Leviticus 27:30
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It's easy to read this verse as simply stating that a tenth of crops goes to God. But notice the verse doesn't say the tithe is given to the Lord; it says it is the Lord's and is holy to Him. This wasn't a gift someone offered, but a clear acknowledgment that the land's produce already belonged to God, a recognition of His ownership and blessing.
“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage addresses the tithe, a tenth of the land's produce, which was already understood to belong to the Lord and was designated for the Levites. Since it wasn't something a person could vow or give away as a personal offering (as it wasn't fully theirs to begin with), the text clarifies how it should be handled, especially regarding redemption. This discussion follows laws about vows and dedications, emphasizing that certain things, like the tithe, are intrinsically holy to God and not subject to personal vows in the same way.
Have you ever wondered if giving back a portion of your income is truly giving? This verse reveals a profound truth about ownership.
Leviticus 27:30 declares, 'Every tithe of the land... is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.' This wasn't a suggestion; it was a statement of fact established by God's law long before this chapter.
God's Established Ownership
The tithe, meaning one-tenth of the produce of the land, was set aside for the Levites and priests who served in the Tabernacle. It was God's designated support system for those dedicated to His service.
Not a Gift, but a Recognition
When the people paid their tithe, they weren't making a generous donation out of their own possessions. They were acknowledging that God was the ultimate owner of the land and its bounty, and this was simply returning what was already His.
What does it mean for something to be 'holy to the LORD'? It's more than just being set apart; it signifies an unalterable sacredness.
Leviticus 27:30 uses the powerful phrase 'it is holy to the LORD.' This wasn't just a label for administrative purposes; it conveyed an intrinsic, God-ordained sacredness.
Set Apart for God
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Holiness, in the biblical sense, means being separated from the common and dedicated exclusively to God. The tithe was never meant for personal use, profit, or secular endeavors. It belonged to the Lord for His purposes.
The Impossibility of Vowing What's God's
This concept explains why, as Leviticus 27 discusses vows, the tithe itself couldn't be 'vowed' to God in the same way other possessions could. You can't dedicate something that already belongs to Him by divine right. If someone tried to vow their tithe, they were essentially trying to re-dedicate what was already God's, which the law addressed by requiring a redemption process (paying an extra fifth, as seen in later verses) to compensate for the attempted misuse.
Understand the original words
ma'aser · Hebrew Noun
A tenth part of one's produce or income given to God as an act of worship and acknowledgment of His provision. It serves as a practical recognition that all blessings originate from and belong to the Creator.
qodesh · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
That which is separated from common use and consecrated to God. It involves a state of purity and distinctness necessitated by the presence and requirements of a holy God.
This passage shows Abraham giving a tithe to Melchizedek, demonstrating that the practice of tithing predates the Mosaic Law and was seen as an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.
Genesis 28:22Jacob's vow to give a tenth of all he receives back to God highlights that tithing was understood as a response to God's provision and blessing, even before it was a formal command.
Numbers 18:21This verse explicitly states that the tithes are given to the Levites as an inheritance for their service to the Lord, clarifying the purpose and recipients of the tithes mentioned in Leviticus.
Malachi 3:8This passage powerfully rebukes the people for robbing God by withholding tithes and offerings, showing the severe spiritual consequences of failing to honor God with the portion that is already His.
Hebrews 7:4This New Testament passage references Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek, underscoring the ancient and sacred nature of tithing and connecting it to the ongoing significance of Christ's priesthood.
ellicottLeviticus 27:30: "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD."
(30) And all the tithe of the land. —That is, of the soil, or what grows on it, in contradistinction to the tithes of the land mentioned in Leviticus 27:32 . The last things mentioned which cannot be dedicated to the Lord by a vow are tithes. Like the firstborn of Animals (see Leviticus 27:26 ), they already belong to God by another statute. A…
gillLeviticus 27:30: "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD."
And all the tithe of the land,.... Of which there were various sorts, the first tithe, the tithe out of the tithe, the second tithe, and the poor's tithe, which are generally reduced to three,"The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it eve…
It's easy to read this verse as simply stating that a tenth of crops goes to God. But notice the verse doesn't say the tithe is given to the Lord; it says it is the Lord's and is holy to Him. This wasn't a gift someone offered, but a clear acknowledgment that the land's produce already belonged to God, a recognition of His ownership and blessing.
This passage addresses the tithe, a tenth of the land's produce, which was already understood to belong to the Lord and was designated for the Levites. Since it wasn't something a person could vow or give away as a personal offering (as it wasn't fully theirs to begin with), the text clarifies how it should be handled, especially regarding redemption. This discussion follows laws about vows and dedications, emphasizing that certain things, like the tithe, are intrinsically holy to God and not subject to personal vows in the same way.
This passage addresses the tithe, a tenth of the land's produce, which was already understood to belong to the Lord and was designated for the Levites. Since it wasn't something a person could vow or give away as a personal offering (as it wasn't fully theirs to begin with), the text clarifies how it should be handled, especially regarding redemption. This discussion follows laws about vows and dedications, emphasizing that certain things, like the tithe, are intrinsically holy to God and not subject to personal vows in the same way.
"“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD." — It's easy to read this verse as simply stating that a tenth of crops goes to God. But notice the verse doesn't say the tithe is given to the Lord; it says it is the Lord's and is holy to Him.…
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Last reviewed October 2026
