Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 27:32
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
32. under the rod ] the ‘staff’ carried by shepherds (Psa 23:4; Mic 7:14; Zec 11:7), and used (Tal. Bab., Bechoroth, fol. 58 b) for counting the flock when they were entering or leaving their fold. For the phrase, and for the reference by classical writers to similar customs, see Davidson ( C.B.) on Eze 20:37.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Whatsoever passeth under the rod – According to rabbinical tradition, the animals to be tithed were enclosed in a pen, and as they went out one by one at the opening, every tenth animal was touched with a rod dipped in vermilion. Compare the margin reference.
For a more full explanation of what relates to tithes, see the margin reference and Gen 14:20; Deu 14:22, Deu 14:28.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 32. Whatsoever passeth under the rod] The signification of this verse is well given by the rabbins: “When a man was to give the tithe of his sheep or calves to God, he was to shut up the whole flock in one fold, in which there was one narrow door capable of letting out one at a time. The owner, about to give the tenth to the Lord, stood by the door with a rod in his hand, the end of which was dipped in vermilion or red ochre. The mothers of those lambs or calves stood without: the door being opened, the young ones ran out to join themselves to their dams; and as they passed out the owner stood with his rod over them, and counted one, two, three, four, five, &c., and when the tenth came, he touched it with the coloured rod, by which it was distinguished to be the tithe calf, sheep, &c., and whether poor or lean, perfect or blemished, that was received as the legitimate tithe.” It seems to be in reference to this custom that the Prophet Ezekiel, speaking to Israel, says: I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you into the bond of the covenant – you shall be once more claimed as the Lord’s property, and be in all things devoted to his service, being marked or ascertained, by especial providences and manifestations of his kindness, to be his peculiar people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Under the rod; either,
1. The tithers rod, it being the manner of the Jews in tithing to cause all their cattle to pass through some gate or narrow passage, where the tenth was marked by a person appointed for that purpose, and reserved for the priest. Or,
2. The shepherds rod, under which the herds and flocks passed, and by which they were governed and numbered. See Jer 33:13; Eze 20:37.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
32. whatsoever passeth under therod, &c.This alludes to the mode of taking the tithe ofcattle, which were made to pass singly through a narrow gateway,where a person with a rod, dipped in ochre, stood, and counting them,marked the back of every tenth beast, whether male or female, soundor unsound.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock,…. Of oxen and sheep, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; for this law only concerns such, as Maimonides x observes, for none but clean beasts were tithed, though the firstlings of unclean beasts were to be redeemed:
[even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord: which being slain, the blood and fat were to be offered the altar, and the flesh eaten by the owners, as Jarchi observes; who adds, this is not reckoned with the rest of the gifts of the priesthood; and we do not find it was given to the priests: the “rod”, under which these are said to pass, is either the shepherd’s rod, as Aben Ezra under, which they passed morning and evening, when led out or brought in, as in Jer 33:13; or the rod of the tither: the manner of tithing, as described by Maimonides, was this;
“he gathers all the lambs and all the calves into a field, and makes a little door to it, so that two cannot go out at once; and he places their dams without, and they bleat, so that the lambs hear their voice, and go out of the fold to meet them, as it is said, “whatsoever passeth under the rod”; for it must pass of itself, and not be brought out by his hand; and when they go out of the fold, after another, he begins and counts them with the rod, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and the tenth that goes out, whether male or female, whether perfect or blemished, he marks with a red mark, and says, this is the tithe y:”
the time of tithing the cattle was on the first of Elul or August; for so it is said z,
“the first of Elul is the beginning of the year for the tithing of beasts;”
when they tithed all that were born the preceding year: but we are elsewhere told a, there were three times for tithing beasts; fifteen days before the passover, (which was the last of Adar or February,) and fifteen days before the Pentecost, and fifteen days before the feast of tabernacles, which was the last of Elul or August; and these tithings were made for the sake of those that went up to these feasts, that it might be certain the cattle sold and eaten were tithed.
x Hilchot Becorot, c. 6. sect. 1. y lbid. c. 7. sect. 1. z Misn. Roshhashanah, c. 1. sect. 1. a Misn. Becorot, c. 9. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With regard to all the tithes of the flock and herd, of all that passed under the rod of the herdsman, the tenth (animal) was to be holy to the Lord. No discrimination was to be made in this case between good and bad, and no exchange to be made: if, however, this did take place, the tenth animal was to be holy as well as the one for which it was exchanged, and could not be redeemed. The words “whatsoever passeth under the rod” may be explained from the custom of numbering the flocks by driving the animals one by one past the shepherd, who counted them with a rod stretched out over them (cf. Jer 33:13; Eze 20:37). They mean everything that is submitted to the process of numbering, and are correctly explained by the Rabbins as referring to the fact that every year the additions to the flock and herd were tithed, and not the whole of the cattle. In these directions the tithe is referred to as something well known. In the laws published hitherto, it is true that no mention has been made of it; but, like the burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and peace-offerings, it formed from time immemorial an essential part of the worship of God; so that not only did Jacob vow that he would tithe for the Lord all that He should give him in a foreign land (Gen 28:22), but Abraham gave a tenth of his booty to Melchizedek the priest (Gen 14:20). Under these circumstances, it was really unnecessary to enjoin upon the Israelites for the first time the offering of tithe to Jehovah. All that was required was to incorporate this in the covenant legislation, and bring it into harmony with the spirit of the law. This is done here in connection with the holy consecrations; and in Num 18:20-32 instructions are given in the proper place concerning their appropriation, and further directions are added in Deu 12:6, Deu 12:11; Deu 14:22. respecting a second tithe. – The laws contained in this chapter are brought to a close in v. 34 with a new concluding formula (see Lev 26:46), by which they are attached to the law given at Sinai.