Exodus 38:26

26 ¹a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary ), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 * * * * * * * men.

Exodus 38:26 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 38:26

A bekah for every man, [that is], half a shekel, after the
shekel of the sanctuary
A half shekel was called a "bekah", from (eqb) , "bakah", to divide; because it was a shekel divided into two parts:

for everyone that went to be numbered, from twenty years and
upwards;
in order to give a ransom, and make an atonement for their souls, as was ordered ( Exodus 30:12-15 )

for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and
fifty [men];
so that from the time of their coming out of Egypt, which was now about six months ago, there was an increase of 3550 of the above age; see ( Exodus 12:37 ) .

Exodus 38:26 In-Context

24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the wave offering, was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.

25 The silver of those of the congregation who were numbered was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;

26 a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary ), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men.

27 The hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

28 Of the 1,775 shekels, he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops and made bands for them.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 30:13, 15
• 2. Exodus 12:37; Numbers 1:46; Numbers 26:51

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "mustered"