Moses

Census and Ransom

The Lord commands Moses that every Israelite over twenty years old who is counted in the census must give half a shekel as a ransom for their life, so that no plague may strike the people. The rich and the poor shall give the same amount, and the money shall be used for the service of the tent of meeting as an atonement and a reminder for the Israelites.

Exodus 30,11-16

11The LORD said to Moses:
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ ‬
12"When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one shall pay the LORD a ransom for his life when they are counted, so that no plague will come upon them as they are counted.
כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֽ͏ֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃ ‬
13This is what everyone included in the census shall give: half a shekel, by the sanctuary shekel—the shekel is twenty gerahs—half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.
זֶ֣ה ׀ יִתְּנ֗וּ כָּל־הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל מַחֲצִ֣ית הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל תְּרוּמָ֖ה לֽ͏ַיהוָֽה׃ ‬
14Everyone included in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering.
כֹּ֗ל הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ ‬
15The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives.
הֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִֽמַּחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ ‬
16Take the atonement money from the Israelites and devote it to the service of the tent of meeting. It shall be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives."
וְלָקַחְתָּ֞ אֶת־כֶּ֣סֶף הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנָתַתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ פ ‬