Exodus 38:26

Authorized King James Version

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.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
בֶּ֚קַע
A bekah
a section (half) of a shekel, i.e., a beka (a weight and a coin)
#2
לַגֻּלְגֹּ֔לֶת
for every man
a skull (as round); by implication, a head (in enumeration of persons)
#3
מַֽחֲצִ֥ית
that is half
a halving or the middle
#4
בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל
a shekel
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
#5
בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל
a shekel
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
#6
הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ
of the sanctuary
a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
#7
לְכֹ֨ל
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
#8
הָֽעֹבֵ֜ר
for every one that went
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
#9
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#10
הַפְּקֻדִ֗ים
to be numbered
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
#11
מִבֶּ֨ן
old
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
#12
עֶשְׂרִ֤ים
from twenty
twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth
#13
שָׁנָה֙
years
a year (as a revolution of time)
#14
וָמַ֔עְלָה
and upward
properly,the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc
#15
לְשֵׁשׁ
for six
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
#16
מֵא֖וֹת
hundred
a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction
#17
אֲלָפִ֔ים
thousand
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
#18
וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת
and three
three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice
#19
אֲלָפִ֔ים
thousand
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
#20
וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ
and five
five
#21
מֵא֖וֹת
hundred
a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction
#22
וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃
and fifty
fifty

Analysis

This verse develops the salvation theme central to Exodus. The concept of divine revelation reflects the development of salvation within biblical theology. The literary structure and word choice here contribute to biblical literature contributing to the canon's theological witness, advancing the author's theological argument. The original language emphasizes careful word choice that would have carried specific theological weight for the original audience, providing deeper understanding of the author's theological intention.

Historical Context

The historical context of the period of Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1440-1400 BCE) provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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