Leviticus 27:32
in Leviticus 27Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all the tithe of the herd or the flock, whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto Jehovah.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Leviticus 27
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhatsoever passeth under the rod - The signification of this verse is well given by the rabbins: “When a man was to give the tithe of his sheep or calves to God, he was to shut up the whole flock in one fold, in which there was one narrow door capable of letting out one at a time. The owner, about to give the tenth to the Lord, stood by the door with a rod in his hand, the end of which was dipped in vermilion or red ochre.
This site's exposition
all the tithe of the land
on Leviticus 27:30-33
The tithe is described as the LORD's before anybody hands it over, so the tenth is acknowledged rather than given. A man may buy back part of his crop tithe by adding the fifth, and the tithe of the herd carries no such clause. Verse 33 forbids searching the flock for a better animal and makes both the beast and its replacement holy if he swaps, so the tenth is whatever passes under the rod when the count reaches ten. Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek at Genesis 14:20 and Jacob vowed them at Genesis 28:22, so the practice reaches this book already formed.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Thus they acknowledged God to be the owner of their land, the giver of its fruits, and themselves to be his tenants, and dependents upon him. Thus they gave him thanks for the plenty they enjoyed, and supplicated his favour in the continuance of it. And we are taught in general to honour the Lord with our substance ( Prov. iii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Under the rod - Either, 1. The tither's rod, it being the manner of the Jews in tithing to cause all their cattle to pass through some gate or narrow passage, where the tenth was marked by a person appointed for that purpose and reserved for the priest.
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
whatsoever passeth under the rod, &c.--This alludes to the mode of taking the tithe of cattle, which were made to pass singly through a narrow gateway, where a person with a rod, dipped in ochre, stood, and counting them, marked the back of every tenth beast, whether male or female, sound or unsound.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land--This law gave the sanction of divine authority to an ancient usage (Ge 14:20; The whole produce of the land was subjected to the tithe tribute--it was a yearly rent which the Israelites, as tenants, paid to God, the owner of the land, and a thank offering they rendered to Him for the bounties of His providence.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Whatsoever passeth under the rod - According to rabbinical tradition, the animals to be tithed were enclosed in a pen, and as they went out one by one at the opening, every tenth animal was touched with a rod dipped in vermilion. Compare the margin reference. For a more full explanation of what relates to tithes, see the margin reference and Gen 14:20; Deu 14:22, Deu 14:28.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַעְשַׂ֤ר | ma'sar | [the] tithe of | H4643 → | 32 times |
| בָּקָר֙ | bakar | [the] herd | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וָצֹ֔אן | vatzon | and [the] flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| כֹּ֥ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲבֹ֖ר | yaavor | it will pass by | H5674 → | 556 times |
| תַּ֣חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| הַשָּׁ֑בֶט | hashavet | the rod | H7626 → | |
| הָֽעֲשִׂירִ֕י | haasiri | the tenth | H6224 → | 29 times |
| יִֽהְיֶה־ | yihyeh- | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| קֹּ֖דֶשׁ | kodesh | a holy thing | H6944 → | 469 times |
| לַֽיהוָֽה׃ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
מַעְשַׂ֤ר[the] tithe of
ma'sarH4643 →32 times
בָּקָר֙[the] herd
bakarH1241 →183 times
וָצֹ֔אןand [the] flock
vatzonH6629 →274 times
כֹּ֥לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יַעֲבֹ֖רit will pass by
yaavorH5674 →556 times
תַּ֣חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
הַשָּׁ֑בֶטthe rod
hashavetH7626 →
הָֽעֲשִׂירִ֕יthe tenth
haasiriH6224 →29 times
יִֽהְיֶה־it will be
yihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
קֹּ֖דֶשׁa holy thing
kodeshH6944 →469 times
לַֽיהוָֽה׃to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Micah 7:14Shepherd with Your staff Your people, the flock of Your inheritance. They live alone in a woodland, surrounded by pastures. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
it leads to
- Psalms 23:1–4
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- Micah 5:4
He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to…
- Psalms 100:3
Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
- Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
- John 10:27–30
My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
- Psalms 23:1–4
Through
Ezekiel 20:37I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 33:13
In the cities of the hill country, the foothills, and the Negev, in the land of Benjamin and the cities surrounding Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under…
- Matthew 25:32–33
All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- Psalms 89:30–32
If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments,
- Jeremiah 33:13
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.