by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
The November 5, 2024 US elections have come and gone and despite its results Hamas reportedly continues to be defiant and has reportedly rejected a limited hostage exchange and a short ceasefire proposal. Qatar has now quit acting as a mediator, halted all mediation efforts and has asked the Hamas representatives based in Doha to vacate their offices as negotiations have ceased. Meanwhile, Israel continues to shatter Hamas fighting units hiding in civilian areas, including hospitals, in northern Gaza while also opening up another crossing to be able to send more humanitarian aid to Gaza. Will Hamas act wisely and release the abductee-hostages it holds for over a year?
On the other hand, the Hezbollah in Lebanon continues its rocket and drone attacks against Israel while the IDF continues to push deeper into southern Lebanon destroying tunnel infrastructures and weapons depots and other military facilities. Israel is also continuing its aerial attacks on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and Beqaa Valley targets and even in nearby Lebanon-Syrian border areas used by Iran for arms and munitions resupply to Hezbollah via Syria. Will the Hezbollah act wisely and withdraw north of the Litani River as per UN Security Council Resolution 1701?
Iran has not yet retaliated against Israel and so the waiting game between it and Israel continues. The fear of US President Trump’s action against Iran after his inauguration in January 2025 and the much publicized presence of US heavy bombers capable of hitting Iran’s nuclear facilities at the present puts a lot of pressure on Iran. Will Iran act wisely and avoid greater destruction to its facilities and further conflict?
We should continue to pray for the release of all the remaining 101 Israeli hostages (alive or dead) and for a just end to the wars against the Jewish nation. May the world wake up to the reality of antisemitism becoming a greater kinetic threat to Jews and Israelis anywhere in the world as the recent attacks in Amsterdam show. Let us continue to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
Chapter 27 is the last chapter in the book of Leviticus. It deals with redemption of special vows made to the LORD and involves the valuation of persons, produce and other things. Valuations for persons are based on gender, age, the ability of work and ability to pay. The huge redemption amounts involved (e.g. 50 shekels) indicate that these type of vows were uncommon/special or even rare. Also, to be able to redeem an animal or property a fifth (20%) is added on to the valuation made by the priest.
Even in this subject, the land promised as a possession is also intimately involved. Leviticus 27:14-15 states that a dedicated house may be redeemed with the additional 20% valuation (Hebrew verses read right to left, top down):
וְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יַקְדִּ֨שׁ אֶת־בֵּיתֹ֥ו קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהֶעֱרִיכֹו֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן בֵּ֥ין טֹ֖וב וּבֵ֣ין רָ֑ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲרִ֥יךְ אֹתֹ֛ו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן כֵּ֥ן יָקֽוּם׃
וְאִ֨ם־הַמַּקְדִּ֔ישׁ יִגְאַ֖ל אֶת־בֵּיתֹ֑ו וְ֠יָסַף חֲמִישִׁ֧ית כֶּֽסֶף־עֶרְכְּךָ֛ עָלָ֖יו וְהָ֥יָה לֹֽו׃
The New English Translation (NET) Bible translations are given below:
14“‘If a man consecrates his house as holy to the LORD, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand.
15If the one who consecrates it redeems his house, he must add to it one fifth of its conversion value in silver, and it will belong to him.
The common Hebrew word בַּיִת “bayith” for house is used here (with an attached possessive pronoun suffix). This would presume that a permanent-type dwelling is in existence in the land promised.
The next verse, Leviticus 27:16 now focuses on part of the land an Israelite possesses which is dedicated to the LORD and now he wants to redeem it. The valuation is based on the proportion of the produce of the land and is affected by the Jubilee stipulations. The Hebrew verse is given below (read right to left, top down):
וְאִ֣ם מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֲחֻזָּתֹ֗ו יַקְדִּ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ לְפִ֣י זַרְעֹ֑ו זֶ֚רַע חֹ֣מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֔ים בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שֶׁ֥קֶל כָּֽסֶף׃
The NET Bible translation is given below:
16“‘If a man consecrates to the LORD some of his own landed property, the conversion value must be calculated in accordance with the amount of seed needed to sow it, a homer of barley seed being priced at fifty shekels of silver.
The underlying Hebrew word שָׂדֶה “sadeh” for field is used in this phrase together with אֲחֻזָּה “achuzzah” for property/possession. Both terms are familiar and are used extensively in Leviticus. We have encountered these words in previous verses. The Hebrew word שָׂדֶה “sadeh” for field is used further in the following verses of Leviticus 27:17, 18, 19, 20 (2x), 21 (2x), 22 (2x), 24 and 28. Likewise, the Hebrew word אֲחֻזָּה “achuzzah” for property/possession occurs further in the following verses of Leviticus 27:21, 22, 24 and 28. These words look forward to the land promised to the Israelites when they come into it and possess it.
Leviticus 27:24 even carries a very familiar word together with field and possession (Hebrew verse read right to left, top down):
בִּשְׁנַ֤ת הַיֹּובֵל֙ יָשׁ֣וּב הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנָ֖הוּ מֵאִתֹּ֑ו לַאֲשֶׁר־לֹ֖ו אֲחֻזַּ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
The NET Bible translation is given below:
24In the jubilee year the field will return to the one from whom he bought it, the one to whom it belongs as landed property.
The same phrase “landed property” found in this verse now contains the very familiar Hebrew word אֶרֶץ “erets” for land that we have seen very many times in previous verses in Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus. This Hebrew word אֶרֶץ “erets” for land is found one more time in Leviticus 27:30 in connection to tithes of the land. Again, the connection to the land as promised by the LORD is in view.
To close, it needs to be mentioned that Leviticus 27 distinguishes what may be vowed and devoted and what may or may not be redeemed. Some totally devoted things to the LORD may not be redeemed. Some tithes may be redeemed but some may not be redeemed.
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.