Leviticus 27:4 — Word Study
WLCוְאִם־ נְקֵבָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָֽׁקֶל׃
BSAOr ifʼim ithûwʼ is a femalenᵉqêbâh [woman, girl, or female animal] then your valuationʻêrek [estimation, assessment of worth] shall behâyâh thirtyshᵉlôwshîym [thirtieth, a unit of count] shekelssheqel [a unit of weight or money, like a coin]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאִם־ | and if | Conjunction, particle |
| נְקֵבָ֖ה | [is] female | N-fs |
| הִ֑וא | she | Pronoun |
| וְהָיָ֥ה | and it will be | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| עֶרְכְּךָ֖ | valuation your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים | thirty | Adj |
| שָֽׁקֶל׃ | shekel[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. |
| KJV | And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. |
| ASV | And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. |
| YLT | And if it [is] a female — then hath thy valuation been thirty shekels; |
| WEB | If she is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. |
| BBE | And if it is a female, the value will be thirty shekels. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of נְקֵבָ֖ה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a conditional clause followed by the main statement of valuation.






7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהִיא
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 27:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Valuation Laws in Leviticusgenerated
Leviticus 27:4 outlines the valuation for a female, emphasizing the importance of assessing worth in the context of offerings and dedications to God. This valuation is part of a larger set of laws that govern how individuals are to assess their contributions and obligations within the community, reflecting God's standards for justice and equity.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zechariah 11:12–13 | Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. |
| 2 | Matthew 26:15 | and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. |
| 3 | Matthew 27:9–10 | Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נְקֵבָ֖ה, ne.ke.Vahgenerated
The word נְקֵבָ֖ה (nekevah) means 'female' and can refer to a woman, girl, or female animal. It is derived from the root associated with the concept of piercing, which connects to the biological distinction of gender.
In this verse, it identifies the subject of valuation, indicating that the assessment applies specifically to females. The usage here is straightforward, denoting gender without further implication.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around a conditional clause introduced by וְאִם־ (ve'im), meaning 'and if', which sets the stage for the valuation that follows. The main verb הָיָ֥ה (vehayah), meaning 'and it will be', indicates the result of the condition.
The noun phrase עֶרְכְּךָ֖ ('erkecha) serves as the subject of the valuation, while שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (shloshim) and שָֽׁקֶל׃ (shekel) complete the assessment, indicating the specific amount.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נְקֵבָ֖ה as θηλείας (thēleias), which also means 'female'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on gender.
The Greek word for valuation in the Septuagint is συντίμησις (suntīmēsis), which emphasizes the act of assessing value, paralleling the Hebrew concept.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 27:4 states that if the valuation concerns a female, it shall be thirty shekels. This establishes a clear standard for assessing the worth of a female in the context of offerings to God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The valuation reflects the worth assigned to a female in the context of offerings, indicating the importance of gender in the assessment of value.
The specific amount reflects societal norms and the established standards for valuation in ancient Israel, which were guided by God's laws.
This valuation is part of a broader system in Leviticus that outlines how different individuals and situations are to be valued, ensuring fairness and consistency.
This verse teaches the importance of valuing individuals and recognizing their worth in a community, guided by principles of justice and equity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do we assess value in our own lives and communities?
- What principles can we apply from these valuations in our interactions with others?
- In what ways does understanding worth affect our relationships?
- How can we ensure fairness and equity in our assessments of value today?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 27:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd if it [be] a female,.... That is, of the same age, full twenty years of age, and not more than sixty: then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels; about three pounds ten shillings of our money,
Read John Gill on Leviticus 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySpeak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 27 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleLess than the man’ s price, because she is inferior to him both in strength and serviceableness.
Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 27:4 And if it [be] a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.Ver. 4. And if it be a female.] She is set at a lower valuation then the male, because less able for any laborious or rational employment.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) And if it be a female . . . thirty shekels.—As the woman is the weaker vessel, and her labour is of less value, if she vows herself or dedicates by a vow any other one of her own sex to the sanctuary, she is to pay thirty shekels, or £3 17s. 6d., provided she is within the above-named limits of age. This was the value of a slave (Exodus 21:32), and is the price at which Christ was sold (Matthew 27:9). It is supposed that under this provision Jephtha might have redeemed his daughter whom he unwittingly vowed to the Lord (Judges 11:30). (See, however, Leviticus 27:29.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 27 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. And if it be a female] The woman, at the same age, vowed unto the Lord, might be redeemed for thirty shekels, 4£. 10s. sterling, a little more than one half of the value of the man; for this obvious reason, that a woman, if employed, could not be of so much use in the service of the sanctuary as the man, and was therefore of much less value.
Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 27 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe relative values of the persons appear to be regulated according to an estimate of the probable value of their future work: Ages Male Female From a month to five years of age 5 shekels 3 shekels
Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 27 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.
