Text -- Leviticus 27:32-34 (NET)

27:32 All the tithe of herd or flock, everything which passes under the rod, the tenth one will be holy to the Lord. 27:33 The owner must not examine the animals to distinguish between good and bad, and he must not exchange it. If, however, he does exchange it, both the original animal and its substitute will be holy. It must not be redeemed.’”

Final Colophon

27:34 These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses to tell the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Lev 27:32

¹ sn The tithed animal was the tenth one that passed under the shepherd’s rod or staff as they were being counted (see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 485, and B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 200).

NET Notes: Lev 27:33

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the owner of the animal) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “And if exchanging [infinitive absolute] he exchanges it [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.

³ tn Heb “it and its substitute.” The referent (the original animal offered) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Heb “it shall be and its substitute shall be holy.”

NET Notes: Lev 27:34

¹ tn Most of the commentaries and English versions translate, “which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel.” The preposition אֶל (’el), however, does not usually mean “for.” In this book it is commonly used when the Lord commands Moses “to speak [un]to” a person or group of persons (see, e.g., Lev 1:2; 4:2, etc.). The translation “to tell” here reflects this pattern in the book of Leviticus.