A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

EXODUS 38:26KJV
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Exodus 38:26 (KJV)

What does Exodus 38:26 mean?

Exodus 38:26 describes how every man who was counted in the census of Israel, from age twenty and up, was required to give a "bekah," which is half a shekel, as measured by the standard of the sanctuary. This payment was collected from each eligible man, totaling 603,550 men.

In this verse, the text is summarizing the results of a census and the collection of a specific offering. Moses is recording how the community of Israel, while in the wilderness, was organized and how each adult man contributed equally to the sanctuary fund. The verse shows the careful accounting and fairness in the way the contributions were gathered for the tabernacle's needs.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 38:26

  • בֶּקַע (bekah): This word means "half" or "division," and here it refers to a specific weight of silver, equal to half a shekel. The use of "bekah" shows the precise amount each man was to give.
  • שֶׁקֶל (shekel): The shekel was the standard unit of weight and currency in ancient Israel. The verse specifies that the half-shekel was measured "after the shekel of the sanctuary," meaning it followed the official standard used for sacred purposes.
  • קֹדֶשׁ (sanctuary, transliterated as "qodesh"): This word points to the holiness or sacredness of the standard being used, emphasizing that the measure was not arbitrary but set apart for God's service.
  • פָּקַד (numbered, transliterated as "paqad"): This verb means "to count" or "to take account of." The verse uses it to indicate those who were officially registered in the census, highlighting the organized and inclusive nature of the process.

Why Exodus 38:26 matters

  • Exodus 38:26 clarifies that the census and the offering were not random but carefully regulated, with every eligible man giving the exact same amount, showing fairness and unity among the people.
  • The verse connects the census to the building and maintenance of the sanctuary, showing how the community's contributions directly supported their place of worship.
  • By specifying the age (twenty years and up) and the exact number of men, Exodus 38:26 helps readers understand the scale of the Israelite community at this point in their history.

Where else these words appear

“bekah” Hebrew H1235 · used in 2 verses

  • Genesis 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

“man” Hebrew H1538 · used in 12 verses

  • Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
  • Numbers 1:20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
  • 2 Kings 9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

“half” Hebrew H4276 · used in 14 verses

  • 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.
  • Numbers 31:29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.
  • Joshua 21:25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

“shekel” Hebrew H8255 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
  • 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:)
  • Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.