Numbers 3:47 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

You must collect five shekels for each person, using the official sanctuary shekel as your standard measurement. (One shekel equals twenty gerahs.)

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is giving Moses specific instructions about collecting a redemption fee of five shekels per person, measured by the official temple standard.

📚 Historical Context

This verse comes from God's instructions to Moses about redeeming the firstborn Israelites who exceeded the number of Levites available to serve in the tabernacle. Since there were 273 more firstborn Israelites than Levites, these extra firstborn needed to be 'bought back' from temple service through a payment. The sanctuary shekel was the official standard weight used for religious transactions, ensuring fairness and consistency.

Explore Similar Verses

Exodus 38:25

The silver collected from everyone who was counted in the community totaled one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, measured according to the sanctuary's official weight standard.

Leviticus 27:25

All your valuations must be calculated using the sanctuary shekel as the standard: twenty gerahs equal one shekel.

Numbers 7:85

Each silver plate weighed about 3 pounds, and each bowl weighed about 1.75 pounds. All the silver items together weighed about 60 pounds, measured by the official sanctuary standard.

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