Each who is numbered in the census is literally “Every passer-over to the counted ones.” New International Version is quite literal, “Each one who crosses over to those already counted” (similarly Revised English Bible). But this obviously means “Everyone included in the census” (Good News Translation) or “each one who is registered” (New Revised Standard Version). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “everyone who is entered in the records.” Shall give this refers to what follows. It is possible to include information from verse 14 and say “Each man twenty years old or older, whether rich or poor,” leaving it implicit that these are the ones who are numbered in the census.
Half a shekel does not refer to a coin but rather to half of the standard weight of silver (or gold), which may have been about 11.4 grams, or 0.4 ounces. Half a shekel therefore weighed about 5.7 grams. It is difficult to estimate what this would equal in today’s currency, so most translations simply transliterate the Hebrew word shekel. Good News Translation avoids this by saying “Everyone … must pay the required amount of money,” and Contemporary English Version has “must pay me the same amount of money.” It should be noted, however, that Contemporary English Version changes the focus from the specified amount to the idea that everyone pays the same amount. In this case, on the basis of 38.25, it was to be paid in silver.
According to the shekel of the sanctuary may also be translated “by the holy shekel.” This indicates that there may have been more than one standard. Revised English Bible has “according to the sacred standard.” At least this “sanctuary weight” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) of the shekel equaled twenty gerahs. The gerah was the smallest unit of weight, which was less than 0.6 grams. Good News Translation has considered this as unnecessary information and simply says “weighed according to the official standard.” (Contemporary English Version is almost identical.) But this was probably not the same as the “royal standard” (Good News Translation) mentioned in 2Sam 14.26 (Revised Standard Version “the king’s weight”). One may also say “weighed according to what is considered the correct weight” or “that you weigh according to what they consider the correct weight.”
Half a shekel as an offering to the LORD uses the same word for offering as 25.2. It has the basic meaning of something “lifted up” in an act of dedication. This half a shekel is the same as the one mentioned earlier, so New Jerusalem Bible has “This half-shekel will be set aside for Yahweh,” and Good News Translation has “Everyone must pay this as an offering to me.”
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .