Exodus 30:11-16

New International Reader's Version

Money to Pay for the People’s Lives

¹¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ¹² “Make a list of the Israelites and count them. When you do, each one must pay the Lord for his life at the time he is counted. Then a plague will not come on them when you count them. ¹³ Each one counted must pay a fifth of an ounce of silver. It must be weighed out in keeping with the standard weights that are used in the sacred tent. The payment is an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ Each one counted must be 20 years old or more. He must give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵ When you make the offering, rich people must not give more than a fifth of an ounce of silver. And poor people must not give less. The offering you give to the Lord will pay for your lives. ¹⁶ Receive the money from the people of Israel. Use it for any purpose in the tent of meeting. It will remind the people that they are paying me for their lives.”