Leviticus chapter 25
25:1-18 The phrase I am the Lord your God closes each of the three sections of this chapter (verses 17, 38, 55).
After the introduction (verse 1) the Jubilee is discussed as it relates to: (1) a sabbath for the land (verses 2-22); (2)
the redemption of property (verses 23-38; (3) and the redemption of slaves (verses 39-55). The major concerns of
the chapter are related in the words and phrases such as jubilee, return...unto his possession, "thy brother be
waxen poor" (verses 25), and fear thy God. The main purpose of these laws was to prevent the utter ruin of
debtors. The basic theme was the liberation of that which was bound.
25:10 Proclaim liberty is the Hebrew deror, and is related to the Akkadian anduraru--"freedom, liberty." It is a
technical expression referring to the release of Hebrew slaves and of property every 50 years in the Year of
Jubilee. This verse is inscribed on the American Liberty Bell. God owned the land, "for the land is mine; for ye are
strangers and sojourners with me" (verse 23) and thus Israel was not to build up a landed aristocracy. The land
would be distributed to anyone from selling himself or his land permanently. Isaiah 5:8 and Amos 2:6 depict
violations of this law. Isaiah uses the term release in the famous passage (Isaiah 61:1) announcing good news to
the afflicted, including a proclamation of "liberty" to captives. This text, anciently portraying the reversal of
Jerusalem's material and spiritual fortunes, was quoted by Christ in the synagogue in Nazareth with reference to
such a release in Israel's history occurred during the reign of Zedekiah, when Jerusalem was under Babylonian
siege (c. 587 B.C.).
Leviticus chapter 26
26:1-46 This chapter is a collection of blessings on those who keep the law and of curses on those who do not. A
collection of such blessings and curses was the usual way to close a major text in biblical times. The main section
of Deuteronomy ends with a similar series of blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 28). We also find this pattern in
Exodus 23:25-33 and Joshua 24:20. It is a pattern that occurs outside the Bible in literature spanning the first three
millennia B.C. Legal collections (such as the laws of Ur-Nammu, Lipit-Ishtar, and Hammurapi); Babylonian boundary
stones; and Hittite, Aramean, and Assyrian treaties typically conclude with a section of blessings and curses. Such
threats could be implemented as part of the superstitious belief of people in the ancient Near East. But for Israel,
there was no doubt that the God who wrought the mighty act of deliverance at the Red Sea and judged the
Egyptians and Pharaoh, could carry out such ominous threats or blessings.
26:1, 2 Certain prohibitions precede the blessings proper (verses 3-13). Idols: The Hebrews term conveys the idea
of "to be weak, deficient" and then is used primarily in Scripture to describe vain objects of worship, that is, the
gods of this world, whether literal idols, riches, or deceitful men. Graven image: This was forbidden in Exodus 20:4
and was a cultic representation of deity such as has been found at several sites in Canaan. Standing image: It was
apparently made of stone and probably intended to comprise a tangible indication of the presence of El or Baal,
the two principal deities of Canaanite religion. The image of stone, or "figured stone," would no doubt have
contained some carved picture of a Canaanite deity. There was one unearthed at Ugarit (Ras Shamra) depicting
Baal hurling thunderbolts, which dates about 1800 B.C. The "keeping of the sabbath" and reverence for my
sanctuary would be the best means of forestalling the corruptions of Canaanite religion.
26:3-13 There are three divisions of blessings (verses 4, 6, 11) and each is prefaced with I will give. They include
material prosperity (verses 3-5), victory over the nation's enemies (verses 6-9), the assurance of God's presence
in the land (verses 11, 12), and the dignity of personal freedom (verse 13). The mention of God's deliverance of
Israel from Egypt would be a guarantee that the great King who initiated the covenant with His people would be
able to perform all that He promised. The assurance of God's presence encouraged Moses in Exodus 3 and 6 and
was a source of strength for many generations (Isaiah 11:1-16; Ezekiel 36:28; 37:24-37). See Matthew 28:20 and
Hebrews 13:8.
26:14-39 This section of curses follows the pattern of the ancient Near Eastern treaties, in that is was much larger
in number than the enumerated blessings. The terror would consist of consumption, a general term that might
include dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, typhus fever, malaria, tuberculosis, and various types of cancer. The
burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of the heart (causes life to wane), may be a
reference to gonorrheal blindness. Then I will punish you seven times more for your sins indicates that these
judgments are looked upon as God's discipline (Deuteronomy 8:5; Psalm 38:1; 94:12; Proverbs 3:11, 12; Jeremiah
30:11; 31:18; Zephaniah 3:2, 7; Hebrews 12:5-11).
Amos laments that, despite judgments of famine and drought, disease and defeat, "Yet have ye not returned unto
me" (Amos 4:6, 8-11). The reference to "seven times" (verses 18, 21, 24, 28) seems to be a round number for
repeated punishments (Psalm 79:12; Proverbs 24:16; Isaiah 4:1).
