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Numbers 18:15-17

Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal, shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals. You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.

“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Numbers 18:15-17 sits inside this longer paragraph.

“Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours. Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal, shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals. You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.

“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. Their meat shall be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. All the wave offerings of the holy things which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, I have given you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your offspring with you.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal, shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals.

    You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.

    “But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

  • KJV King James Version

    Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

    And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

    But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Every thing that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto the LORD, both of man and beast, shall be thine; howbeit the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

    And their redemption-money — from a month old shalt thou redeem them — shall be, according to thy valuation, five shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary — the same is twenty gerahs.

    But the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt dash their blood against the altar, and shalt make their fat smoke for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Commandments (1)

The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.

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Cross-references (15)

  • Exodus 30:13 (v16) They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are counted, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel…
  • Exodus 34:20 (v15) You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the…
  • Exodus 13:2 (v15) “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”
  • Numbers 3:47 (v16) you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs);
  • Exodus 13:12-13 (v15) that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall…
Show all 15 cross-references
  • Leviticus 27:2-7 (v16) “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to Yahweh in a vow, according to your valuation, your…
  • Leviticus 27:25 (v16) All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel.
  • Ezekiel 45:12 (v16) The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.
  • Exodus 22:29 (v15) “You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.
  • Exodus 29:16 (v17) You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar.
  • Leviticus 3:2-5 (v17) He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall…
  • Leviticus 27:26-27 (v15) “ ‘However the firstborn among animals, which belongs to Yahweh as a firstborn, no man may dedicate, whether an ox or a sheep. It is…
  • Numbers 3:13 (v15) for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in…
  • Numbers 3:46 (v15) For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites,
  • Deuteronomy 15:19-22 (v17) You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to Yahweh your God. You shall do no work with the…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (14 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v17 Because they are appointed for sacrifice.

Because they are appointed for sacrifice.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Whether it be of men, which were offered to…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv15–17 And those that are to be redeemed,.... Which is…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Of men - Which were offered to God in…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv15–16 Verse 15. The first-born of man - and the…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv16–17 Num 18:16. Those that are to be redeemed —…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v15 Surely redeem ... redeem - A stronger expression is…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv15–16 Beast. The Rabbins restrain this to the ass alone,…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv15–17 15. Every thing that openeth the matrix — Every…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–16 15. of all flesh which they offer] i.e. clean…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–16 (15) Every thing that openeth the matrix . .…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv16–17 From a month old. Literally, "from the monthly child,"…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v17 Connecting Statement:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v15 18:15-16 The Lord provided for the Hebrew priests and…
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