If she is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.
Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.
If the person is a female, the conversion value is thirty shekels.
Tyndale line
And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
And if it shall be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
But if it be a female, then thy valuation shall be thirtie shekels.
Strictly literal
and if it be of a female, thy valuation shall be thirty shekels.
And if it [is] a female — then hath thy valuation been thirty shekels;
And if it [is] a female, then your valuation has been thirty shekels;
And if it be a female, then shall the estimation be thirty shekels.
For a female of the same ages your standard value must be thirty shekels.
From the Latin
If a woman, thirty.
Simplified
The value of a woman is thirty shekels.
And if it is a female, the value will be thirty shekels.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text agrees with the Septuagint in most respects, with only minor differences in word order. The Samaritan Pentateuch introduces a variation in the pronoun used for 'she', but the overall meaning remains consistent across the texts.
וְאִם־ נְקֵבָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָֽׁקֶל׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ואם נקבה היא והיה ערכך שׁלשׁים שׁקל
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: היא (she)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 27:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
Conj | Conj — Conjunction · particleHC/Tc
נְקֵבָה (nqebah) means 'female' and can refer to a woman, female child, or female animal. It is derived from the root word for 'to pierce' or 'to perforate,' indicating a connection to the sexual form. The term appears in contexts discussing gender.
נְקֵבָה n.f. female
base
H5347 נְקֵבָה female
5347 nqebah nek-ay-baw'
from 5344; female (from the sexual form):--female.
see HEBREW for 05344
נְקֵבָה (ne.qe.vah) — female.
1) female
1a) woman, female child
1b) female animal
N-fs — N-fsHAafsa
fe'-mal: Two Hebrew words are thus translated:
(1) neqebhah, which is merely a physiological description of the sexual characteristic (from naqabh, "to perforate"), and which corresponds to zakhar, "male" (see under the word).
(2) 'ishshah, with the irregular plural nashim (only Ge 7:2, in all other places "wife," "woman"), the feminine form of 'ish, "man."
The Greek word is thelus, literally, "the nursing one," "the one giving suck" (from thelazo, "to suckle").
Israelitic law seems frequently guilty of unjust partiality in favor of the male sex, but we have to consider that most of these legal and religious disabilities of women can be explained from the social conditions prevailing at the time of legislation. They are therefore found also in contemporaneous Gentilereligions. Though traces of this prejudice against the weaker sex are…
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Pron — PronounHPp3fs
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqq3ms
עֵ֫רֶךְ (erek) refers to concepts of order, estimation, and valuation. It can denote a pile or layer of items, as well as the act of setting things in order or making an estimate. The word is derived from a root that suggests arrangement or proportion, and it has an Aramaic equivalent related to lengthening.
עֵ֫רֶךְ 83 n.m. order, row, estimate
base
H6187 עֵ֫רֶךְ
6187 `erek eh'rek
from 6186; a pile, equipment, estimate:--equal, estimation,
(things that are set in) order, price, proportion, X set at,
suit, taxation, X valuest.
see HEBREW for 06186
עֵ֫רֶךְ (e.rekh) — valuation.
1) order, row, estimate, things that are set in order, layer, pile
1a) order, row
1b) estimate, valuation
Aramaic equivalent: ar.ka (אַרְכָֿא "lengthening" H0754)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
שְׁלֹשִׁים (*shlowshiym*) means 'thirty' and can also refer to 'thirtieth' as an ordinal number. It is an indeclinable noun and is derived from the root word for 'three.' The entries indicate that it is used in various contexts, but there are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) 174 n.indecl. thirty
bef. n. sg.
as ordin.
base
H7970 שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) n. indecl. thirty . bef. n. sg.
. as ordin.
7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem'
or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or
(ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth. Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07969
see HEBREW for 07991
שְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) — thirty.
thirty, thirtieth
Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533)
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
שֶׁ֫קֶל (sheqel) refers to a unit of weight and measure, primarily known as the shekel. It is defined as a commercial standard, with specific weights for gold, silver, and copper. The term is derived from a root meaning 'weight' and is also noted in Aramaic as תְּקֵל (teqel).
שֶׁ֫קֶל 87 n.m. a weight, shekel
base
H8255 שֶׁ֫קֶל a weight, shekel
8255 sheqel sheh'-kel
from 8254; probably a weight; used as a commercial
standard:--shekel.
see HEBREW for 08254
שֶׁ֫קֶל (she.qel) — shekel.
1) shekel
1a) the chief unit of weight or measure
1a1) gold-1/10000 of a talent and equal to 220 grains
1a2) silver-1/3000 of a talent and equal to 132 grains
1a3) copper-1/1500 of a talent and equal to 528 grains
Aramaic equivalent: te.qel (תְּקֵל "shekel" H8625B)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
