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Genesis 28:20-22
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, …

Numbers 6:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separatethemselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separatethemselves unto the LORD:

Numbers 21:2
And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

Leviticus 7:16
But if the sacrifice of his offeringbe a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:

Ecclesiastes 5:4,5
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; forhe hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed…

and say to them
This phrase emphasizes the authoritative nature of the message. Moses is instructed to convey God's commands directly to the people, highlighting the importance of obedience and the transmission of divine law. This reflects the structure of ancient Near Eastern societies, where leaders often communicated divine or royal decrees to the populace.

‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD
Vows were a common practice in ancient Israel and the broader ancient Near East. They were voluntary commitments made to God, often in response to a particular blessing or request. A "special vow" indicates a solemn promise that goes beyond ordinary obligations. Such vows were taken seriously and were binding, reflecting the deep sense of accountability to God. This practice is seen in other parts of the Bible, such as Hannah's vow in1 Samuel 1:11.

involving the value of persons,
This phrase introduces the concept of assigning a monetary value to individuals as part of fulfilling a vow. In the cultural and historical context, this valuation was based on age, gender, and potential economic contribution. The valuation system reflects the societal norms and economic structures of ancient Israel. It also underscores the principle that vows to God should be meaningful and sacrificial, involving a tangible expression of commitment. This concept is further explored in the rest ofLeviticus 27, where specific values are assigned to different categories of people.

• God’s first words ground the instruction in covenant identity. He is addressing those who have already been redeemed from Egypt (Leviticus 1:2;Exodus 19:4-6), reminding them that holiness grows out of relationship.

• This communal address stresses that vows are not merely private deals; they affect the life and worship of the whole nation (Joshua 7:1;1 Corinthians 12:26).

• Because the Lord speaks, the people are obligated to listen and obey (Deuteronomy 6:3;James 1:22).

• Moses is commanded both to hear and to relay. Revelation is never meant to stay bottled up (Exodus 34:32;Matthew 28:20).

• The phrase underscores that Scripture carries divine, not human, authority; what follows is not suggestion but binding truth (2 Timothy 3:16;John 12:49-50).

• In every generation the church continues this pattern—receiving God’s Word and passing it on intact (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

• A “vow” is a voluntary pledge that goes beyond routine offerings (Numbers 30:2;Psalm 56:12). It is “special” because it sets something—or someone—apart in dedication.

• Such vows spring from gratitude, desperation, or devotion but are never to be made lightly (Deuteronomy 23:21-23;Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).

• Jesus affirms the seriousness of vows in His warning against careless oaths (Matthew 5:33-37).

• The vow is directed exclusively to Yahweh, highlighting His sole right to worship and allegiance (Isaiah 45:23;Jonah 2:9).

• Paying a vow “to the LORD” recognizes His ownership of all we possess, including ourselves (1 Chronicles 29:14;Romans 12:1).

• Any attempt to dedicate something to God while reserving ultimate control for ourselves—Ananias-and-Sapphira style—is sin (Acts 5:1-4).

• The chapter immediately assigns fixed valuations by age and sex (Leviticus 27:3-8). These serve as redemption prices if the vowed person must be released from direct service.

• God is not pricing human worth; He is providing an objective scale to prevent exploitation or rash over-commitment, ensuring fairness for rich and poor alike (Leviticus 27:8;Proverbs 22:2).

• The principle foreshadows Christ, who pays the ultimate redemption price for every person, “not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood” (1 Peter 1:18-19;1 Timothy 2:5-6).

Leviticus 27:2 lays the groundwork for an orderly, God-centered approach to voluntary vows. The Lord speaks to His covenant people, calls them to listen, and provides clear guidelines so that devotion remains sincere, measured, and redemptive. Ultimately, every vow points to the greater reality that our lives already belong to Him who purchased us at incalculable cost.

The persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation.--Better,souls to the Lord according to thy estimation., that is, the vow consists of consecrating persons to the Lord with the intention of redeeming by money the persons thus consecrated, according to the valuation put upon them by Moses. This part of the verse explains the nature of the vow, and takes it for granted that by consecrating a human being to God by a vow is meant to substitute the money value for him. By the suffix, "thyestimation," Moses is meant, to whom these regulations are here Divinely communicated, and upon whom it devolved in the first instance to carry out the law. (SeeLeviticus 5:15;Leviticus 5:18.) During the second Temple any Israelite could estimate the money value of a person thus vowed to the Lord.