).
Leviticus 27
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.
3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
6 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.
7 And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
8 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.
9 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.
10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.
11 And 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:
12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.
15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.
16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
17 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.
18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.
19 And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.
20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.
22 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;
23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.
24 In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.
25 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD'S firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD'S.
27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.
28 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
29 None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.
31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
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