Leviticus 27:13

Summary

This verse gives the case where the owner decides to redeem an animal previously dedicated, rather than leave it to the sanctuary. If redemption is chosen, the text specifies that a surcharge of one-fifth must be added to the assessed valuation.

Key words

• ga'ol ("to redeem", H1350A) — infinitive absolute placed before the finite verb; it intensifies the following verb, producing a sense of "if he indeed redeems" rather than a simple conditional.
• yig'alennah ("he will redeem it", H1350A) — qal imperfect with 3rd person feminine singular suffix (-nah, H9034), referring back to the animal, grammatically feminine in Hebrew.
• yasaf ("he will add", H3254H) — qal sequential perfect, continuing the action begun by the imperfect; it marks the next step in the legal sequence ("and then he adds...").
• chamishito ("its fifth", H2549) — feminine singular ordinal in construct form with a 3rd person masculine suffix (H9023), meaning "a fifth part of it," referring to the valuation.
• 'erkekha ("your valuation", H6187 + H9021) — masculine singular noun in construct with a 2nd person masculine singular suffix, meaning "the valuation [set] by you."

What the text says

The clause opens with ve'im ("and if", H9002 + H0518A), introducing a conditional scenario distinct from the default case (non-redemption) described in the preceding verse. The verb pair ga'ol yig'alennah uses the infinitive absolute + imperfect construction, a common Hebrew pattern for emphasis: the redeeming action is underscored as a deliberate, certain choice rather than a possibility. The feminine suffix -nah on the verb agrees with the animal being redeemed, which is grammatically feminine in the underlying Hebrew noun.

The second clause, joined by the narrative ve- on yasaf, moves the action forward: once redemption occurs, an additional payment follows. The ordinal chamishito ("its fifth") is in construct, meaning "a fifth of it" — the "it" being the valuation just mentioned. This fifth is added 'al-'erkekha, "upon your valuation," where the 2nd person suffix -kha addresses the one who set the assessed price, consistent with legislative addresses to a second-person "you" elsewhere in the chapter.

Differences between versions

The Hebrew yig'alennah uses a feminine suffix ("her/it," referring to the animal), while the LXX reads λυτρώσηται αὐτόν ("he redeems him/it") with a masculine pronoun, and the Vulgate uses dare voluerit ("if he wishes to give") without a corresponding object pronoun. Additionally, the Hebrew 'erkekha ("your valuation," 2nd person) contrasts with the LXX τὴν τιμὴν αὐτοῦ ("his valuation," 3rd person) and the Vulgate aestimationem (no possessive pronoun at all), showing three distinct ways of expressing whose valuation is meant.