Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 38:26
A bekah for every man, [that is], half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty [men].
26. a bea‘ ] Gen 24:22. Lit. a thing cleft or halved. Three bea‘s have been found recently in Palestine ( Qu. St. of PEF., 1904, pp. 179, 211, ZDPV. 1906, p. 94), weighing respectively 90.58, 94.28, and 102.5 grains Troy. They are apparently light, or worn, bea‘s of the ‘Phoenician’ standard ( DB. iv. 905 b ; EB. iv. 4444, 5297 f.), in which the shekel weighed 224 grs.
that passed over to them that were numbered ] as Exo 30:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A bekah – Literally, a half: the words half a shekel, etc. appear to be inserted only for emphasis, to enforce the accuracy to be observed in the payment. See Exo 30:13. Respecting the capitation and the numbering of the people, see Exo 30:12.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. A bekah for every man] The Hebrew word beka, from baka, to divide, separate into two, seems to signify, not a particular coin, but a shekel broken or cut in two; so, anciently, our farthing was a penny divided in the midst and then subdivided, so that each division contained the fourth part of the penny; hence its name fourthing or fourthling, since corrupted into farthing.
THERE appear to be three particular reasons why much riches should be employed in the construction of the tabernacle, c.
1. To impress the people’s minds with the glory and dignity of the Divine Majesty, and the importance of his service.
2. To take out of their hands the occasion of covetousness for as they brought much spoils out of Egypt, and could have little if any use for gold and silver in the wilderness, where it does not appear that they had much intercourse with any other people, and were miraculously supported, so that they did not need their riches, it was right to employ that in the worship of God which otherwise might have engendered that love which is the root of all evil.
3. To prevent pride and vainglory, by leading them to give up to the Divine service even the ornaments of their persons, which would have had too direct a tendency to divert their minds from better things. Thus God’s worship was rendered august and respectable, incitements to sin and low desires removed, and the people instructed to consider nothing valuable, but as far as it might be employed to the glory and in the service of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A bekah for every man, [that is], half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary,…. A half shekel was called a “bekah”, from , “bakah”, to divide; because it was a shekel divided into two parts:
for everyone that went to be numbered, from twenty years and upwards; in order to give a ransom, and make an atonement for their souls, as was ordered Ex 30:12
for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty [men]; so that from the time of their coming out of Egypt, which was now about six months ago, there was an increase of 3550 of the above age; see Ex 12:37.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(26) A bekah for every man.The word bekah means simply a half, but appears to have been restricted in its use to the half-shekel. (Comp. Gen. 24:22.) The exegetical clause, half a shekel, is probably a later addition to the text, inserted to clear the sense.
For every one that went to be numbered.It is remarkable that the principle of compulsory payment towards the fabric of the sanctuary should have received a sanction at the very time when the greatest stress was laid upon the greater acceptableness of voluntary offerings. (See Exo. 25:2; Exo. 35:5; Exo. 35:21-29.) Whatever may be thought of the expediency of levying church-rates, they are clearly defensible in principle, both from the standpoint of the Old Testament and of the New (Mat. 17:24-27).
From twenty years old and upward.See Note on Exo. 30:14.
Six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.The identity of this number with that which is given in Num. 1:46, as arrived at in the second year, on the first day of the second month (Num. 1:1), is best explained by regarding both passages as having reference to the same transaction. The taking of the census occupied several months, during which the money was gradually collected, the sockets, &c., made, and the Tabernaclo set up. The registration was deferred, and took place on a single day, when Moses and Aaron went round the tribes, received the results from their hands, and entered them in a book. It appears from Num. 1:47 that the Levites were not counted in the sum total, no atonement money being taken from them. (See Birks Exodus of Israel, pp. 118-120.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
bekah. See App-51.
man = poll.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bekah: Exo 30:13, Exo 30:15, Exo 30:16
every man: Heb. a poll, Num 1:46
six hundred: Exo 12:37, Num 1:46
Reciprocal: Exo 30:12 – takest Num 1:2 – Take ye the sum Num 2:32 – General Num 11:21 – General Num 26:2 – General 2Ch 25:6 – an hundred talents of silver Mat 17:24 – tribute