The Atonement Money

11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 “When you take a census(A) of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom(B) for his life to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague(C) will come on them as they are registered. 13 Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel[a] according to the sanctuary shekel (twenty gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord.(D) 14 Each man who is registered, twenty years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord. 15 The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less(E) than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for[b] your lives. 16 Take the atonement price[c] from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 30:13 A shekel is about two-fifths of an ounce of silver
  2. 30:15 Or to ransom, also in v. 16
  3. 30:16 Lit the silver of the atonement

“Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their ancestral families[a] of those twenty years old or more who can serve in Israel’s army.”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 26:2 Lit the house of their fathers

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