Exodus 30:12
New International Version
“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.

New Living Translation
“Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the LORD. Then no plague will strike the people as you count them.

English Standard Version
“When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.

Berean Standard Bible
“When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.

King James Bible
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

New King James Version
“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

New American Standard Bible
“When you take a census of the sons of Israel to count them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you count them, so that there will be no plague among them when you count them.

NASB 1995
“When you take a census of the sons of Israel to number them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.

NASB 1977
“When you take a census of the sons of Israel to number them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

Legacy Standard Bible
“When you take a census of the sons of Israel to number them, then each one of them shall give a price of atonement for himself to Yahweh when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.

Amplified Bible
“When you take the census of the Israelites, each one shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD when you count them, so that no plague will come on them when you number them.

Christian Standard Bible
“When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for his life to the LORD as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for himself to the LORD as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.

American Standard Version
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“When you will receive a number of the children of Israel, for their number each man shall give the redemption of his soul to LORD JEHOVAH whenever you have numbered them, that no death shall be among them whenever you have numbered them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If thou take account of the children of Israel in the surveying of them, and they shall give every one a ransom for his soul to the Lord, then there shall not be among them a destruction in the visiting of them.

Contemporary English Version
Find out how many grown men there are in Israel and require each of them to pay me to keep him safe from danger while you are counting them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel according to their number, every one of them shall give a price for their souls to the Lord, and there shall be no scourge among them, when they shall be reckoned.

English Revised Version
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"When you take a census of the Israelites, each person must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will happen to them when they are counted.

Good News Translation
"When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life, so that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken.

International Standard Version
"When you take a census of the Israelis to register them, each is to give a ransom for himself to the LORD when they're registered so there won't be a plague among them when they're registered.

JPS Tanakh 1917
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

Literal Standard Version
“When you take up the census of the sons of Israel for their numbers, then they have each given an atonement [for] his soul to YHWH in their being numbered, and there is no plague among them in their being numbered.

Majority Standard Bible
“When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.

New American Bible
When you take a census of the Israelites who are to be enrolled, each one, as he is enrolled, shall give the LORD a ransom for his life, so that no plague may come upon them for being enrolled.

NET Bible
"When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.

New Revised Standard Version
When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, at registration all of them shall give a ransom for their lives to the LORD, so that no plague may come upon them for being registered.

New Heart English Bible
"When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.

Webster's Bible Translation
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to the LORD, when thou numberest them: that there may be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

World English Bible
“When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are counted among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh when you count them, that there be no plague among them when you count them.

Young's Literal Translation
When thou takest up the sum of the sons of Israel for their numbers, then they have given each an atonement for his soul to Jehovah in their being numbered, and there is no plague among them in their being numbered.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Atonement Money
11Then the LORD said to Moses, 12“When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered. 13Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.…

Cross References
Exodus 30:11
Then the LORD said to Moses,

Exodus 38:25
The silver from those numbered among the congregation totaled 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel--

Exodus 38:26
a beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone twenty years of age or older who had crossed over to be numbered, a total of 603,550 men.

Numbers 1:2
"Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

Numbers 26:2
"Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers--all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel."

Numbers 31:50
So we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired--armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces--to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD."

2 Chronicles 24:6
So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?"


Treasury of Scripture

When you take the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to the LORD, when you number them; that there be no plague among them, when you number them.

takest

Exodus 38:25,26
And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: …

Numbers 1:2-5
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; …

Numbers 26:2-4
Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel…

their number.

Numbers 31:50
We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

2 Chronicles 24:6
And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

Job 33:24
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

no plague

2 Samuel 24:2-15
For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people…

1 Chronicles 21:12,14
Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me…

1 Chronicles 27:24
Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.

Jump to Previous
Atonement Census Children Count Counted Disease Israel Israelites Life Numbered Numberest Numbers Pay Plague Price Ransom Soul Sum Time
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Atonement Census Children Count Counted Disease Israel Israelites Life Numbered Numberest Numbers Pay Plague Price Ransom Soul Sum Time
Exodus 30
1. The altar of incense
11. The ransom of souls
17. The bronze basin
22. The holy anointing oil
34. The composition of the incense














THE RANSOM OF SOULS.

(12) When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel.--A formal enrolment and registration seems to be intended. Hitherto, nothing but a rough estimate of the number had been attempted (Exodus 12:37); now that a covenant had been made with God, an exact account of those who were within the covenant was needed. Moses, apparently, was contemplating such an exact enumeration when the command contained in this text was given him. It would be natural for one trained in Egyptian habits to desire such exact statistical knowledge. (For the minuteness and fulness of the Egyptian statistics of the time, see Records of the Past, vol. ii., pp. 19-28; vol. iv. pp. 46, 47; vol. vi. pp. 35-69, &c.)

Then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul.--On being formally enrolled among the people of God, it would be brought home to every man how unworthy he was of such favour, how necessary it was that atonement should in some way or other be made for him. God therefore appointed a way--the same way for all--in order to teach strongly that all souls were of equal value in His sight, and that unworthiness, whatever its degree, required the same expiation.

That there be no plague among them.--If a man did not feel his need of "ransom," and gladly pay the small sum at which the ransom was fixed, he would show himself so proud and presumptuous that he might well provoke a Divine "plague," or punishment.

Verse 12. - When thou takest the sum. The sum had been taken roughly at the time of the exodus (Exodus 12:37). Moses was now, it would seem, about to take it again, more accurately. No command had ever been given that the people should not be numbered; and the Egyptian habit of compiling exact statistics naturally clung to one who had had an Egyptian training. (See the "Statistical Tables of Karnak," in the "Records of the Past," vol. 2. pp. 19-28.) A ransom. Rather "an expiation," "an atonement" - (as in Exodus 29:33, 36) - something to show that he was conscious of sin, and of his not deserving to be numbered among God's people. That there was no plague. "That they be not punished for undue pride and presumption. There is no thought of such a plague as was provoked by David's numbering (2 Samuel 24:15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“When
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you take a census
תִשָּׂ֞א (ṯiś·śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

of the Israelites
בְּנֵֽי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

to number them,
לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ (lip̄·qu·ḏê·hem)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

each man
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

must pay
וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ (wə·nā·ṯə·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the LORD
לַיהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

a ransom
כֹּ֧פֶר (kō·p̄er)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3724: A cover, a village, bitumen, the henna plant, a redemption-price

for his life
נַפְשׁ֛וֹ (nap̄·šōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

when he is counted.
בִּפְקֹ֣ד (bip̄·qōḏ)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

Then no
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

plague
נֶ֖גֶף (ne·ḡep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5063: A trip, an infliction

will come
יִהְיֶ֥ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

upon them
בָהֶ֛ם (ḇā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

when they are numbered.
בִּפְקֹ֥ד (bip̄·qōḏ)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit


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OT Law: Exodus 30:12 When you take a census (Exo. Ex)
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