King James Bible

Back to Reader

Numbers

Note Journal Prayer

3

:

50

“

Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Of the firstborn eldest Noun H1060 בְּכֹ֛ור be·cho·vr
of the children afflicted Noun H1121 בְּנֵ֥י be·nei
of Israel Israel Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל yis·ra·'el
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
took accept Verb H3947 לָקַ֣ח la·kach
he the money money Noun H3701 הַכָּ֑סֶף hak·ka·sef;
[shekels] after the shekel shekel Noun H8255 בְּשֶׁ֥קֶל be·she·kel
of the sanctuary consecrated Noun H6944 הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ hak·ko·desh.
and five fif Noun H2568 חֲמִשָּׁ֨ה cha·mi·shah
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

Locations

Israel

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF" I. THE FIRST PERIOD1. The Two Kingdoms2. The Ist Dynasty3. The IInd Dynasty4. Civil WarII. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS1. The IIIrd Dynasty2. World-Politics3. Battle of Karkar4. Loss of Territory5. Reform of Religion6. Revolution7. The IVth Dynasty8. Renewed Prosperity9. AnarchyIII. DECLINE AND FALL1. Loss of Independence2. Decline3. Extinct... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
King James Bible Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
Hebrew Greek English Of from the firstborn of the children sons of Israel he took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary:sanctuary, 1,365.
New American Standard Bible 1995 Of from the firstborn of the children sons of Israel he took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary:sanctuary, 1,365.