Verse 12

“When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.

Referenced Verses

  • Num 31:50 : 50 So we have brought as an offering for the LORD what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”
  • Ps 49:7 : 7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
  • Matt 20:28 : 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
  • Exod 38:25-26 : 25 The silver of those who were numbered of the community was one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel, 26 one beka per person, that is, a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who crossed over to those numbered, from twenty years old or older, 603,550 in all.
  • Num 1:2-5 : 2 “Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and families, counting the name of every individual male. 3 You and Aaron are to number all in Israel who can serve in the army, those who are twenty years old or older, by their divisions. 4 And to help you there is to be a man from each tribe, each man the head of his family. 5 Now these are the names of the men who are to help you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
  • Num 26:2-4 : 2 “Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel.” 3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the rift valley plains of Moab, along the Jordan River across from Jericho. They said, 4 “Number the people from twenty years old and upward, just as the LORD commanded Moses and the Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt.”
  • Mark 10:45 : 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
  • 1 Tim 2:6 : 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time.
  • 1 Pet 1:18-19 : 18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed– not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.
  • 2 Sam 24:1-9 : 1 David Displeases the Lord by Taking a Census The LORD’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying,“Go count Israel and Judah.” 2 The king told Joab, the general in command of his army,“Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army.” 3 Joab replied to the king,“May the LORD your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?” 4 But the king’s edict stood, despite the objections of Joab and the leaders of the army. So Joab and the leaders of the army left the king’s presence in order to muster the Israelite army. 5 They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, at the wadi of Gad, near Jazer. 6 Then they went on to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim Hodshi, coming to Dan Jaan and on around to Sidon. 7 Then they went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beer Sheba. 8 They went through all the land and after nine months and twenty days came back to Jerusalem. 9 Joab reported the number of warriors to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers. 10 David felt guilty after he had numbered the army. David said to the LORD,“I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, O LORD, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” 11 When David got up the next morning, the LORD’s message had already come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: 12 “Go, tell David,‘This is what the LORD has said: I am offering you three forms of judgment. Pick one of them and I will carry it out against you.’” 13 Gad went to David and told him,“Shall seven years of famine come upon your land? Or shall you flee for three months from your enemy with him in hot pursuit? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 14 David said to Gad,“I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the LORD, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!” 15 So the LORD sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men died from Dan to Beer Sheba.
  • 1 Chr 21:12 : 12 three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the LORD, during which a plague will invade the land and the LORD’s angel will destroy throughout Israel’s territory.’ Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me.”
  • 1 Chr 21:14 : 14 So the LORD sent a plague through Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died.
  • 1 Chr 27:24 : 24 Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll called The Annals of King David.
  • 2 Chr 24:6 : 6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him,“Why have you not made the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the LORD’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?”
  • Job 33:24 : 24 and if God is gracious to him and says,‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,’
  • Job 36:18 : 18 Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.