New English Translation
Exodus 30:12
12“When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.
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
10Aaron is to make atonement on its horns once in the year with some of the blood of the sin offering for atonement; once in the year he is to make atonement on it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” 11The Lord spoke to Moses: “When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them. 13Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered is to pay this: a half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering to the Lord. 14Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord.
Read all of Exodus 30Exodus 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 of those who were numbered of the community was one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel,
- Numbers 1:2“Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and families, counting the name of every individual male.
- Numbers 26:2“Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel.”
- 2 Samuel 24:1The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.”
- Numbers 31:50So we have brought as an offering for the Lord what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
- 2 Chronicles 24:6So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not made the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?”
- Job 33:24and if God is gracious to him and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,’
- Job 36:18Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
- Psalms 49:7Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
- 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.”
- 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 for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time.
- 1 Peter 1:18You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold,
- 2 Samuel 24:2The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:12three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the Lord, during which a plague will invade the land and the Lord’s messenger will destroy throughout Israel’s territory.’ Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me.”
- 1 Chronicles 27:24Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll called The Annals 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
In the dictionaries
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
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