The Meaning of Exodus 30:12 Explained

Exodus 30:12

KJV: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

YLT: When thou takest up the sum of the sons of Israel for their numbers, then they have given each an atonement for his soul to Jehovah in their being numbered, and there is no plague among them in their being numbered.

Darby: When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel according to those of them that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to Jehovah on their being numbered, that there be no plague among them on their being numbered.

ASV: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When thou takest  the sum  of the children  of Israel  after their number,  then shall they give  every man  a ransom  for his soul  unto the LORD,  when thou numberest  them; that there be no plague  among them, when [thou] numberest  them. 

What does Exodus 30:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 30:11-21 - The Atonement Money And The Laver
The atonement money was paid by all alike, to remind them that they were a redeemed race, and that so far as their value was concerned, neither rank, nor age, nor money made any difference. See Romans 3:22-24; Romans 10:12-13. The rich might not give more, lest he be made proud; the poor must not give less, so that he might be leveled up by the common mercy of God.
The laver reminds us of our need of daily washing. See John 13:1-38. It is very necessary to our peace and strength to repair constantly to Christ with confession and prayer. See 1 John 1:6-7. The laver was made out of the looking-glasses of the women. See Exodus 38:8. It was a good use for them, and was altogether appropriate, for the Word of God is compared to a mirror for its revealing qualities, and to water for cleansing. See James 1:23; Ephesians 5:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 30

1  The altar of incense
11  The ransom of souls
17  The bronze basin
22  The holy anointing oil
34  The composition of the incense

What do the individual words in Exodus 30:12 mean?

when you take - the census of the sons of Israel for their number then shall give every man a ransom for himself to Yahweh when you number them that no there may be among them plague when [you] number them
כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־ רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל‪‬ לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם

תִשָּׂ֞א  you  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רֹ֥אשׁ  the  census 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בְּנֵֽי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל‪‬  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒  for  their  number 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ  then  shall  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אִ֣ישׁ  every  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
כֹּ֧פֶר  a  ransom 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּפֶר 
Sense: price of a life, ransom, bribe.
נַפְשׁ֛וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לַיהוָ֖ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בִּפְקֹ֣ד  when  you  number 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
וְלֹא־  that  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִהְיֶ֥ה  there  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בָהֶ֛ם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
נֶ֖גֶף  plague 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶף  
Sense: blow, striking, plague.
בִּפְקֹ֥ד  when  [you]  number 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.