²⁶ This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel,^[a] based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.

⁴⁶ The total number was 603,550.

¹³ Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the Lord. (This payment is half a shekel,^[a] based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs.)

³⁷ That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men,^[a] plus all the women and children.

¹⁵ When this offering is given to the Lord to purify your lives, making you right with him,^[a] the rich must not give more than the specified amount, and the poor must not give less. ¹⁶ Receive this ransom money from the Israelites, and use it for the care of the Tabernacle.^[b] It will bring the Israelites to the Lord’s attention, and it will purify your lives.”