Regulation In Respect of the Numbering of the Servants of Yahweh (Exodus 30:11-16).
That this regulation was placed between the consecration of the altar of incense and the bronze laver brings out that the mature males of the nation were seen to be Yahweh's and thus their numbering directly affected Him. And this is confirmed by the fact that when they are numbered for some purpose (usually in preparation for war) they will need to be ransomed. Compensation must be paid to Yahweh for their being used by the nation, especially when it was in its own defence and they being put at risk of their lives. How serious such numbering was seen to be comes out in 2 Samuel 24 were David appears to have done it simply for self-aggrandisement.
It is probable from the inclusion of this regulation here as a general principle that we are to see the expectancy of a regular numbering being taken of the children of Israel, a numbering of the servants of Yahweh (i.e. of the mature males). Note the mention of numbering three times in Exodus 30:12. It was clearly seen as a serious business. The purpose of such ‘numbering' at this stage would seem to be for the purpose of war (compare how in Numbers they were numbered in readiness for the march on Canaan and again when that march on Canaan was renewed).
Taking a ‘numbering' was probably seen as drawing God's attention to those involved. It was a counting of His servants with a view to their use by the nation, and as such, if no ransom was paid, it could result in Yahweh taking them to Himself by plague lest they be lost to Him without recompense. It was an indication that they were His. And when their silver half shekel went into the service of the Sanctuary it meant that they knew that they were represented before Yahweh, and that Yahweh would take account of them. By counting them they came to God's attention as His servants.
Among other nations there were fears for a similar reason. In their case it was often that they were seen as servants of ‘the gods', and a compensation for them was seen as necessary as a result of their being taken over from the gods by the king.
But here it was seen as numbering those who had become partakers in the covenant. Thus they were God's servants in covenant with Him and it was necessary that a ransom be paid and an atonement made so that the numbering would have no evil consequences and so that they might be legitimately freed from the obligations of direct divine service in order to live mundane lives and in order to hazard their lives. But it went further than that, for the tribute was for use in the Sanctuary where each man was therefore represented before Yahweh even while he lived and fought.
The first counting seems to have been taken in order to obtain silver for the building of the dwellingplace (Exodus 38:25-26).
The time prior to moving on from Mount Sinai was seen as a suitable time for a further numbering, partly in order to enable Moses to plan the march, and partly as preparation and mustering for future warfare. There had not been time or opportunity to organise things since leaving Egypt as a fleeing host, but now they probably at last felt safe. The details are given in Numbers 1-2.
a When Israel are ‘numbered' (being set apart for some task for Yahweh) each must give a ransom for himself so that there is no plague among them (Exodus 30:11-12).
b Each one as he passes over to be numbered will give half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh (Exodus 30:13).
c Every one who passes over who are those from twenty years old and upwards will give the offering to Yahweh (Exodus 30:14).
c Each will give the same, the rich not more and the poor not less, when they give the offering of Yahweh to make atonement for their persons (Exodus 30:15).
b The atonement money for the children of Israel will be appointed for the service of the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 30:16 a).
a It is to be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh to make atonement for their persons (Exodus 30:16 b).
In ‘a' when the male adults of Israel are numbered each is to give a ransom for himself, and in the parallel it is a memorial before Yahweh to make atonement for their persons. In ‘b' each one gives his half shekel as he ‘passes over' (possibly from one group to another) while in the parallel the money is appointed for the service of the Tent of Meeting. In ‘c' everyone over twenty years old is to give the offering to Yahweh, while in the parallel they must all give the same as an offering of Yahweh to make atonement for their persons.
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to those who are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his person to Yahweh when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.” '
So the census was to be a time when each member of the covenant paid his ransom so as to be relieved from the continual holy service of Yahweh (as with the firstborn in Exodus 13:13). It was necessary because they were all holy to Yahweh (Exodus 19:5-6). Later we learn that the Levites would not be numbered in the ordinary census because they were not to be relieved from such service (Numbers 1:47; Numbers 2:33). However, numbering them as the servants of Yahweh was clearly allowed (Numbers 3:15).
So had the ransom not been paid God would have claimed back His own through plague (compare 2 Samuel 24). It is a serious thing to be marked off as a servant of God. This brings out that all mature males were seen as direct servants of Yahweh. The firstborn had been redeemed because they belonged to Yahweh as the firstfruits (Exodus 13:2). These have to be redeemed because they are His by covenant.
“This shall they give, every one who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary. (The shekel is twenty gerahs). Half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh. Every one who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of Yahweh. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for their persons.”
The ransom to be paid was half a shekel. It was atonement money to cover the fact that they were relieved from Yahweh's direct service. The Sanctuary received it instead of their service. It was a way by which the Sanctuary could be provided for. It appears that the census was taken by the people moving from one spot to another as they were numbered. Thus as they passed over they had to pay their ransom. All had to pay the same because the service of all was seen as of equal value. None was superior to anyone else in the eyes of God.
This need for a ransom brings out how much God saw His people as His own. It was precisely because He loved them that a ransom had to be paid for His foregoing having their personal service, and in order that He might have in His Sanctuary a reminder of them.
Payment was to be made for all males of twenty years old and upwards. At that age they became theoretically eligible for service in the Sanctuary (1 Chronicles 23:24; 1 Chronicles 23:27; 2 Chronicles 31:17: Ezra 3:8), and available for war service (2 Chronicles 25:5).
The ‘half shekel' (about 5 grams or just under a quarter of an ounce) was not a piece of money (money was unknown) but a weight of silver. It was not a heavy price to pay. The shekel of the Sanctuary was a standard weight. Quite possibly an example was kept in the Sanctuary so that it could be used as a measure where necessary to ensure fair measurement. A gerah was a smaller weight, one tenth of half a shekel, put in, possibly later, to define which shekel is being used.
“ To make atonement for their persons.” That is to atone for their failure to provide service to Yahweh. Others see it as signifying their atoning for their unworthiness for the service of Yahweh. Possibly we may include both.
“And you shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your persons.”
The atonement money would make up for their lack of service in the Sanctuary, and would provide for the Sanctuary. Yahweh would, as it were, see it and accept it in place of their service. Thus there would be no failure in the fulfilling of their service. It was fulfilled by substitute silver which would itself become part of the Sanctuary (Exodus 38:25-28).
This reminds us that we too are committed to total service to God, and when we give we are substituting our money for that direct service for God that we have been unable to perform while earning that money. We are debtors to God for all the time when we are not performing direct service. That was what this ransom and the tithe expressed. But as Christians we are to give even more. We are to give ‘hilariously' (2 Corinthians 9:7).