Vows and promises
1Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2“Tell the Israelites about the fixed price for those who have to be ransomed because of a vow.
3A man between twenty and sixty years of age shall be valued at fifty pieces of silver — the official standard; 4a woman shall be valued at thirty silver coins; 5between five and twenty years, a boy shall be valued at twenty silver coins, a girl at ten silver coins; 6between one month and five years, a boy shall be valued at five silver coins, a girl at three silver coins; 7at sixty years and over, a man shall be valued at fifteen silver coins and a woman at ten silver coins. 8If the person who made the vow is too poor to pay the standard price, he must present the person concerned to the priest, and the priest shall set a value proportionate to the resources of the person who made the vow.
9As for an animal suitable for offering to Yahweh, any such animal given to Yahweh is holy. 10It cannot be exchanged or a substitute offered — good for bad, bad for good. If one animal is substituted for another, both of them shall belong to Yahweh. 11If it is an unclean animal, and not suitable for offering to Yahweh, whatever it may be it must be presented to the priest 12and he shall set a price for it, judging it good or bad. 13You must abide by his price. The person who wishes to buy it back must add one fifth to the price set.
14If a man dedicates his house to Yahweh, the priest shall set a price for it, judging whether its value is great or little. You must abide by the priest’s price. 15If the man who has vowed his house wishes to buy it back, he must add one fifth to the price and it shall be given back to him.
16If a man dedicates one of the fields of his patrimony to Yahweh, its value shall be calculated according to its productivity, at the rate of fifty silver coins to one bushel of barley.
17If he dedicates the field during the Jubilee year, he must stand by this price. 18But if he dedicates it after the Jubilee, the priest shall calculate the price on the basis of the number of years still to run until the next Jubilee and the price shall be reduced accordingly.
19If he wishes to buy back the field, he shall add one fifth to the price, and the field shall be given back to him. 20If he does not buy it back but sells it to another, the right of redemption ceases; 21when the buyer has to give it up at the Jubilee year, it becomes a thing dedicated to Yahweh, the same as a field laid under the ban: the man’s property passes to the priest.
22If he dedicates to Yahweh a field which he has bought, but which is not part of his patrimony, 23the priest shall assess the price on the basis of the number of years still to run before the Jubilee year; and the man shall pay this sum the same day, as for a thing dedicated to Yahweh. 24In the Jubilee year, the field shall return to the seller, to the man to whose patrimony the land belongs. 25All prices must be made according to the official sanctuary standards at the rate of twenty gerahs to one silver piece.
26No one may dedicate the firstborn of his cattle, for it belongs to Yahweh by right: whether ox or sheep, it belongs to Yahweh. 27But if it is an unclean animal it may be bought back at the price with one fifth added; if it is not bought back, the animal shall be sold at the price set.
28Nothing that is dedicated to Yahweh by anathema may be bought back; nothing whether a man, an animal, or a field of patrimony. What is dedicated by anathema becomes a most holy thing and belongs to Yahweh. 29A human being dedicated by anathema cannot be bought back, he must be put to death.
30One tenth of all the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belongs to Yahweh. 31If a man wishes to buy back part of his tithe, he must add one fifth to its value.
32In all tithes of flock or herd, the tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff shall be a thing dedicated to Yahweh; 33there must be no picking out of good and bad, no substitution. If substitution takes place, both the animal and its substitute shall be things dedicated without possibility of buying them back.”
34These are the commandments that Yahweh laid down for Moses on Mount Sinai, for the people of Israel.
