But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.

LEVITICUS 27:21KJV
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Leviticus 27:21 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 27:21 mean?

Leviticus 27:21 says that when a field someone has dedicated to God is released in the Year of Jubilee, it becomes holy to the LORD and is treated as a field that is fully devoted; at that point, the field becomes the property of the priests. This means the original owner cannot buy it back, and it is set apart for God’s service through the priests.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to the Israelites through Moses about what happens to land that has been pledged to God and not redeemed before the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee was a special time every fifty years when property returned to its original family owners, but land devoted to God was an exception—it became the priests’ permanent possession. This rule underlined the seriousness of dedicating something to God and showed that such offerings were not to be taken back lightly.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 27:21

  • "Jubile" (יֹבֵל, yovel) refers to the special fiftieth year when debts were forgiven and land returned to original families. Here, it marks a turning point when the field’s status changes permanently.
  • "Holy" (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh) means set apart for God. The field is no longer ordinary property but is considered sacred, emphasizing its new purpose.
  • "Devoted" (חֵרֶם, cherem) describes something given over completely to God, often with no possibility of reclaiming it. This word signals that the field is now entirely God’s, beyond personal ownership.
  • "Priest's" (כֹּהֵן, kohen) shows that the field becomes the priests’ possession, supporting their service and livelihood, since they did not receive tribal land like the other Israelites.

Why Leviticus 27:21 matters

  • Leviticus 27:21 clarifies that dedicating something to God, especially land, was a binding act with lasting consequences, not a temporary arrangement.
  • The verse highlights the special role of the priests, who depended on such gifts for their support, since they did not inherit land like other tribes.
  • This rule connects to the broader theme of holiness and devotion in Leviticus, showing that what is given to God is truly set apart and not to be reclaimed for personal use.

Where else these words appear

“jubile” Hebrew H3104 · used in 25 verses

  • Exodus 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
  • Leviticus 25:31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.
  • Leviticus 27:23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.

“devoted” Hebrew H2764 · used in 31 verses

  • Leviticus 27:28 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
  • Joshua 7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
  • Ezekiel 26:14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

“possession” Hebrew H272 · used in 58 verses

  • Genesis 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
  • Leviticus 25:41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
  • Joshua 22:4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.