And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:
Take a tax for the Lord from the soldiers who went out to fight: one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.
God is instructing that a portion of the war spoils - one out of every 500 captives and animals - should be set aside as an offering to Him.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from Moses' instructions after Israel's victory over the Midianites, detailing how to divide the spoils of war. In ancient Near Eastern culture, it was common to dedicate a portion of military victories to the deity who was believed to have granted the victory. The Levites (priests) would receive this tribute to support their religious duties since they had no land inheritance.
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