¹² “When you take a census^(A) of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom^(B) for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague^(C) will come on them when you number them. ¹³ Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,^[a] according to the sanctuary shekel,^(D) which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,^(E) are to give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less^(F) when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. ¹⁶ Receive the atonement^(G) money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.^(H) It will be a memorial^(I) for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

¹⁵ “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally^(A) in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty^(B) a ram^(C) from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.^[a](D) It is a guilt offering.^(E)

¹⁶ They must make restitution^(A) for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value^(B) and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven.