Numbers 18:16
New International Version
When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.

New Living Translation
Redeem them when they are one month old. The redemption price is five pieces of silver (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs).

English Standard Version
And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Berean Standard Bible
You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.

King James Bible
And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

New King James Version
And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

New American Standard Bible
As to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your assessment, five shekels in silver by the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

NASB 1995
“As to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

NASB 1977
“And as to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now as to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Amplified Bible
And their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem, according to your valuation, for the [fixed] price of five shekels in silver, in accordance with the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Christian Standard Bible
You will pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your assessment: five shekels of silver by the standard sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You will pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your assessment: five shekels of silver by the standard sanctuary shekel, which is 20 gerahs.”

American Standard Version
And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs).

Contemporary English Version
The price for a first-born son who is at least one month old will be five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards.

English Revised Version
And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs).

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place.

Good News Translation
Children shall be bought back at the age of one month for the fixed price of five pieces of silver, according to the official standard.

International Standard Version
Those that can be redeemed, you are to redeem at the age of one month, based on your estimate—for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, that is, for 20 gerahs.

Majority Standard Bible
You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.

NET Bible
And those that must be redeemed you are to redeem when they are a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of silver according to the sanctuary shekel (which is twenty gerahs).

New Heart English Bible
You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Webster's Bible Translation
And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thy estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

World English Bible
You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And their ransomed ones from a son of a month, you ransom with your valuation [for] five shekels of silver, by the shekel of the holy place; it [is] twenty gerahs.

Young's Literal Translation
And their ransomed ones from a son of a month, thou dost ransom with thy valuation, of silver, five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, twenty gerahs it is.

Smith's Literal Translation
And those being redeemed from the son of a month, shalt thou redeem according to thy estimation, the silver of five shekels according to the holy shekel, it is twenty gerahs.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And its redemption shall be, after one month, five shekels of silver, by the weight of the Sanctuary. A shekel has twenty obols.

New American Bible
For the redemption price of a son, when he is a month old, you shall pay the equivalent of five silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, that is, twenty gerahs.

New Revised Standard Version
Their redemption price, reckoned from one month of age, you shall fix at five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary (that is, twenty gerahs).
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And those that are to be redeemed from a month old and upward shall you redeem, for a price of money of fifty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the redemption of a son of a month and above you shall redeem with a price of money, fifty shekels in the shekel of Holiness; twenty mayn was a shekel.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And their redemption-money--from a month old shalt thou redeem them--shall be, according to thy valuation, five shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary--the same is twenty gerahs.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the redemption of them shall be from a month old; their valuation of five shekels - it is twenty oboli according to the holy shekel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Offerings for Priests and Levites
15The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. 16You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs. 17But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.…

Cross References
Exodus 13:13
You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.

Exodus 34:20
You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before Me empty-handed.

Leviticus 27:6
Now if the person is from one month to five years of age, then your valuation for the male shall be five shekels of silver, and for the female three shekels of silver.

Leviticus 27:27
But if it is among the unclean animals, then he may redeem it according to your valuation and add a fifth of its value. If it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

Deuteronomy 15:19
You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to shear the firstborn of your flock.

Deuteronomy 14:23
And you are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the LORD your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

Deuteronomy 12:6
To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

1 Samuel 1:24
Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

2 Chronicles 31:6
And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God, and they laid them in large heaps.

Nehemiah 10:36
And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God.

Luke 2:22-24
And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord / (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”), / and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

Hebrews 10:1
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, / to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

Romans 8:3-4
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, / so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.


Treasury of Scripture

And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

shalt thou redeem.

Numbers 3:47
Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

Leviticus 27:2-7
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation…

which is

Exodus 30:13
This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.

Leviticus 27:25
And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.

