Numbers 3:46

Numbers 3:46 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
• New International Version (NIV)To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who are more than the number of the Levites,

Context of Numbers 3:46

44Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD. To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, 47you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs. 48Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

Numbers 3:46 word by word

וְאֵת֙ פְּדוּיֵ֣י הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה וְהַשִּׁבְעִ֖ים וְהַמָּאתָ֑יִם הָעֹֽדְפִים֙ עַל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבְּכ֖וֹר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• To redeemפְּדוּיִםpâdûy · ransomH6302
• the 273שָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• the 273שִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
• the 273מֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• Israelitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• who outnumberעָדַף‛âdaph · to remainH5736
• who outnumberעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881

Cross-references for Numbers 3:46

• Numbers 18:15The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
• Exodus 13:13You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
• Numbers 3:47you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.
• Numbers 1:18and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older,
• Numbers 3:39The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

Commentaries on Numbers 3:46

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 44-51Verses 44-51 This redemption money (see the marginal references) would perhaps be exacted from the parents of the “youngest” children of the 22,273 Numbers 3:43. The cattle of the Levites was doubtless taken in the gross as an equivalent for the first-born cattle of the other tribes, which of course, no less than the first-born of men, belonged to the Lord; and in future would have to be redeemed Numbers 18:15; Deuteronomy 15:19.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 40-51Verses 40-51 The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear, when they are compared together. The small number of first-born, over and above the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 40-51There were 273 more firstborn sons in Israel from the non-Levite tribes than there were Levite males (compare Leviticus 3:39). The Levites acted as substitutes for Israel's firstborn sons (3:41; see study note on 3:11–13). The law required a redemption price of five pieces of silver for each extra firstborn son (Numbers 3:46–48; compare Leviticus 27:6). It is unclear who paid this cost. This arrangement for special substitutes points to Christ’s role as a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 40-5140-51. Number all the first-born of the males of the children of Israel, &c.--The principle on which the enumeration of the Levites had been made was now to be applied to the other tribes. The number of their male children, from a month old and upward, was to be reckoned, in order that a comparison might be instituted with that of the Levites, for the formal adoption of the latter as substitutes for the first-born. The Levites, amounting to twenty-two…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 3:46

• Firstborn
• Priest
• Redemption

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Chief
• Conclude
• Custody
• Encamp
• O
• Secure

Commentaries on Numbers 3

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings