Exodus 30:16

16 Gather from the people of Israel this money paid to buy back their lives, and spend it on things for the service in the Meeting Tent. This payment will remind the Lord that the Israelites' lives have been bought back."

Exodus 30:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 30:16

And thou shall take the atonement money of the children of
Israel
The half shekel, the ransom of their souls:

and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation;
for the building of the tabernacle, for the repairs of it, and for the sacrifices offered in it; particularly we find that this first collection this way was appropriated to the silver sockets of the sanctuary, and the vail, for the silver hooks, and for the pillars, ( Exodus 38:27 Exodus 38:28 ) :

that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the
Lord, to make an atonement for your souls;
to put them in mind that they were sinners, that their lives were forfeited, that a ransom price was given and accepted of God, that hereby atonement, in a typical sense, was made for them; and this was before the Lord, as a token of their gratitude to him, and of their acknowledgment of the favour.

Exodus 30:16 In-Context

14 Every person who is counted and is twenty years old or older must give this amount to the Lord.

15 A rich person must not give more than one-fifth of an ounce, and a poor person must not give less. You are paying this to the Lord to buy back your lives.

16 Gather from the people of Israel this money paid to buy back their lives, and spend it on things for the service in the Meeting Tent. This payment will remind the Lord that the Israelites' lives have been bought back."

17 The Lord said to Moses,

18 "Make a bronze bowl, on a bronze stand, for washing. Put the bowl and stand between the Meeting Tent and the altar, and put water in the bowl.