Exodus 30 15

Exodus 30:15 kjv

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Exodus 30:15 nkjv

The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.

Exodus 30:15 niv

The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives.

Exodus 30:15 esv

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives.

Exodus 30:15 nlt

When this offering is given to the LORD to purify your lives, making you right with him, the rich must not give more than the specified amount, and the poor must not give less.

Exodus 30 verses

Exodus 30 15 Meaning

Exodus 30:15 establishes a universal and impartial requirement for a specific contribution towards the Tabernacle, given during a census, for the purpose of making atonement for the souls of the Israelite men aged twenty years and upward. It emphatically states that a person's financial status, whether rich or poor, does not alter the divinely mandated amount of this "half shekel." All stand equally before the Lord in their need for divine covering and protection, and all are expected to contribute equally for the service that facilitates this spiritual reality.

Exodus 30 15 Context

Exodus 30:15 is part of a detailed set of instructions concerning the construction and furnishing of the Tabernacle and its service (Exod 25-31), delivered immediately after the giving of the Ten Commandments. Specifically, verses 11-16 of Exodus 30 outline the command for a unique "atonement money" to be collected from every Israelite man aged twenty and above during a census. This collection was explicitly to serve as a "ransom for his life" (kopher nephesh), preventing a plague that might otherwise result from counting the people without acknowledging that their lives belong to God. The funds collected from this half-shekel were designated for the ongoing expenses of the Tabernacle service, such as the silver sockets for the sanctuary planks and pillars (Exod 38:27-28). It is crucial to distinguish this specific census contribution from voluntary offerings, tithes, or annual temple taxes that appeared later in Israel's history; this was a mandatory and specific "redemption price" paid for one's life to the Lord. The passage's emphasis on both the rich and the poor paying the exact same amount highlights a foundational principle: all Israelites, regardless of their social or economic standing, are equally in need of atonement and are equally valued in the covenant relationship with God. This divine impartiality underscores that access to God's favor and protection is not for purchase or privilege but is uniformly available through prescribed means.

Exodus 30 15 Word analysis

• The rich: Hebrew: הֶֽעָשִׁיר (ha'ashir). This term denotes someone of considerable wealth or abundance. Its inclusion emphasizes that material prosperity offers no exemption or elevated status when it comes to fundamental spiritual obligations before God.
• shall not give more: Hebrew: לֹא־יַרְבּוּ (lo'-yarbú), from the root רבה (ravah) meaning "to increase" or "to be much." This directive underlines God's standard of perfect equity. Giving more, even if one is wealthy, would imply that wealth could buy greater atonement or a superior standing with God, which is expressly forbidden. God’s standard for atonement is fixed, not negotiable by human resources.
• and the poor: Hebrew: הַדַּל (haddal). This refers to someone who is weak, humble, or destitute. Its parallel use with "the rich" draws a stark contrast in economic status but unifies them under the same divine command, highlighting their equal standing in the sight of God concerning this spiritual contribution.
• shall not give less: Hebrew: לֹא־יַמְעִ֣יט (lo'-yam'it), from the root מעט (ma'at) meaning "to be few" or "to diminish." This signifies that poverty does not excuse one from fulfilling the basic spiritual requirement. All are held to the same standard because all share the same intrinsic spiritual need for atonement.
• than the half shekel: Hebrew: מַחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל (machatzit hashsheqel). A fixed and precise monetary amount (approx. 5.7 grams of silver), which represented the universal and unchanging price. This physical, standardized currency serves as a tangible symbol of the unchanging divine standard for redemption. The 'shekel of the sanctuary' ensures a pure and unchanging weight.
• when you give: This refers to the act of presenting or bringing the specified offering.
• the Lord's offering: Hebrew: תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה (tərūmat Yahweh). Literally "heave offering of Yahweh." This specific type of offering signifies something "lifted up" or "set apart" for sacred use. It’s not a free-will offering (nedabah) but a mandatory contribution for the maintenance of the Tabernacle. This contribution directly funds the infrastructure for divine-human interaction and atonement, underscoring its sacred purpose.
• to make atonement: Hebrew: לְכַפֵּ֥ר (ləkhapper), from the root כפר (kaphar), meaning "to cover," "to purge," "to appease," or "to expiate." Here, it signifies a covering or propitiation for their souls. It's a symbolic act acknowledging the people's sinful state and their need for divine mercy and protection from the plague threatened by the census.
• for your souls: Hebrew: עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם (al-nafshōtêkhem). "Souls" (nephesh) refers to the individual lives or persons themselves. The payment is not for sins per se but as a "ransom for his life" (Exod 30:12), protecting their lives from the plague that might ensue if a census were taken without this acknowledgment of God's sovereignty over life. It points to a spiritual safeguarding and a profound acknowledgment that their very lives are gifts from God, needing redemption.

Words-group by words-group analysis data

• The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less: This phrase encapsulates the core theological principle of divine impartiality regarding spiritual matters and covenant responsibilities. It starkly rejects the notion that wealth grants privilege or that poverty provides excuse. God's standard is fixed for all His covenant people, emphasizing their equality in the face of His demands and their universal need for His provision. This counters common societal structures where socio-economic status determined religious access or favor.
• when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your souls: This phrase connects the act of giving this fixed monetary contribution directly to its ultimate purpose: the safeguarding and covering (atonement) of the individual lives (souls) before the holy God. It highlights that the money is not a mere tax but a spiritually significant act tied to covenant life and divine protection. It underscores the profound truth that life itself requires redemption, a concept pointing beyond mere financial transaction to the future perfect atonement.

Exodus 30 15 Bonus section

• The precise amount, "half a shekel," symbolically suggests that a human being can never fully pay the "whole" price for their redemption; the complete "shekel" (or perfect payment) for life and salvation must come from a divine source, pointing ultimately to Christ.
• This specific "census money" was collected periodically, only when a general census of the fighting-age men was commanded, not as an annual temple tax as seen in later periods of Israelite history (cf. Neh 10:32).
• The impartial demand stood as a powerful polemic against many surrounding pagan cultures where lavish, proportional gifts from the rich were expected to garner greater favor from their deities, and the poor often had little or no access to religious privilege. The God of Israel treated His people distinctly and equitably.
• The half-shekel fund served to support the very infrastructure of worship and atonement – the Tabernacle. Thus, every Israelite, irrespective of wealth, literally supported the communal means by which they could draw near to God and receive covering.

Exodus 30 15 Commentary

Exodus 30:15 articulates a profound spiritual truth: before God, all humanity stands on equal ground in their inherent need for redemption. The requirement for a fixed "half shekel" from both rich and poor for atonement and the Tabernacle service powerfully communicates divine impartiality. It precludes the wealthy from "buying" greater favor or status, preventing a meritocratic or financial ladder in spiritual matters. Conversely, it dignifies the poor by granting them the same full access and equal obligation, underscoring that their inherent spiritual worth is not diminished by material scarcity. This fixed redemption price signifies that atonement is God’s unchanging standard for every individual. While this was a material payment for the Tabernacle's upkeep and a ritual covering against immediate plague, it foreshadows the ultimate and truly equal "ransom for many" offered by Christ (Mk 10:45; 1 Tim 2:6). Just as all contributed the same small, universal price, so too is salvation universally offered through one, non-negotiable perfect sacrifice. It implies that no human can fully pay the "price" of redemption, emphasizing God's provision.