Leviticus 27:29
in Leviticus 27No person set apart for destruction may be ransomed; he must surely be put to death.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
No one devoted, that shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.
KJV
None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
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This verse in Leviticus 27
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWhich shall be devoted of men - Every man who is devoted shall surely be put to death; or, as some understand it, be the Lord’s property, or be employed in his service, till death. The law mentioned in these two verses has been appealed to by the enemies of Divine revelation as a proof, that under the Mosaic dispensation human sacrifices were offered to God; but this can never be conceded.
This site's exposition
no one may consecrate a firstborn of the livestock
on Leviticus 27:26-29
Verse 28 puts the devoted thing, the Hebrew cherem, beyond sale or redemption. Verse 29 condemns any person set apart for destruction and explains nothing.
This site's exposition
No person set apart for destruction
Adam Clarke records a second reading held by some, in which the devoted person stays the LORD's property and serves Him until death. Clarke refuses the charge that the law allowed human sacrifice. The Berean's set apart for destruction renders the same word as devoted in verse 28.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But this is not to be generally understood, as some have taken it, as if a Jew might by virtue of this Text, devote his child or his servant to the Lord, and thereby oblige himself to put them to death. For this is expressly limited to all that a man hath, or which is his, that is, which he hath a power over.
Some think it was for want of being rightly informed of the true intent and meaning of this law that Jephtha sacrificed his daughter as one devoted, who might not be redeemed. A law concerning tithes, which were paid for the service of God before the law, as appears by Abraham's payment of them, ( Gen. xiv. 20 ), and Jacob's promise of them, Gen. xxviii.
None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
shall surely be put to death--This announcement imported not that the person was to be sacrificed or doomed to a violent death; but only that he should remain till death unalterably in the devoted condition.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חֵ֗רֶם | cherem | dedicated person | H2764 → | 38 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָחֳרַ֛ם | yochoram | he will be dedicated to destruction | H2763 → | 52 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָאָדָ֖ם | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִפָּדֶ֑ה | yipadeh | he will be redeemed | H6299 → | 59 times |
| מ֖וֹת | mot | certainly <to die> | H4191 → | 839 times |
| יוּמָֽת׃ | yumat | he will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
חֵ֗רֶםdedicated person
cheremH2764 →38 times
אֲשֶׁ֧רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יָחֳרַ֛םhe will be dedicated to destruction
yochoramH2763 →52 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָאָדָ֖ם<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִפָּדֶ֑הhe will be redeemed
yipadehH6299 →59 times
מ֖וֹתcertainly <to die>
motH4191 →839 times
יוּמָֽת׃he will be put to death
yumatH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
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About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.