Numbers 3:46

46 And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites,

Numbers 3:46 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:46

And for those that are to be redeemed
With money, there being not Levites enough to answer to them, and exchange for them:

of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the
children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
for the sum total of the Levites, as given, was but 22,000, ( Numbers 3:39 ) , whereas the sum total of the firstborn of Israel were 22,273, ( Numbers 3:43 ) , so that there were, two hundred seventy three more of the latter than of the former; and what was to be done with these next follows.

Numbers 3:46 In-Context

44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

45 "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh.

46 And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites,

47 you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel.

48 You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"