Numbers 3:49

49 Moses therefore took the money of them that were above, and whom they had redeemed from the Levites,

Numbers 3:49 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:49

And Moses took the redemption money
Of five shekels per head:

of them that were over and above redeemed by the Levites;
or were more than those redeemed by them. A Levite redeemed a firstborn, or freed him from the redemption price, being taken in lieu of him: 22,000 Levites were answerable to 22,000 firstborn of Israel; but as there were no more Levites than the above number, there remained two hundred seventy three firstborn to be redeemed by money, and it was the redemption money of these Moses took.

Numbers 3:49 In-Context

47 Thou shalt take five sicles for every bead, according to the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

48 And thou shalt give the money to Aaron and his sons, the price of them that are above.

49 Moses therefore took the money of them that were above, and whom they had redeemed from the Levites,

50 For the firstborn of the children of Israel, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five sicles, according to the weight of the sanctuary,

51 And gave it to Aaron and his sons according to the word that the Lord had commanded him.