Exodus 30:12

¹⁰ Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”

¹¹ Then the LORD said to Moses,

“When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.

¹³ Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.

¹⁴ Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.
KJV: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
WEB: “When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are counted among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD when you count them, that there be no plague among them when you count them.
ASV: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
DARBY: When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel according to those of them that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to Jehovah on their being numbered, that there be no plague among them on their being numbered.
BLB: “When you take up the census of the sons of Israel for their number, then they shall give each man a ransom for his soul to YHWH when numbering them, and there shall not be a plague among them when numbering them.

ÅB: Når du holder manntall over Israels barn, da skal alle de som kommer med i manntallet, gi Herren løsepenger for sitt liv når de telles, så det ikke skal komme noen ulykke over dem fordi de telles.
OTB: “Når du tar en folketelling av israelittene, må hver person gi en løsepenge for sitt liv til Herren når de blir telt, så ingen plage skal komme over dem under folketellingen.
B1930: Når du holder manntall over Israels barn, da skal alle de som kommer med i manntallet, gi Herren løsepenger for sitt liv når de telles, så det ikke skal komme nogen ulykke over dem fordi de telles.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 31:50
So we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”
Read in context
Exodus 38:25–26
The silver from those numbered among the congregation totaled 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel—
Read in context
1 Peter 1:18–19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
Read in context
1 Chronicles 27:24
Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. For because of this census wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not entered in the Book of the Chronicles of King David.
Read in context
Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Read in context
Psalms 49:7
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
Read in context
Numbers 1:2–5
“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.
Read in context
2 Samuel 24:1–15
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
Read in context