Numbers 3:47

you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God commands Moses to collect a redemption payment from the Israelites for the 273 firstborn sons who exceed the Levite count. This directive is issued during the wilderness census and the formal consecration of the Levites to tabernacle service.

The words — The verb לָקַחְתָּ (la.kach.Ta) means "you will take," paired with שְׁקָלִים (she.ka.Lim), literally "shekels." The phrase בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ (be./She.kel ha./Ko.desh) establishes the "sanctuary shekel" as the official weight standard.

The thread — The sanctuary shekel standard of twenty gerahs appears in Exodus 30:13 and Leviticus 27:25 to regulate sacred valuations. The five-shekel redemption rate for children parallels the valuation structure outlined in Leviticus 27:6.

Why it lands — The text mandates a fixed monetary exchange to resolve the numerical surplus of firstborn Israelites over Levites. It requires precise compliance with established sanctuary weights rather than arbitrary personal assessment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלָקַחְתָּ֗ve./la.kach.Taand/ you will take חֲמֵ֧שֶׁתcha.Me.shetfive חֲמֵ֛שֶׁתcha.Me.shetfive שְׁקָלִ֖יםshe.ka.Limshekels לַגֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶתla./gul.Go.letfor the/ head בְּשֶׁ֤קֶלbe./She.kelby/ [the] shekel of הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ha./Ko.deshthe/ holy place תִּקָּ֔חti.Kachyou will take עֶשְׂרִ֥ים'es.Rim[is] twenty גֵּרָ֖הge.Rahgerah[s]הַשָּֽׁקֶל׃ha./Sha.kelthe/ shekel

King James Version

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:)

Cross-references

Exodus 30:13 Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
Leviticus 27:6 Now if the person is from one month to five years of age, then your valuation for the male shall be five shekels of silver, and for the female three shekels of silver.
Leviticus 27:25 Every valuation will be according to the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.
Numbers 18:16 You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.
Ezekiel 45:12 The shekel will consist of twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels will equal one mina.
Numbers 3:50 He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.