Leviticus 27:16 - “‘If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it. The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Leviticus 27:16" mean?
Leviticus 27:16 deals with a specific scenario: dedicating a portion of one's land to the Lord (Yahweh) in the context of the Levitical laws. Let's break down the verse:
"‘If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession...": This sets up the premise. Someone decides to dedicate a portion of their farmland to the Lord. This dedication likely means that the produce from that land would be used for religious purposes, such as supporting the temple or the priests.
"...then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it.": This indicates that the value of the dedicated land is to be determined based on how much seed it takes to sow that land.
"The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.": This provides a specific benchmark. If a plot of land requires one homer of barley to sow, its value for the purposes of the dedication is set at fifty shekels of silver.
In essence, the verse is establishing a standardized method for valuing land that has been dedicated to the Lord. The value is directly tied to the land's productive capacity, as measured by the amount of seed required to sow it.
Key points and possible interpretations:
Standardization: This system likely aimed to create a fair and consistent method for determining the value of dedicated land. It prevented arbitrary or subjective valuations.
Redemption: The broader context of Leviticus 27 suggests that the person dedicating the land had the option to redeem it later by paying the valuation plus a surcharge (20%). This allowed them to regain ownership of the land while still fulfilling their obligation to the Lord.
Homer and Shekel: A "homer" was a unit of dry measure, approximately equivalent to several bushels. A "shekel" was a unit of weight and currency.
Agricultural Economy: The verse reflects the agricultural nature of ancient Israelite society, where land was a primary source of wealth and sustenance.
Sacrifice and Dedication: The laws around dedication were a way for individuals to express their devotion and commitment to God through material offerings.
Simplified Explanation:
Imagine a farmer wants to dedicate part of their field to the temple. The verse says, "Okay, we'll figure out how much that land is worth by figuring out how much barley seed you need to plant it. If it takes one 'homer' of barley seed to plant, then the land is worth fifty 'shekels' of silver."
Therefore, this verse is a specific piece of legislation within the Levitical code outlining how dedicated land should be valued, based on its agricultural productivity, ensuring fairness and providing a mechanism for redemption.
Leviticus 27:16 - “‘If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it. The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
What does "Leviticus 27:16" mean?
Leviticus 27:16 deals with a specific scenario: dedicating a portion of one's land to the Lord (Yahweh) in the context of the Levitical laws. Let's break down the verse:
"‘If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession...": This sets up the premise. Someone decides to dedicate a portion of their farmland to the Lord. This dedication likely means that the produce from that land would be used for religious purposes, such as supporting the temple or the priests.
"...then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it.": This indicates that the value of the dedicated land is to be determined based on how much seed it takes to sow that land.
"The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.": This provides a specific benchmark. If a plot of land requires one homer of barley to sow, its value for the purposes of the dedication is set at fifty shekels of silver.
In essence, the verse is establishing a standardized method for valuing land that has been dedicated to the Lord. The value is directly tied to the land's productive capacity, as measured by the amount of seed required to sow it.
Key points and possible interpretations:
Standardization: This system likely aimed to create a fair and consistent method for determining the value of dedicated land. It prevented arbitrary or subjective valuations.
Redemption: The broader context of Leviticus 27 suggests that the person dedicating the land had the option to redeem it later by paying the valuation plus a surcharge (20%). This allowed them to regain ownership of the land while still fulfilling their obligation to the Lord.
Homer and Shekel: A "homer" was a unit of dry measure, approximately equivalent to several bushels. A "shekel" was a unit of weight and currency.
Agricultural Economy: The verse reflects the agricultural nature of ancient Israelite society, where land was a primary source of wealth and sustenance.
Sacrifice and Dedication: The laws around dedication were a way for individuals to express their devotion and commitment to God through material offerings.
Simplified Explanation:
Imagine a farmer wants to dedicate part of their field to the temple. The verse says, "Okay, we'll figure out how much that land is worth by figuring out how much barley seed you need to plant it. If it takes one 'homer' of barley seed to plant, then the land is worth fifty 'shekels' of silver."
Therefore, this verse is a specific piece of legislation within the Levitical code outlining how dedicated land should be valued, based on its agricultural productivity, ensuring fairness and providing a mechanism for redemption.