This verse from Leviticus 27:10 deals with the laws regarding the dedication of animals to the Lord. Let's break it down:
"He shall not alter it, nor change it...": This refers to someone who has vowed to dedicate an animal to God. Once the vow is made, they cannot change their mind.
"...a good for a bad, or a bad for a good...": This prohibits the person from substituting the vowed animal for a better or worse one. The intention is to prevent people from trying to give God something inferior after having initially vowed something of high quality, or conversely, trying to get out of dedicating something inferior by claiming it's a replacement for something better.
"...and if he shall at all change animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy.": This is the key provision. If the person does attempt to make a substitution, both the original animal and the substitute become holy and dedicated to the Lord.
In essence, the verse means:
Once an animal has been vowed to the Lord, you cannot swap it for another, regardless of the perceived value or quality of the new animal. If you try to make the swap anyway, both animals become holy and dedicated to the Lord.
Why this law?
Maintaining integrity and reverence: It emphasizes the importance of keeping vows made to God and respecting the act of dedication.
Preventing manipulation: It prevents people from trying to gain personal advantage by playing games with the system of vows.
Reinforcing the seriousness of vows: It highlights that vows made to God are binding commitments.
This verse is part of a broader section in Leviticus 27 that deals with various types of vows and dedications, including land, people, and animals. The purpose of these laws was to regulate and ensure the sanctity of vows made to God within the Israelite community.
This verse from Leviticus 27:10 deals with the laws regarding the dedication of animals to the Lord. Let's break it down:
"He shall not alter it, nor change it...": This refers to someone who has vowed to dedicate an animal to God. Once the vow is made, they cannot change their mind.
"...a good for a bad, or a bad for a good...": This prohibits the person from substituting the vowed animal for a better or worse one. The intention is to prevent people from trying to give God something inferior after having initially vowed something of high quality, or conversely, trying to get out of dedicating something inferior by claiming it's a replacement for something better.
"...and if he shall at all change animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy.": This is the key provision. If the person does attempt to make a substitution, both the original animal and the substitute become holy and dedicated to the Lord.
In essence, the verse means:
Once an animal has been vowed to the Lord, you cannot swap it for another, regardless of the perceived value or quality of the new animal. If you try to make the swap anyway, both animals become holy and dedicated to the Lord.
Why this law?
Maintaining integrity and reverence: It emphasizes the importance of keeping vows made to God and respecting the act of dedication.
Preventing manipulation: It prevents people from trying to gain personal advantage by playing games with the system of vows.
Reinforcing the seriousness of vows: It highlights that vows made to God are binding commitments.
This verse is part of a broader section in Leviticus 27 that deals with various types of vows and dedications, including land, people, and animals. The purpose of these laws was to regulate and ensure the sanctity of vows made to God within the Israelite community.