Numbers 18 · Verse 16

Numbers 18:16

And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Numbers 18:16, King James Version

Numbers 18:16 in other translations

BSB	You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.
WEB	You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.
ASV	And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs).
YLT	‘And their ransomed ones from a son of a month, thou dost ransom with thy valuation, of silver, five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, twenty gerahs it is.
DARBY	And those that are to be ransomed from a month old shalt thou ransom, according to thy valuation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
BBE	Payment is to be made for these when they are a month old, at the value fixed by you, a price of five shekels by the scale of the holy place, that is, twenty gerahs to the shekel.
Webster	And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thy estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

What does Numbers 18:16 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 16 Shalt thou redeem - for the money of five shekels - Redemption of the first-born is one of the rites which is still practiced among the Jews. According to Leo of Modena, it is performed in the following manner: - When the child is thirty days old, the father sends for one of the descendants of Aaron: several persons being assembled on the occasion, the father brings a cup containing several pieces of gold and silver coin. The priest then takes the child into his arms, and addressing himself to the mother, says: Is this thy son? Mother. Yes. Priest. Hast thou never had another child, male or female, a miscarriage or untimely birth? Mother. No. Priest. This being the case, this child, as first-born, belongs to me. Then, turning to the father, he says: If it be thy desire to have this child, thou must redeem it. Father. I present thee with this gold and silver for this purpose. Priest. Thou dost wish, therefore, to redeem the child? Father. I do wish so to do. The priest then, turning himself to the assembly, says: Very well; this child, as first-born, is mine, as it is written in Bemidbar, (Num 18:16), Thou shalt redeem the first-born of a month old for five shekels, but I shall content myself with this in exchange. He then takes two gold crowns, or thereabouts, and returns the child to his parents.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 18:8-19

All believers are spiritual priests, and God has promised to take care of them. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is. And from the provision here made for the priests, the apostle shows that it is the duty of christian churches to maintain their ministers. Scandalous maintenance makes scandalous ministers. The priests were to be wholly devoted to their ministry, not diverted from it, or disturbed in it…

Read the full comment on Numbers 18:8-19 →

Numbers 18:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּפְדוּיָו֙u.fe.du.Yavand redemption price itsH6299

מִבֶּן\־mi.ben-from a son ofH1121

חֹ֣דֶשׁCho.desha monthH2320

תִּפְדֶּ֔הtif.Dehyou will redeem [it]H6299

בְּעֶ֨רְכְּךָ֔be.'Er.ke.khaby valuation yourH6187

כֶּ֛סֶףKe.sef[will be] silverH3701

חֲמֵ֥שֶׁתcha.Me.shetfiveH2568

שְׁקָלִ֖יםshe.ka.LimshekelsH8255

בְּשֶׁ֣קֶלbe.She.kelby [the] shekel ofH8255

הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁha.Ko.deshthe holy placeH6944

עֶשְׂרִ֥ים'es.Rim[is] twentyH6242

גֵּרָ֖הge.Rahgerah[s]H1626

הֽוּא\׃Hu'itH1931

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 18:16

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 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:)
Ezekiel 45:12
And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.
Leviticus 27:2-7
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation. And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. …
Leviticus 27:25
And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

shalt thou redeem.Redemption of the firstborn is one of the rites which are still practised among the Jews. According to Leo of Modena, it is performed in the following manner:--When the child is thirty days old, the father sends for one of the descendants of Aaron: several persons being assembled on the occasion, the father brings a cup, containing several pieces of gold and silver coin. The priest then takes the child into his arms, and addressing himself to the mother, he says, "Is this thy son?" Mother. "Yes." Priest. "Hast thou never had another child, male or female, a miscarriage, or untimely birth?" Mother. "No." Priest. "This being the case, this child, as firstborn, belongs to me." Then turning to the father, he says, "If it be thy desire to have this child, thou must redeem it." Father. "I present thee with this gold and silver for this purpose." Priest. "Thou dost wish, therefore, to redeem this child?" Father. "I do wish so to do." The priest then turning himself to the assembly, says, "Very well: this child, as first-born, is mine; as it is written in Bemidbar, (ch. 18:16,) Thou shalt redeem the first-born of a month old for five shekels; but I shall content myself with this in exchange." He then takes two gold crowns, or thereabouts, and returns the child to his parents.
according.
3:47; Le 27:2-7
which is.
Ex 30:13; Le 27:25; Eze 45:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Numbers 18:15
Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
Numbers 18:16
And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
Numbers 18:17
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Read all of Numbers 18

Numbers 18:16 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y de un mes harás efectuar el rescate de ellos, conforme á tu estimación, por precio de cinco siclos, al siclo del santuario, que es de veinte óbolos.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et ceux qui doivent être rachetés, depuis l’âge d’un mois, tu les rachèteras selon ton estimation, qui sera de cinq sicles d’argent, selon le sicle du sanctuaire, qui est de 20 guéras.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und die zu Lösenden unter ihnen sollst du von einem Monat an lösen, nach deiner Schätzung, um fünf Sekel Silber, nach dem Sekel des Heiligtums, der zwanzig Gera ist.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	cujus redemptio erit post unum mensem, siclis argenti quinque, pondere sanctuarii. Siclus viginti obolos habet.