Tree of Life Version
Exodus 30:12
12“When you tally the sum of Bnei-Yisrael by numbering them, then every man must pay a ransom for his soul to Adonai when you count them, so that no plague will fall on 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 upon the horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering throughout your generations. It is most holy to Adonai.” 11Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “When you tally the sum of Bnei-Yisrael by numbering them, then every man must pay a ransom for his soul to Adonai when you count them, so that no plague will fall on them. 13Everyone among them who crosses over must give half a shekel according to the Sanctuary shekel (which is 20 gerahs): half a shekel as an offering to Adonai. 14Everyone who crosses over among them who is counted, from 20 years old and upward, is to give the offering to Adonai.
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 from those numbered from the congregation was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel—
- Numbers 1:2“Do a head count of all the community of Bnei-Yisrael by their families and their ancestral house, with a total of every male one by one.
- Numbers 26:2“Take a headcount of the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael, sons twenty years old and upward, by their ancestral houses, all who can serve in Israel’s army.”
- 2 Samuel 24:1Now the anger of Adonai again flared up against Israel, so He incited David against them saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
- Numbers 31:50So we have brought as an offering to Adonai the gold items each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces to atone for ourselves before Adonai.”
- 2 Chronicles 24:6So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and asked him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Adonai on the congregation of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?”
- Job 33:24then He is gracious to him, and says ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit— I have found a ransom;’
- Job 36:18Beware lest wrath entice you with riches; or a large bribe turn you aside.
- Psalms 49:7Or those trusting in their wealth, boasting about their great riches?
- 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—the testimony at the proper time.
- 1 Peter 1:18You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors—not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
- 2 Samuel 24:2The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, so that I may know the sum of the people.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:12either three years of famine, or three months being swept away from before your adversaries and the sword of your enemies overtaking you or three days of the sword of Adonai, pestilence in the land and the angel of Adonai ravaging throughout all the territories of Israel. Now, consider what I should reply to the one who sent me.’”
- 1 Chronicles 27:24Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count them, but did not finish. Wrath came upon Israel for this and the number was not entered into the account 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
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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