Numbers 3:46
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

But for the price of the two hundred and seventy-three, of the firstborn of the children of Israel, that exceed the number of the Levites,

redeemed

Numbers 18:15 Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,

Exodus 13:13 The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men thou shalt redeem with a price.

the two hundred.

22,000, and the first-born males of the Israelites were

22,273, there were therefore

372 more of the latter than of the former, which are here ordered to be redeemed. The price of redemption is fixed at five shekels, or about

15s. each, in ver

Numbers 3:47 Thou shalt take five sicles for every bead, according to the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

. This money, amounting to

1365 shekels, equal to F204.

15s. English, was taken of the first-born. There is some difficulty, however, in determining which of the first-born should be redeemed by paying this sum, and which should be exchanged for the Levites; for every Israelite, no doubt, would rather have his first-born redeemed by a Levite, than pay five shekels; and yet some of them must have incurred this expense. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi says, to prevent contention, Moses took

22,000 slips of parchment, and wrote on each a son of Levi, and

273 more, on which he wrote five shekels; then putting them in an urn, and shaking them together, he ordered every one of the first-born to draw out a slip. If he drew out one with the first inscription, he said to him, a Levite hath redeemed thee; but if he drew out one of the latter, he said, pay the price. This is pronounced by Dr. A. Clarke to be a stupid, silly tale; but when we know that the determination by lot was used among the Israelites, it does not seem improbable that it was now resorted to, though we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the detail. This species of redeeming men is referred to by Peter in his

1st Epistle,

Numbers 1:18,19 And assembled them on the first day of the second month, reckoning them up by the kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of every one from twenty years old and upward, . . .

.

which are

Numbers 3:39-43 All the Levites, that I Moses and Aaron numbered according to the precept of the Lord, by their f families, of the male kind from one month and upward, were twenty-two thousand. . . .

Context
The Redemption of the Firstborn
45Take the Levites for the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for their cattle, and the Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord. 46But for the price of the two hundred and seventy-three, of the firstborn of the children of Israel, that exceed the number of the Levites,47Thou shalt take five sicles for every bead, according to the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.…
Cross References
Exodus 13:13
The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men thou shalt redeem with a price.

Exodus 13:15
For when Pharao was hardened, and would not let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.

Numbers 18:15
Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,

Numbers 18:16
And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

Lexicon
To redeem
פְּדוּיֵ֣י (pə·ḏū·yê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's Hebrew 6302: That are to be that were redeemed

the 273
הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה (haš·šə·lō·šāh)
Article | Number - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 7969: Three, third, thrice

firstborn
מִבְּכ֖וֹר (mib·bə·ḵō·wr)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 1060: Firstborn, chief

Israelites
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's Hebrew 1121: A son

who outnumber
הָעֹֽדְפִים֙ (hā·‘ō·ḏə·p̄îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 5736: To remain over, be in excess

the Levites,
הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi


Additional Translations
To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and three score and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

And for the redemption of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel, that are over and above the number of the Levites,

And for the ransoms of the two hundred and seventy-three which exceed the Levites in number of the first-born of the sons of Israel;

And for those that are to be ransomed, the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are in excess over the Levites,

And for the redemption of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are over and above the number of the Levites,

And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy and three, of the first-born of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites:

For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites,

And from those ransomed of the two hundred and seventy and three (who are more than the Levites) of the first-born of the sons of Israel,
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Children Exceed Excess First Firstborn First-Born Hundred Israel Israelites Levites Male Price Ransom Ransomed Redeem Redeemed Redemption Score Seventy Seventy-Three Thirteen Three Threescore
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Children Exceed Excess First Firstborn First-Born Hundred Israel Israelites Levites Male Price Ransom Ransomed Redeem Redeemed Redemption Score Seventy Seventy-Three Thirteen Three Threescore
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Alphabetical: 273 beyond exceed excess firstborn For in Israel Israelites Levites number of ransom redeem sons the To who

OT Law: Numbers 3:46 For the redemption of the two hundred (Nu Num.) Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

Numbers 3:45
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