Numbers 3:48

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

American Standard Version (1901)

and thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

Bible in Basic English

And this money, the price of those over the number of the Levites, is to be given to Aaron and his sons.

Free Bible Version

He handed the money over to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra Israelites.”

King James (Authorized) Version

And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

One Unity Resource Bible

and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron [Light-bringer] and to his sons.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

You must give the price of redemption that you paid to Aaron and his sons.”

Noah Webster Bible

And thou shalt give to Aaron and to his sons the money, with which the odd number of them is to be redeemed.

World English Bible

and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”

Young's Literal Translation

and thou hast given the money to Aaron, and to his sons, whereby those over and above are ransomed.'

Context

The Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁷you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.⁴⁸Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

Summary

In Numbers 3:48, the Lord commands Moses to collect the redemption money from the firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of Levites. This money symbolizes the consecration of the firstborn to the Lord, as the Levites were chosen to serve in place of the firstborn. This act highlights the importance of dedication and service to God, as well as the concept of substitutionary atonement. It also foreshadows the ultimate redemption and atonement brought by Jesus Christ, who became the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And Moses took the redemption money,.... Of five shekels per head: of them that were over and above redeemed by the Levites; or were more than those redeemed by them. A Levite redeemed a firstborn, or freed him from the redemption price, being taken in lieu of him: 22,000 Levites were answerable to 22,000 firstborn of Israel; but as there were no more Levites than the above number, there remained two hundred seventy three firstborn to be redeemed by money, and it was the redemption money of these Moses took.