KJV ORIGINAL
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The wealthy should not give more, and the poor should not give less than half a shekel when they bring an offering to the LORD to make atonement for your lives.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is saying that when it comes to atonement, everyone - rich or poor - contributes the same amount because all souls are equally valuable to Him.
📚 Historical Context
This verse refers to the census tax that every Israelite man over 20 had to pay when being counted in a national census. The half-shekel was used to fund the tabernacle and its services. This equal payment emphasized that regardless of wealth or social status, every person needed the same atonement before God.
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