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 38:26KJVWhat 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.