The Book of Revelation portrays a series of sevenfold judgments overtaking the world in the last days (Revelation
5-16). And I will break the pride of your power indicates that quite often prosperity leads to pride and
self-confidence (Deuteronomy 8:11-19; 32:15).
Judgment cuts a man down to size and reminds him that his well-being really depends on God. The heaven as iron
indicates no rain and earth as brass (bronze) indicates no crops (Haggai 1:9-11). All of these curses were sent by
God as a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant, which is best interpreted, "And I will bring
the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant" (Judges 2:11-15; 2 Kings 17:7-23; Isaiah 10:5-19;
Luke 19:42-44).
In verses 33-39, the exile of the people is predicted. In 722 B.C. the 10 northern tribes went into captivity to be
followed by Judah in 587 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:20, 21).
26:40-46 The promise of punishment is given as "disciple" and its goal is restoration. Judgment does not prove that
God has rejected His people. Rather He punishes them because they are His own (Amos 3:2). Thus, if they shall
confess their iniquity...if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of
their iniquity, God promises to remember my covenant with Jacob...Issac...and...Abraham. What this remembering
will mean in practice is not spelled out here, but Deuteronomy 30 explains that it will mean restoration to the Land
of Promise and prosperity. The land and the covenant were all a vital part of the covenant in Exodus 6:8. "And I will
bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, and to Issac, and to Jacob; and I
will give it you for an heritage" (a possession or inheritance).
Leviticus chapter 27
27:1-34 The final chapter deals in detail with vows, dedications, and tithes. The major sections are: (1) vows
involving people and animals (verses 2-13); (2) the dedication of houses and lands (verses 14-24); and (3)
miscellaneous regulations about vows including the standard payment (verse 25), the treatment of the firstborn
(verses 26, 27), the ban (verses 28, 29), and then tithes (verses 30-33). The vows could consist of offering service
at the tabernacle of: (1) persons, (2) cattle, (3) houses, and (4) fields.
27:3-8 The most basic kind of vow was to dedicate oneself to the service of God as Absalom did in exile (2 Samuel
15:8), or as the psalmist (Psalm 116:14-18). The present verses merely state the rules in accordance with which a
person dedicated by vow could be redeemed. This involved a special tariff similar to that paid for the redemption of
the firstborn offspring of animals and human beings (Exodus 13:13; 34:20; Numbers 18:15). The basis for the
difference in the valuation of men and women in the special vows in this chapter was simply the value of their
services in the tabernacle. People who had been "vowed" to serve in the tabernacle could be "redeemed" from
fulfilling this vow at certain rates. It had no relationship with intrinsic worth. One of the chief occupations of the
sanctuary was the slaughtering and offering of animals, and in the wilderness, of disassembling and transporting
the tabernacle. Thus it is easy to see that the service involving heavy manual work made the value of the service of
men in the prime of their life much more costly to replace once they had been vowed to this work. This is clearly
stated in verse 8 as according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.
27:13 Unclean animals could be vowed into service, even though they could not be sacrificed. If, however, the man
preferred to keep his animal, he could redeem it for 20 percent more than the priest's valuation.
27:14, 15 Houses were subject to a penalty of one-fifth the evaluation price if the original owner decided to redeem
what he had vowed.
27:16-29 The dedication of land was complex, since under the Year of Jubilee legislation such property reverted to
the original owner at that time. The owner could redeem it by adding 20 percent to its value in relation to the
approaching Year of Jubilee. If he failed to redeem it, or sold it in secret after having devoted it to the Lord, it would
actually become the property of the priests at the Year of Jubilee. The firstlings of clean animals belonged to God
in any event (Exodus 13:2), and therefore could not be vowed to the sanctuary (verse 26). Blemished ("unclean")
animals could be redeemed by paying the usual 20 percent premium. Exodus 34:20 prescribed that the firstborn
unclean animals should either by ransomed by a lamb or be killed. The devoted thing was a more solemn and
irreversible vow than an ordinary dedication. Anyone or anything devoted to the Lord could not be ransomed. This
would certainly discourage irresponsible acts of piety, as these sacrifices were regarded as the exclusive property
of the Lord. This same word was the usual one to invoke the ban in wars against native inhabitants of Canaan. In
divine judgment, all of Israel's enemies and their property were devoted to the Lord (Numbers 21:2; Deuteronomy
7:2; 1 Samuel 15). It was also applied as a judicial sentence against idolaters (Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 13:15).
See Joshua 7 and the sin of Achan in taking the devoted thing.
27:30-33 The tithe, comprising 10 percent of all produce, is regarded as the offering due from the people to the
true owner of the land (25:23). If the tithe were to be redeemed, the normal 20 percent premium was to be paid to
the priests. This chapter points out that holiness is more than a matter of divine call and correct ritual. It actually
requires the total consecration of a man's life to God's service. It involves giving oneself, ones family and all of
ones possessions to God.