Numbers 3:47

47 thou shalt take five shekels by each head, at the measure of the saintuary (thou shalt take five shekels for each one, by the measure of the sanctuary); a shekel hath twenty halfpence;

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 thou the Levites for the first begotten of the sons of Israel, and take the beasts of the Levites for the beasts of them, and the Levites shall be mine; I am the Lord. (Now give me the Levites in place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites, and the beasts of the Levites in place of the first-born male beasts of the Israelites, and so the Levites shall be mine; I am the Lord.)

46 Forsooth in the price of two hundred and seventy and three persons, that pass the number of the Levites, of the first begotten (sons) of the sons of Israel, (And as payment to buy back the two hundred and seventy-three persons, of the first-born sons of the Israelites, who surpass the number of the Levites,)

47 thou shalt take five shekels by each head, at the measure of the saintuary (thou shalt take five shekels for each one, by the measure of the sanctuary); a shekel hath twenty halfpence;

48 and thou shalt give the money to Aaron and to his sons, the price of them that be numbered above (the number of the Levites). (and thou shalt give this money to Aaron and to his sons, as payment for those who be listed, or registered, above the number of the Levites.)

49 Therefore Moses took the money of them that were numbered above, and which they had again-bought of the Levites, (And so Moses took the money for the first-born sons of the Israelites, who surpassed the number of the Levites, and so had to be bought back, or ransomed, or redeemed,)