Numbers 18:16

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

⁸Then the LORD said to Aaron, "Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute. ⁹A portion of the most holy offerings reserved from the fire will be yours. From all the offerings that they give Me, whether grain offerings, sin offerings, or guilt offerings, it shall be most holy to you and your sons. ¹⁰You are to eat it as most holy. Every male may eat it; it shall be holy to you. ¹¹And this is yours as well: the offering of their gifts, along with all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I have given this to you and your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat it. ¹²I give you all the freshest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain that the Israelites give to the LORD as their firstfruits. ¹³The firstfruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, belong to you. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat them. ¹⁴Every devoted thing in Israel belongs to you. ¹⁵The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. ¹⁶You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.¹⁷But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

shalt thou redeem: Redemption of the firstborn is one of the rites which are still practised among the Jews. According to Leo of Modena, it is performed in the following manner: - When the child is thirty days old, the father sends for one of the descendants of Aaron: several persons being assembled on the occasion, the father brings a cup, containing several pieces of gold and silver coin. The priest then takes the child into his arms, and addressing himself to the mother, he says, "Is this thy son?" Mother. "Yes." Priest. "Hast thou never had another child, male or female, a miscarriage, or untimely birth?" Mother. "No." Priest. "This being the case, this child, as firstborn, belongs to me." Then turning to the father, he says, "If it be thy desire to have this child, thou must redeem it." Father. "I present thee with this gold and silver for this purpose." Priest. "Thou dost wish, therefore, to redeem this child?" Father. "I do wish so to do." The priest then turning himself to the assembly, says, "Very well: this child, as first-born, is mine; as it is written in Bemidbar - Numbers 18:16,Thou shalt redeem the first-born of a month old for five shekels; but I shall content myself with this in exchange." He then takes two gold crowns, or thereabouts, and returns the child to his parents.

according: Numbers 3:47, Leviticus 27:2-7

which is: Exodus 30:13, Leviticus 27:25, Ezekiel 45:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 13:13 - shalt thou Exodus 38:24 - the shekel Leviticus 27:3 - And thy estimation Numbers 3:15 - General Nehemiah 10:36 - the firstborn

Cross-References

Acts 15:3
Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

Acts 20:38
They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Acts 21:5
But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

Romans 15:24
I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.

3 John 1:6
They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And those that are to be redeemed,.... Which is to be understood not of unclean beasts last mentioned, for they were redeemed with lambs and not with money; and after they were eight days and not a month old, as follows, Exodus 13:13; but of the firstborn of men:

from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation: that is, take the redemption money next mentioned; and though both time and price are fixed, yet said to be according to the estimation of the priest; see Leviticus 27:5;

for the money of five shekels; which was about eleven or twelve shillings of our money, and is the price given for the redemption of the firstborn, when the Levites were taken in their stead, Numbers 3:47;

after the shekel of the sanctuary, which [is] twenty gerahs,

Numbers 3:47- :; of the manner of redeeming the firstborn,

Numbers 3:47- :.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 18:16. Shalt thou redeem - for the money of five shekels — Redemption of the first-born is one of the rites which is still practised among the Jews. According to Leo of Modena, it is performed in the following manner: - When the child is thirty days old, the father sends for one of the descendants of Aaron: several persons being assembled on the occasion, the father brings a cup containing several pieces of gold and silver coin. The priest then takes the child into his arms, and addressing himself to the mother, says: Is this thy son?

MOTHER. Yes.

PRIEST. Hast thou never had another child, male or female, a miscarriage or untimely birth?

MOTHER. No.

PRIEST. This being the case, this child, as first-born, belongs to me.

Then, turning to the father, he says: If it be thy desire to have this child, thou must redeem it.

FATHER. I present thee with this gold and silver for this purpose.

PRIEST. Thou dost wish, therefore, to redeem the child?

FATHER. I do wish so to do.

The priest then, turning himself to the assembly, says: Very well; this child, as first-born, is mine, as it is written in Bemidbar, (Numbers 18:16), Thou shalt redeem the first-born of a month old for five shekels, but I shall content myself with this in exchange. He then takes two gold crowns, or thereabouts, and returns the child to his parents.