Exodus 30 12

Exodus 30:12 kjv

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.

Exodus 30:12 nkjv

"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.

Exodus 30:12 niv

"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.

Exodus 30:12 esv

"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.

Exodus 30:12 nlt

"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.

Exodus 30 verses

Exodus 30 12 Meaning

Exodus 30:12 instructs that when a census is taken of the Israelites, each counted man must provide a "ransom for his life" to the LORD. This payment is necessary to avert a "plague" or divine judgment among the people as a consequence of their being counted. It underscores the sanctity of life as belonging to God and the need for a propitiatory act whenever His people are numbered.

Exodus 30 12 Context

Exodus 30:12 is situated within a block of instructions for the construction and use of the Tabernacle and its associated articles and ceremonies, specifically following the details for the altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10) and preceding the bronze laver and anointing oil. This verse establishes a specific regulation for a general census of the fighting men of Israel, tying it directly to the sanctuary. Historically, censuses were common in the Ancient Near East for military or taxation purposes, but they were often fraught with spiritual danger, as counting could signify reliance on human strength or presumption, tempting divine wrath. The requirement of a "ransom for his life" differentiates Israel's census, linking it to divine ownership of life, the need for atonement, and the maintenance of a holy people in the presence of a holy God, preventing a potential plague.

Exodus 30 12 Word analysis

• When you take (כִּי תִשָּׂא, ki tissa): Literally, "when you lift up." In context with "the head" or "sum," it means to take an accounting, to sum up, or to enumerate. It's more than a mere count; it's a 'lifting up' for acknowledgement or responsibility.

• the census (אֶת־רֹאשׁ, et-rosh): "The head," referring to the total number of individuals counted per head. The phrase "tissa et-rosh" functions as an idiom for taking a census. It is a registration or numbering of individuals.

• of the people of Israel (בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, B’nei Yisrael): "Sons of Israel" or "Children of Israel." Specifies the subjects of the census as the covenant people, distinct from other nations.

• then each man (אִישׁ, ish): Each individual male counted. The instruction applies universally to all adult males subject to the census.

• shall give (וְנָתְנוּ, v'nat'nu): Imperative, signifying a binding command. It is not an optional contribution but a mandatory payment.

• a ransom (כֹּפֶר, kofer): Derived from the verb kaphar (כָּפַר), meaning "to cover," "to atone," or "to propitiate." The kofer is a covering or an atoning payment, a sum paid to avert judgment or release a liability. Here, it explicitly covers the risk of counting.

• for his life (נַפְשׁוֹ, nafsho): Literally, "his soul" or "his living being." The ransom is not for financial security, but specifically for the preservation of one's very existence, implying life's vulnerability before God.

• to the LORD (לַיהוָה, la-Yahweh): Specifies the recipient of the ransom. It is a holy payment to God, not to a human ruler or for secular purposes. Reinforces divine ownership.

• when you count them (בְּפָקְדֵי אֹתָם, b'foq'dei otam): Literally, "when numbering them," or "at the visitation of them." Paqad can mean to visit, number, or inspect, often with judicial overtones (for good or ill). The act of numbering them carries divine scrutiny.

• so that there may be no plague (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף, v'lo-yih'yeh bahem negef): This states the preventative purpose. A negef is a "blow" or "strike," often signifying a divine smiting, a pestilence, or judgment resulting in death. It emphasizes the direct link between neglecting this command and a catastrophic divine response.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "When you take the census...then each man shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD": This establishes a covenantal safeguard. Counting people (a symbol of strength or possession) could imply reliance on human might rather than divine protection, potentially invoking God's judgment. The mandatory "ransom" served as an acknowledgment of God's absolute ownership over life, preventing this transgression and re-establishing divine favor for the act of enumeration.
  • "so that there may be no plague among them when you count them": The purpose of the ransom is prophylactic. The specific consequence—a "plague" or divine visitation/judgment—highlights the seriousness of unauthorized or un-sanctified counting. The danger comes not from the act of counting itself, but from performing it without the proper recognition of God's ownership and the need for atonement for lives subject to His sovereignty.

Exodus 30 12 Bonus section

• The half-shekel was a fixed, egalitarian amount (Ex 30:13-15), ensuring that rich and poor alike gave the same, emphasizing that all lives were equally valuable in God's eyes and equally in need of ransom, reinforcing the concept that atonement cannot be bought based on one's wealth. It underscored spiritual equality before God.
• The money collected from this "atonement money" was explicitly designated for the service of the Tabernacle (Ex 30:16; 38:25-28). This established a direct link between the people's redemption, their presence in God's count, and the upkeep of the dwelling place where God communed with them and where atonement was performed.
• The concept of kofer (ransom/covering) implies a price paid to "cover" sin or avert a penalty. While human kofer for one's own life or another's soul is deemed impossible (Psa 49:7-8), God Himself provides or accepts kofer. In Ex 30:12, the means of kofer is a half-shekel, accepted by God for His people. This hints at the gracious nature of divine provision even in acts of required sacrifice.

Exodus 30 12 Commentary

Exodus 30:12 reveals a profound theological truth about life, divine ownership, and atonement. It underscores that human life is not self-possessed but belongs entirely to God. When a census was conducted, a standard act for organization, it inadvertently put a "number" on lives, which could be perceived as human accounting of divine possessions. This carried the risk of provoking God's jealous wrath, expressed as a plague (negef). The required half-shekel payment, functioning as a kofer or "ransom/atonement," served as a ritual acknowledgment that God alone had the claim on life, not the census-taker or the numbered. It was a symbolic re-purchase of a life that was already God's, signifying an act of propitiation. This wasn't merely a tax but a life-preserving act, acknowledging the inherent holiness of God and the sinfulness of humanity, requiring atonement to bridge the gap and avert judgment. The precedent for judgment due to improper census is clearly seen in David's actions (2 Sam 24). Ultimately, this earthly ransom foreshadows the perfect and ultimate ransom paid by Jesus Christ (Matt 20:28), who truly covers and atones for the lives of many, not with silver, but with His own precious blood, securing eternal life and deliverance from spiritual death, the ultimate plague.