Leviticus 27:20 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 27:20 mean?

Leviticus 27:20 says that if a person who dedicated a field to God does not buy it back (redeem it), or if he sells it to someone else, then the field can never be bought back by him. The right to reclaim the field is permanently lost once it is sold to another person.

In the context of Leviticus, God is giving Moses instructions for the Israelites about making vows and dedicating property to God. This verse is part of a section explaining what happens if someone dedicates a field and later wants it back. The rule here is strict: selling the field to someone else ends any chance of redeeming it, showing the seriousness of such vows and transactions.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 27:20

• "redeem" (גָּאַל, ga'al): This word means to buy back or reclaim something that once belonged to you. Here, it refers to the original owner's right to reclaim the field, which is lost if he sells it.
• "field" (שָׂדֶה, sadeh): This is the ordinary word for a cultivated field or piece of land. The law is about agricultural land, which was a key part of a family's inheritance in ancient Israel.
• "sold" (מָכַר, makar): This means to sell or transfer ownership. Selling the field to "another man" is what ends the original owner's right to redeem it.
• "another" (אַחֵר, acher) and "man" (אִישׁ, ish): These words clarify that the sale is to a different person, not a family member or the sanctuary.

Why Leviticus 27:20 matters

• This verse clarifies that the right to redeem a dedicated field is not unlimited; once the field is sold to someone else, the original owner cannot get it back, even if he changes his mind.
• The rule emphasizes the seriousness of making vows and dedicating property to God, discouraging people from making rash promises or treating sacred commitments lightly.
• Understanding this helps explain the broader system of land ownership, redemption, and inheritance in ancient Israel, where land was meant to stay within families unless special circumstances arose.