The rich shall not give more is literally “The rich [one] will not cause to be many.” Rich in a number of languages will be expressed as “those who have many possessions.” And the poor shall not give less is literally “and the poor [one] will not cause to be few.” (See the comment on “poor” at 23.3.) Than the half shekel turns the two expressions into comparative clauses, “more than” and “less than.” Good News Translation omits the half shekel since this is understood from verse 14.

When you give the LORD’s offering is literally “for giving the lifted-up [gift] of Yahweh.” (See verse 14.) To make atonement for yourselves is literally “for covering over [or, appeasing] upon your [plural] souls [plural of nefesh].” (But see the comment on nefesh at verse 11.) New Revised Standard Version has “for your lives,” and Good News Translation changes the second person plural to third person, “for their lives.”

An alternative translation model combining verses 13-15 is the following:

• Each man who is twenty years old or older, whether rich or poor, must pay the same amount of money to protect his life. You must weigh this according to what they consider the correct [or, standard] amount.

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 .