“‘Notwithstanding, no devoted thing that a man devotes to the LORD of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed. Everything that is permanently devoted is most holy to the LORD.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 28. Devoted. Hebrew “anathema,” different from the other vows. In this case all that had life was slain, (or consecrated to God, Bible.) houses were demolished, the land belonged to the priests for ever, so that they could only let it out to laymen for a certain rent. Moses thus devoted the Amalecites to destruction; (Exodus 17:14,) and Saul had orders to put in execution what he had denounced, 1 Kennicott. 15. It is doubtful whether people could thus devote their children and slaves. Most authors suppose, that it was necessary that God or the nation at large should pronounce such a sentence, as was done with respect to Achan. Joshua 8. See Numbers 21:2. Judges 11:31. Calmet.