Ezekiel 45:12
And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.
Original Language Analysis
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
H8255
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
Strong's:
H8255
Word #:
1 of 14
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
H8255
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
Strong's:
H8255
Word #:
5 of 14
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
H8255
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
Strong's:
H8255
Word #:
8 of 14
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
עֲשָׂרָ֤ה
H6235
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
H8255
שֶׁ֔קֶל
And the shekel
Strong's:
H8255
Word #:
11 of 14
probably a weight; used as a commercial standard
הַמָּנֶ֖ה
shall be your maneh
H4488
הַמָּנֶ֖ה
shall be your maneh
Strong's:
H4488
Word #:
12 of 14
properly, a fixed weight or measured amount, i.e., (technically) a maneh or mina
Cross References
Exodus 30:13This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.Leviticus 27:25And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.Numbers 3:47Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
Historical Context
During exile, Jewish merchants used Babylonian weights and currency, which differed from Torah standards. Ezekiel's restatement reasserts covenantal identity through economic reform. Just as Daniel refused the king's food to maintain ritual purity (Daniel 1:8), returning exiles must reject Babylonian commercial standards to maintain economic purity.
Questions for Reflection
- How can adopting worldly standards in 'neutral' areas like business compromise spiritual integrity?
- What does this detailed redefinition teach about God's concern for every aspect of community life?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh—This defines the shekel (שֶׁקֶל, basic weight/currency unit) as 20 gerahs (גֵּרָה, smallest unit, ~0.57 grams), and the maneh (מָנֶה, "mina") as 60 shekels (20 + 25 + 15 = 60). Exodus 30:13 and Leviticus 27:25 already established the 20-gerah shekel, but Israel had corrupted standards over time.
The unusual formula "twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels" may combat inflated minas circulating in Babylon (where a mina = 50 shekels) by emphatically restoring the proper 60-shekel mina. This isn't arbitrary arithmetic but covenant restoration—returning to Mosaic law's economic foundation. Every monetary transaction in the new temple economy must align with God's original standard, not Babylonian imperial systems. Jesus's parable of the minas (Luke 19:11-27) assumes hearers understood this measure's value, illustrating stewardship accountability.