11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.

14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord.

15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

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The Ransom Money

11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 (A)“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give (B)a[a] ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no (C)plague among them when you number them. 13 (D)This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (E)(a shekel is twenty gerahs). (F)The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an [b]offering to the Lord. 15 The (G)rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves. 16 And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and (H)shall [c]appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be (I)a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:12 the price of a life
  2. Exodus 30:14 contribution
  3. Exodus 30:16 give

The Census Tax

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 (A)“When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give (B)a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel[a] according to the (C)shekel of the sanctuary (the (D)shekel is twenty gerahs),[b] (E)half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than (F)the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall (G)give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to (H)remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:13 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  2. Exodus 30:13 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram