But things also animate or inanimate might be set apart to Jehovah, as here we have animals and a house.
“And if it be] a beast of which men offer an offering to Jehovah, all that they give of such to Jehovah shall be holy. They shall not alter it nor change it; a good for a bad nor a bad for a good; and if he at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy. And if any unclean beast, of which they do not offer an offering to Jehovah, then he shall present the beast before the priest; and the priest shall value it, between good and bad: according to thy valuation, O priest, so shall it be. And if they will in any wise redeem it, then they shall add a fifth thereof according to thy valuation.
“And when anyone halloweth his house, that it may be holy to Jehovah, the priest shall value it, between good and bad: as the priest shall value it, so shall it stand. And if he that halloweth it will redeem his house, he shall add the fifth of the money of thy valuation to it, and it shall be his.” (vers. 9-15).
A necessary difference at once appears between beasts clean or unclean, as there was no question of the firstborn of man and of cattle already claimed from the sons of Israel as Jehovah's (Ex. 13:22Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. (Exodus 13:2)) at least the males (12, 13). The firstling of an ass if not ransomed with a lamb must have its neck broken; as the firstborn of man among their sons with a price. For the firstborn of Israel the tribe of Levi was substituted as we know from Num. 3; but as its number did not suffice to represent all the firstborn, the rest who were over and above those ransomed by the Levites were redeemed by the ransom-money of five shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Thus in every way Jehovah associated with Himself His people so liable to forget their high relations, grounded on different figures of redemption.
The first principle laid down impressed on the Israelite that if he gave to Jehovah a clean beast, one presentable for sacrifice, it was to be thence forward “holy” (9). It could not be bought back. Even if defective or bad in any way, he could not alter, nor change it for an unblemished beast, neither good for bad nor bad for good. All this should have been weighed before offering it; and if the offerer altered his mind, he must learn that God did not. If it was real concern for Jehovah's honor, he might bring another good beast; but the original animal and the exchange must remain holy to Jehovah (10).
There was more allowance where there was no such close link with Jehovah as with animals fit for sacrifice to Him. If an unclean beast were presented, he should present it to the priest and the priest should value it whether it be good or bad; and as he valued it, so should it be. If he wished to recall the unclean beast, it was open to him with a fifth added to the estimation, as a trespass or forfeit, because of his lack of due gravity in what was thus connected with Jehovah (11-13).
It is substantially the same with the latter ease, where one hallowed his house to Jehovah. The priest valued it good or bad; and at his valuation, so it was to stand. But if the Israelite did not stand to his purpose and wished to redeem, Jehovah made no difficulty, but impressed a reproof on his fickleness by requiring a fifth over its estimated value; and thus he might have his house back.
We see the same guard against second thoughts in the book of Psalms, though in a more general form and the converse too, where there was no such devotion to Jehovah. It is part of what is shown to please Jehovah and suits the hill of His holiness, that if a man have sworn to his own heart, he does not change. He who is by grace steadfast in word and deed, abhorring evil and cleaving to good, shall never be moved even in a world of vain show.