Numbers 3:47

47 collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel-20 gerahs to the shekel.^[a]

Numbers 3:47 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:47

Thou shall even take five shekels apiece the poll
Or head; every firstborn, or his parent for him, was bound to pay five shekels, which were about eleven or twelve shillings of our money, and which was afterwards settled as the price of such a redemption, ( Numbers 18:16 ) ;

after the shekel of the sanctuary shall thou take [them];
being full weight according to the standard there kept:

the shekel [is] twenty gerahs; (See Gill on Leviticus 27:25).

Numbers 3:47 In-Context

45 "Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to Me; I am the Lord.

46 As the redemption price for the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

47 collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel-20 gerahs to the shekel.

48 Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites."

49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites.

Footnotes

• [a] Nm 18:16