Numbers 3:48

48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the payment for the 273 Israelites."

Numbers 3:48 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:48

And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of
them is to be redeemed
Or the superfluous number, the number of them that exceeded the Levites, namely, two hundred seventy three; the price of their redemption is ordered to be given

unto Aaron, and to his sons;
since the Levites were taken in lieu of the firstborn, whose redemption money belonged to the priests; and seeing the Levites were given to Aaron and his sons on that consideration, and there being a deficiency of them to answer to the firstborn, it was but right and just that the redemption price of the superfluous number should be paid to them.

Numbers 3:48 In-Context

46 Since there are 273 more firstborn sons than Levites,

47 collect two ounces of silver for each of the 273 sons. Use the measure as set by the Holy Place, which is two-fifths of an ounce.

48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the payment for the 273 Israelites."

49 So Moses collected the money for the people the Levites could not replace.

50 From the firstborn of the Israelites, he collected thirty-five pounds of silver, using the measure set by the Holy Place.