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(32) Whatsoever passeth under the rod.That is, for the purpose of counting and tithing them. The manner in which this was done is described by the Jewish canonists as follows: The owner is to gather all his lambs or all his calves into the fold and make a little door to it, so that two should not be able to go out at once. He is to place their dams without. As they bleat the lambs hear their voice and go out of the fold to meet them, as it is said, whatsoever passeth under the rod (Lev. 27:32), since it must pass of itself, and not be brought out by his hand. And as they come out of the fold one after another he counts them with the rod, one, two, three, etc., and the tenth which comes out, whether it be male or female, whether it be perfect or blemished, he marks it with a red mark, and says, This is the tithe. It is to this custom that the prophet alludes when he says, I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant (Eze. 20:37), that is, shall once more claim you, being marked as belonging to the Lord.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
32, 33. Whatsoever passeth under the rod As explained by the rabbins, this relates to the custom of driving the yearly increase of the flock one by one past the shepherd, who counted them with a rod stretched out over them, and marked every tenth one with vermillion or red ochre on the end of his rod, without examination whether it be good or bad. By this means the covetous were restrained from defrauding the Levites by selecting the poorest of the flock. See Jer 33:13; Eze 20:37. The tithe is here assumed as something well known, having like the pre-Sinaitic offerings been practiced from time immemorial. Gen 14:20; Gen 28:22. Hence it was not necessary to give a formal command to offer tithes to Jehovah. It is a perversion of Scripture to quote “passing under the rod” as indicating divine punishment. The sheep that pass under the rod have passed from the field into the security of the fold. They have been numbered and safely housed. The flock does not go in as a whole without regard to individuality. The Great Shepherd individualizes his flock. “He calleth his own sheep by name.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 27:32. Whatsoever passeth under the rod The Jews understand this of the tithing rod, a rod coloured with ochre, with which a man stood at the door of the field, and numbered the cattle as they came out, marking every tenth with his rod: but Bochart understands it more simply of the shepherd’s rod or crook, under which the flock passed as often as he numbered them; which was generally twice a day: of this Jeremiah speaks, chap. Jer 33:13 and to this Ezekiel alludes, saying, in God’s name, I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: i.e. I will take the same care of you, as a good shepherd does of his flock, which he numbers, and accurately surveys, by making them pass under his rod one by one. Eze 20:37.
REFLECTIONS.The book thus concludes; and from the whole of these commandments we have much to learn. What thankfulness is due for the mercies we enjoy in the clear light of gospel-day, when these shadows are passed away, and Christ the Sun of righteousness is risen, to guide our feet into the paths of peace! We now no longer see through the dark glass of types and figures, but face to face behold a reconciled God in Christ. The burdensome services of ceremonial ordinances are ceased, and all our present required offering is the broken and contrite heart. In this liberty, wherewith Christ has made us free, every humble believer rejoices; and while ceremonial uncleanness is no longer his concern, he labours more solicitously to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“… whatsoever passeth under the rod.” Lev 27:32
This passage brings under our attention the fact that many passages of Scripture have been misinterpreted. The misinterpretations of Scripture have been full of mischief. Men should make sure of the interpretation before they assert the doctrine. This has always been understood to refer to punishment, the figure being that God is smiting every one of his flock, and is only approving of them according to the measure of stripes which that flock lovingly accepts. No such meaning is to be attached to these words. Instead of being severe they are gentle: instead of pointing to chastisement they point to proprietorship. The idea is that the flock are passing into the fold, and that the shepherd is causing each of them to be numbered by the rod. The sheep that pass under the rod in this sense have passed from out of the field into the security of the fold. They have been numbered. They have been safely housed. The idea is that the flock does not go in as a whole without regard to individuality. Sheep by sheep enters the sacred enclosure. We are saved one by one. We die one by one. We are to be judged one by one. Every man shall give an account of himself to God. Those who have passed under the rod have been acknowledged as the sheep of the Shepherd; no mistake has been made as to the identity of the sheep; no other shepherd can come and claim any sheep that has so passed. There is but one Shepherd who can identify each member of his flock, and cause each to pass into the fold from which there shall be no more going out. Do not let us turn sweet words of grace and promise into bitter words of chastisement and penalty. There is more sweetness in the Bible than we have yet discovered. Do not let us be afraid to go up to many passages of which we have heretofore stood in terror; instead of being avenging angels they may be loving friends, waiting to deliver to us some new and larger message from heaven.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Lev 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
Ver. 32. Passeth under the rod. ] Coloured at the end with red, to mark out the tenth, as they passed out. See Jer 33:13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
passeth under the rod: The Rabbins say, that when a man gave the tithe of his sheep or calves, he shut them in one fold, in which was a narrow door, to let out but one at a time. He then stood by the door, with a rod dipped in vermilion in his hand, and as they passed he counted them with the rod; and when the tenth came he touched it, by which it was distinguished as the tithe calf, sheep, etc. Jer 33:13, Eze 20:37, Mic 7:14
Reciprocal: Gen 47:24 – the fifth part Exo 4:2 – a rod Deu 12:6 – tithes Eze 48:14 – for Zec 11:7 – staves Heb 7:2 – a tenth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 27:32. Under the rod Either, 1st, The tithers rod, it being the manner of the Jews in tithing to cause all their cattle to pass through some gate or narrow passage, where the tenth was marked by a person appointed for that purpose, and reserved for the priest. Or, 2d, The shepherds rod, under which the herds and flocks passed, and by which they were governed and numbered. See Jer 33:13; Eze 20:37.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the {q} rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
(q) All that which is numbered: that is, every tenth as he falls by tale without exception or respect.