Exodus 30:12

Exodus 30:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

Context of Exodus 30:12

10Once a year Aaron shall make atonement [for sin] on its horns. He shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” 11Then the Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the Israelites, each one shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord when you count them, so that no plague will come on them when you number them. 13This is what everyone who is counted shall give [as he joins those already counted]: a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel (the shekel is twenty gerahs); a half shekel as a contribution to the Lord. 14Everyone who is counted, from twenty years old and over, [as he joins those already counted], shall give this contribution to the Lord.

Exodus 30:12 word by word

כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When thou takestנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: countH5375
• the sumרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: countH7218
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• after their numberפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
• then shall they giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
• every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• a ransomכֹּפֶרkôpher · ransomH3724
• for his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• them; that there be no plagueנֶ֫גֶףnegeph · plagueH5063

Cross-references for Exodus 30:12

• Exodus 38:25The silver from those of the congregation who were assembled and counted was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;
• Numbers 1:2“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head
• Numbers 26:2“Take a census of all the [males in the] congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ households, all in Israel who are able to go to war.”
• 2 Samuel 24:1Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count [the people of] Israel and Judah.”
• Numbers 31:50So we have brought as an offering to the Lord what each man obtained—articles of gold, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
• 2 Chronicles 24:6So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax for the tent of the testimony which was authorized by Moses, the servant of the Lord and the servant of the assembly of Israel?”
• Job 33:24Then the angel is gracious to him, and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the pit [of destruction]; I have found a ransom [a consideration, or reason for redemption, an atonement]!’
• Job 36:18Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing; And do not let the greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside.
• Psalms 49:7None of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him—
• Matthew 20:28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].”
• Mark 10:45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
• 1 Timothy 2:6who gave Himself as a ransom [a substitutionary sacrifice to atone] for all, the testimony given at the right and proper time.
• 1 Peter 1:18For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,
• 2 Samuel 24:2So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan [in the north] to Beersheba [in the south], and conduct a census of the people, so that I may know the number of the people.”
• 1 Chronicles 21:12either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your enemies, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord and plague in the land, and the angel of the Lord bringing destruction throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.”
• 1 Chronicles 27:24Joab the son of Zeruiah began a census but did not finish; and because of this, [God’s] wrath came on Israel, and the number was not recorded in the chronicles of King David.

Commentaries on Exodus 30:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul - This was a very important ordinance, and should be seriously considered. See Exodus 30:13; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 The Ransom of Souls. - Exodus 38:25-28. On comparing these words with those of Numbers 1:1-3, we may perhaps infer that the first passage relates to a mere counting of the adult Israelites at the time when the money was taken from each, and that what the latter passage enjoins was a formal enrolment of them according to their genealogies and their order of military service. A ransom for his soul - What the sincere worshipper thus paid was at…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 The tribute was half a shekel, about fifteen pence of our money. The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less; the souls of the rich and poor are alike precious, and God is no respecter of persons, Ac 10:34; Job 34:19. In other offerings men were to give according to their wordly ability; but this, which was the ransom of the soul, must be alike for all. The souls of all are of equal value, equally in danger, and all equally need a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12no plague: Compare 2 Samuel 24, where a plague followed King David’s unauthorized census. A king would often take a census for reasons of pride or control. Here the people are giving God a ransom for themselves. This standard payment would go into the tabernacle treasury and initially be used in the construction of the tabernacle (see Exodus 38:25–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1611-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &c.--Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individual was two and four pence. This was not a voluntary contribution…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 30:12

• Atonement
• Census
• Money
• Ransom
• Religion
• Tabernacle
• Tax

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Beat
• Compound
• Curious
• Onycha
• Perpetual
• Smell

Commentaries on Exodus 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings