Question about Lev. 27

Here’s a great question on Leviticus 27. Sorry it’s taken me a few days to respond to this one and get it posted.

Question:
What was the purpose of valuing people in Lev Chap 27? Was it a way of dedicating that person to the Lord?

My response:
Here are a couple of thoughts. First, chapter 27 deals specifically with vows that one could make to God which were of an optional nature. These were “above and beyond” practices whereby one could show devotion to God or express thanksgiving for blessings received. However, it is important to remember that these were not mandatory acts like those listed in the previous 26 chapters.

With respect to the dedication of persons, it was often the case that individuals might commit either themselves or their children to the work of God. The most notable example is Samuel which we will read about in a few weeks in I Samuel 1-2. Hannah, who had been barren, had prayed for a child and in response to the blessing she dedicated her son to the Temple. Since much of the work of the Temple was already covered by the Levitical priesthood, individuals who had originally wanted to dedicate someone or something to the work of the Temple could instead make an offering of “an equivalent value.” This would include not only the dedication of children, but also slaves that someone might want to consecrate to the work of the Temple. It’s important to realize that the sum of money which was assigned then was directly connected to the value of the work which someone might provide. Here is how my commentary addresses that issue.

“The lower valuation of females has nothing to do with any perceived notion of worth or alleged negative attitudes towards women. The differentiation in estimates of value is not tied to personal worth, dignity, or esteem; instead, it has to do with the fact that much of the work involves such heavy labor as carrying the weight of heavy beasts offered as sacrifices, which normally men are able to assume more readily than most women. Thus the chart of value represents labor value, not personal value.”*

*Quote is from the New Interpreters Commentary, Volume 1, pgs. 1187-1188.

If you have additional thoughts, please post them in the comment section below.

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