Leviticus 27:13
“But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.”
What does Leviticus 27:13 mean?
When someone had made a vow to give something to God's service but later wanted to buy it back, they couldn't simply pay the original value and walk away. They had to add an extra twenty percent on top, which made redemption genuinely costly and discouraged casual or flippant promises. This reflected an ancient principle that taking back something you'd dedicated to God required serious commitment and sacrifice, not just spare change. The rule preserved the integrity of vows in a community where your word was your bond.