ESTUDIO DEL VERSÍCULO
Leviticus 27:30 — The Land's Tithe Belongs to the Lord
Leviticus 27:30 states that the tithe of the land—of seed and tree fruit alike—is Jehovah's and holy to Him.
Escritura
- 30.Y el diezmo de la tierra, así de la simiente de la tierra como del fruto de los árboles, de Jehová es; es cosa dedicada a Jehová.And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is Jehovah's: it is holy unto Jehovah.
Qué significa este pasaje
Leviticus 27:30 identifies the tithe as the tenth portion of agricultural produce—whether grain from seed sown in the soil, or fruit from trees. The verse does not treat this tenth as a voluntary gift or an improvised offering; it belongs to Jehovah by right. The wording "is Jehovah's" establishes ownership rather than mere dedication, and the second clause, "it is holy unto Jehovah," transfers the tithe into the category of things set apart, the same status the surrounding chapter gives to vows, devoted things, and consecrated animals and fields.
The mention of two specific categories—"seed of the land" and "fruit of the tree"—indicates that the rule covers both annual crops and perennial produce. Nothing in the verse is left to negotiation: the tenth is fixed, the recipient is fixed, and the status is fixed as holy. Verse 31 immediately follows with the only stated exception: a man who wishes to redeem any part of his tithe may do so, but must add a fifth part, showing that even the redemption of tithed produce carries a price that honors the original consecration.
Because the tithe is declared holy rather than merely owed, taking or disposing of it falls under the same sacred boundary that governs the rest of chapter 27. The verse is the hinge between the agricultural tithes (verses 30–33) and the vow and devotion regulations (verses 1–29): just as a vowed animal cannot be swapped for a worse one (verse 10), the tithe cannot be casually redirected without consequence. Its holiness, not its quantity, is what the text emphasizes.
Contexto
Leviticus 27 forms the closing chapter of the book and addresses how persons, animals, houses, and fields vowed or devoted to Jehovah are to be valued, redeemed, or retained. Verses 1–29 govern vows (estimated values for people, prohibitions on swapping consecrated animals, special rules for houses and inherited or purchased fields) and devotion (things utterly given over to God, including persons who must be put to death, verse 29). The tithe regulations in verses 30–33 use the same vocabulary of holiness and ownership, integrating the tithe into the broader framework of sacred possessions.
Within that framework, verse 30 introduces the agricultural tithe, verse 31 allows redemption with a fifth added, verses 32–33 extend the rule to herds and flocks counted under the rod, forbidding selection or substitution. The chapter's concluding verse (34) gathers these commands under Moses' mediation at Mount Sinai. The placement shows that the tithe is not a separate economic matter but part of the same system that classifies certain things as holy to Jehovah and therefore off-limits for ordinary use.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does Leviticus 27:30 specifically call holy?
The verse calls the tenth of the land's produce—whether seed of the land or fruit of the tree—Jehovah's and holy to Jehovah. The emphasis falls on the tenth portion, not on produce in general.
Does the verse allow any exception to the tithe rule?
Verse 30 itself does not state an exception; the exception appears in the following verse. According to verse 31, if a man wishes to redeem any of his tithe, he must add a fifth part to it.
How does verse 30 fit within Leviticus 27?
Verse 30 introduces the agricultural tithe within a chapter that has already dealt with vowed persons, animals, houses, and fields. The surrounding chapters (and especially the immediate context) repeatedly describe items as "holy unto Jehovah," and verse 30 places the tithe under that same category of sacred possession.