Ezekiel 45:12
And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

Jump to Previous
Estimation Holy Money Month Ones Payment Price Ransom Redeem Redeemed Redemption Redemption-Money Sanctuary Scale Shekel Shekels Silver Twenty Valuation Value
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Estimation Holy Money Month Ones Payment Price Ransom Redeem Redeemed Redemption Redemption-Money Sanctuary Scale Shekel Shekels Silver Twenty Valuation Value
Numbers 18
1. The charge of the priests and Levites
8. The priests, portion
21. The Levites,
25. The heave offering to the priests out of the Levites' portion














When they are one month old
This phrase indicates the specific time at which the redemption of the firstborn is to occur. In the Hebrew culture, the first month of life was a critical period, and reaching one month signified a level of stability and survival. The Hebrew word for "month" is "chodesh," which also means "new moon," reflecting the lunar calendar used by the Israelites. This timing underscores the sanctity of life and the importance of acknowledging God's claim on the firstborn, as they were spared during the Passover in Egypt.

you are to redeem them
The concept of redemption here is rooted in the Hebrew word "padah," which means to ransom or rescue. This act of redemption is a symbolic gesture acknowledging that all life belongs to God. The firstborn sons of Israel were initially set apart for God, but through redemption, they were bought back, signifying God's mercy and the value He places on human life. This practice foreshadows the ultimate redemption through Christ, who paid the price for humanity's sins.

at the rate of five shekels of silver
The "five shekels of silver" represents the monetary value assigned for the redemption of a firstborn. The shekel was a standard unit of weight and currency in ancient Israel. The number five often symbolizes grace in biblical numerology, suggesting that this redemption price is a gracious provision from God. Silver, in biblical symbolism, often represents redemption and purification, pointing to the redemptive work of Christ.

according to the sanctuary shekel
The "sanctuary shekel" was a standard measure used in the tabernacle, ensuring consistency and fairness in transactions. The Hebrew word "shekel" comes from "shaqal," meaning to weigh. This standardization reflects God's order and justice, ensuring that the redemption process was equitable for all Israelites. It also highlights the centrality of the sanctuary in the life of Israel, as the place where God's presence dwelt and where His laws were administered.

which is twenty gerahs
A "gerah" was a smaller unit of weight, and twenty gerahs equaled one shekel. This precise measurement underscores the importance of accuracy and integrity in fulfilling God's commands. The use of specific weights and measures in the sanctuary system reflects God's nature as a God of order and precision. It also serves as a reminder of the meticulous care with which God governs His creation and His people.

(16) According to thine estimation.--See Leviticus 18:3-7, and Notes.

Verse 16. - From a month old. Literally, "from the monthly child," as soon as they reach the age of one month. According to thine estimation. See on Leviticus 5:15; 27:2-7. It would seem that the priest was to make the valuation for the people, since each first-born or firstling was separately claimed by God, and had to be separately redeemed; but at the same time, to prevent extortion, the sum which the priest might assess was fixed by God. For the money of five shekels. About seventeen shillings of our money (see Numbers 3:47). It is extremely drill cult to estimate the number of first-born, but it is evident that in any case a large income must have accrued to the priests in this way. No value is here set upon the firstlings of unclean beasts; in the most usual ease, that of the ass, the rule had been laid down in Exodus 13:13; and in other cases it was apparently left to the discretion of the priests, subject to the right of the owner, if he saw fit, to destroy the animal rather than pay for it (see Leviticus 27:27).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You are to pay the redemption price
וּפְדוּיָו֙ (ū·p̄ə·ḏū·yāw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6299: To sever, ransom, gener, to release, preserve

for a month-old male
מִבֶּן־ (mib·ben-)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

according to your valuation:
בְּעֶ֨רְכְּךָ֔ (bə·‘er·kə·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6187: A pile, equipment, estimate

five
חֲמֵ֥שֶׁת (ḥă·mê·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

shekels
שְׁקָלִ֖ים (šə·qā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8255: A weight, a commercial standard

of silver,
כֶּ֛סֶף (ke·sep̄)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

according to the sanctuary
הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

shekel,
בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל (bə·še·qel)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8255: A weight, a commercial standard

which
הֽוּא׃ (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is twenty
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

gerahs.
גֵּרָ֖ה (gê·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1626: A gerah (one-twentieth of a shekel)


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OT Law: Numbers 18:16 You shall redeem those who (Nu Num.)
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