New International Version
Exodus 38:26
26one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men.
Exodus 38:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
- English Standard Version (ESV)a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone who was listed in the records, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men.
- New King James Version (NKJV)a bekah for each man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.
Context of Exodus 38:26
24The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 25The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel— one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men. 27The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.
Read all of Exodus 38Exodus 38:26 word by word
בֶּ֚קַע לַגֻּלְגֹּ֔לֶת מַחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ לְכֹ֨ל הָעֹבֵ֜ר עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֗ים מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה לְשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֙לֶף֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- A bekahבֶּ֫קַעbeqa‛ · bekahH1235
- for every manגֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶתgûlgôleth · headH1538
- halfמַחֲצִיתmachătsîyth · halfH4276
- a shekelשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
- of the sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- for every one that wentעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- to be numberedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
- from twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
- and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- for sixשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
- hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- and threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- and fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
- and fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
Cross-references for Exodus 38:26
- Exodus 30:13Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord.
- Numbers 1:46The total number was 603,550.
- Exodus 12:37The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.
Commentaries on Exodus 38:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26A bekah for every man - The Hebrew word בקי (beka), from בקי (baka), to divide, separate into two, seems to signify, not a particular coin, but a shekel broken or cut in two; so, anciently, our farthing was a penny divided in the midst and then subdivided, so that each division contained the fourth part of the penny; hence its name fourthing or fourthling, since corrupted into farthing. There appear to be three particular reasons why much riches should be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26A bekah - Literally, “a half”: the words “half a shekel,” etc. appear to be inserted only for emphasis, to enforce the accuracy to be observed in the payment. See Exodus 30:13. Respecting the capitation and the numbering of the people, see Exodus 30:12.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-31Verses 21-31 The foundation of massy pieces of silver showed the solidity and purity of the truth upon which the church is founded. Let us regard the Lord Jesus Christ while reading of the furniture of the tabernacle. While looking at the altar of burnt-offering, let us see Jesus. In him, his righteousness, and salvation, is a full and sufficient offering for sin. In the laver of regeneration, by his Holy Spirit, let our souls be washed, and they shall be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26For the earlier discussion of this tax, see 30:11–16. The sanctuary shekel was the standard used to measure other weights accurately. 603,550: See study note on 12:37.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. the altar of burnt offering--The repetitions are continued, in which may be traced the exact conformity of the execution to the order.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 38:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 38
- 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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