Exodus 30:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord 's offering to make atonement for your lives.

NIV: The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives.

NASB: The rich shall not pay more, and the poor shall not pay less, than the half shekel, when you give the contribution to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves.

CSB: The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives.

NLT: When this offering is given to the Lord to purify your lives, making you right with him, the rich must not give more than the specified amount, and the poor must not give less.

KJV: The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

NKJV: The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.

Exodus 30:11–16 describes a census tax used to support operations in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8–9). This is set at a strictly equal amount for every person. The tax also symbolizes how each person has an identical need for redemption to approach a holy God (Mark 10:45). Later, this would reappear as a "temple tax" (Nehemiah 10:32) and feature in parts of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem (Matthew 17:24).

Items described here function with other sacred objects (Exodus 25—28) constructed for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8–9). One is a small gold-lined altar for incense. The other is a large bronze basin for ceremonial washing. The last two sets of instructions are for specially formulated anointing oil and sacred incense. Israel will establish a national tax to pay for these.

Much of Exodus is a description of the tabernacle and its components (Exodus 25—28). This is the last section of new designs given in this book. God will assign craftsmen to make the sacred objects (Exodus 31). But while Moses receives these instructions, Israel slips into idolatry (Exodus 32). The last several chapters of Exodus record how God's earlier instructions were followed with precision.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.