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

10“Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by smearing its horns with blood from the offering made to purify the people from their sin. This will be a regular, annual event from generation to generation, for this is the Lord’s most holy altar.” 11Then the Lord said to Moses, “Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord. Then no plague will strike the people as you count them. 13Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the Lord. (This payment is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs.) 14All who have reached their twentieth birthday must give this sacred offering 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 whole community of Israel gave 7,545 pounds of silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel.
• Numbers 1:2“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men
• Numbers 26:2“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.”
• 2 Samuel 24:1Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.
• Numbers 31:50So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the Lord from our share of the plunder—armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the Lord and make us right with him.”
• 2 Chronicles 24:6So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and asked him, “Why haven’t you demanded that the Levites go out and collect the Temple taxes from the towns of Judah and from Jerusalem? Moses, the servant of the Lord, levied this tax on the community of Israel in order to maintain the Tabernacle of the Covenant.”
• Job 33:24he will be gracious and say, ‘Rescue him from the grave, for I have found a ransom for his life.’
• Job 36:18But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin.
• Psalms 49:7Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
• Matthew 20:28For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Mark 10:45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• 1 Timothy 2:6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
• 1 Peter 1:18For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.
• 2 Samuel 24:2So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.”
• 1 Chronicles 21:12You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the Lord brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
• 1 Chronicles 27:24Joab son of Zeruiah began the census but never finished it because the anger of God fell on Israel. The total number was never recorded in King David’s official records.

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