you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs),
English Standard Version (ESV)
The specific mention of "the shekel of the sanctuary" and its equivalence to twenty gerahs highlights that this wasn't just any payment; it was a divinely ordained rate, ensuring a consistent and holy valuation for redemption. This detail grounds the transaction in God's own standard, emphasizing that His ways of accounting and restoring what is lost are precise and sacred.
you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs),
English Standard Version (ESV)
After God established the Levites as His own to serve Him in place of all firstborn Israelites, He revealed that there were more firstborn males than Levites. To account for this surplus, Moses was instructed to collect a redemption payment for each of the extra firstborn, setting a specific amount and standard for this sacred transaction.
Why five shekels? This wasn't just a tax, but a profound statement about the value God places on each individual life.
In Numbers 3, God establishes a system where the Levites are set apart to serve Him, taking the place of all the firstborn males among the Israelites. However, there were more firstborn males than Levites. To account for this difference, God commands a redemption price: five shekels per head for those not covered by the Levites. This 'shekel of the sanctuary' was a standard weight, ensuring fairness. The crucial point is that this was not about mere commerce; it was about redemption. Each life, even those 'extra' firstborn, had a sacred value that required a price for its release, signifying their return to God's favor and protection.
What does it mean to use the 'shekel of the sanctuary'? It points to a divine benchmark that remains constant, even when our world changes.
The verse specifies using the 'shekel of the sanctuary,' a standard weight defined as twenty gerahs. This wasn't an arbitrary amount but a fixed measure recognized and honored within God's presence and worship. It signifies that God's valuation of life, and indeed of all things dedicated to Him, is not subject to fluctuating human markets or opinions. It’s a holy standard. This principle echoes throughout Scripture: God’s justice, mercy, and the value He places on humanity are consistent and unwavering, providing a stable foundation in a chaotic world.
Understand the original words
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sheqel · Hebrew Noun
A unit of weight used for currency in ancient Israel, typically made of silver. When specified as the "shekel of the sanctuary," it refers to the standard, official weight maintained by the priests to ensure fairness and consistency in offerings.
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
The area within the Tabernacle or Temple where the direct presence of God dwelt. Items or measurements designated as "of the sanctuary" were holy, set apart, and subject to the specific regulations given by God to Moses.
gerah · Hebrew Noun
The smallest unit of weight in the Hebrew system, equal to one-twentieth of a shekel. Its inclusion ensures precision and adherence to God's standard in all financial dealings related to holy things.
This regulation reveals God's meticulous care in establishing His order, ensuring every firstborn son who was not a Levite was accounted for and symbolically 'redeemed' back to God with a specific monetary value, thus underscoring the sanctity of life and God's ownership.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
Following God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, the nation began its journey to Mount Sinai.
c. 1445 BC
Tabernacle Construction Begins
The instructions for building the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place among His people, were given at Mount Sinai.
c. 1445 BC
Levitical Census and Service Defined
The Levites were chosen and numbered to serve at the Tabernacle, as a substitute for all Israel's firstborn.
c. 1445 BC— this verse
Redemption Price for Firstborn Set
God instructed Moses to establish a redemption price of five shekels for each firstborn Israelite male not belonging to the Levites, ensuring God's ownership was acknowledged.
c. 1445 BC
Shekel of the Sanctuary Defined
The standard weight for the sacred shekel, equivalent to 20 gerahs, was established for all religious transactions.
This passage establishes the standard 'shekel of the sanctuary' that is used in Numbers 3:47, highlighting the consistent value and importance of this sacred currency for specific religious transactions.
Leviticus 27:25This verse reiterates the 'shekel of the sanctuary' concept and its fixed value, reinforcing the idea of a standard measure for assessing sacred dues or redemptions, as seen with the firstborn.
Numbers 18:16This passage directly references the redemption of the firstborn with the same five-shekel amount, showing the established practice and its theological significance as a substitute for the firstborn who were designated for God's service.
Luke 2:24This New Testament account shows Mary and Joseph fulfilling the Law by offering the redemption price (two turtledoves or two pigeons) for Jesus, reflecting the principle of redemption for the firstborn, though the specific monetary amount is not mentioned.
ellicottNumbers 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:)"
(47) Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll. —It is not stated in what manner the 273 families of whom the redemption money was exacted were determined. Inasmuch, however, as the law of the redemption of the firstborn by the payment of five shekels came into operation from this time ( Numbers 18:16 ), it seems probable that th…
gillNumbers 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:)"
Thou shall even take five shekels apiece the poll,.... Or head; every firstborn, or his parent for him, was bound to pay five shekels, which were about eleven or twelve shillings of our money, and which was afterwards settled as the price of such a redemption, Numbers 18:16 , after the shekel of the sanctuary shall thou take them; being ful…
The specific mention of "the shekel of the sanctuary" and its equivalence to twenty gerahs highlights that this wasn't just any payment; it was a divinely ordained rate, ensuring a consistent and holy valuation for redemption. This detail grounds the transaction in God's own standard, emphasizing that His ways of accounting and restoring what is lost are precise and sacred.
After God established the Levites as His own to serve Him in place of all firstborn Israelites, He revealed that there were more firstborn males than Levites. To account for this surplus, Moses was instructed to collect a redemption payment for each of the extra firstborn, setting a specific amount and standard for this sacred transaction.
After God established the Levites as His own to serve Him in place of all firstborn Israelites, He revealed that there were more firstborn males than Levites. To account for this surplus, Moses was instructed to collect a redemption payment for each of the extra firstborn, setting a specific amount and standard for this sacred transaction.
"you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs)," — The specific mention of "the shekel of the sanctuary" and its equivalence to twenty gerahs highlights that this wasn't just any payment; it was a divinely ordained rate, ensuring a consistent and hol…
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Last reviewed October 2026