Exodus 38:25-31

38:25 The silver of those who were numbered of the community was one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, 1  according to the sanctuary shekel, 38:26 one beka per person, that is, a half shekel, 2  according to the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who crossed over to those numbered, from twenty years old or older, 3  603,550 in all. 4  38:27 The one hundred talents of silver were used for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the special curtain – one hundred bases for one hundred talents, one talent per base. 38:28 From the remaining 1,775 shekels 5  he made hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and made bands for them.

38:29 The bronze of the wave offering was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels. 6  38:30 With it he made the bases for the door of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils of the altar, 38:31 the bases for the courtyard all around, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, all the tent pegs of the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs of the courtyard all around. 7 

Nehemiah 10:32-33

10:32 We accept responsibility for fulfilling 8  the commands to give 9  one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple 10  of our God, 10:33 for the loaves of presentation and for the regular grain offerings and regular burnt offerings, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the appointed meetings, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the temple of our God.

1 sn This would be a total of 301,775 shekels (about 140,828 oz), being a half shekel exacted per person from 605,550 male Israelites 20 years old or more (Num 1:46). The amount is estimated to be around 3.75 tons.

2 sn The weight would be about half an ounce.

3 tn Heb “upward.”

4 tn The phrase “in all” has been supplied.

5 tn Here the word “shekels” is understood; about 45 pounds.

6 sn The total shekels would have been 212,400 shekels, which would be about 108,749 oz. This would make about 2.5 to 3 tons.

7 sn The bronze altar is the altar for the burnt offering; the large bronze basin is not included here in the list.

8 tn Heb “cause to stand on us.”

9 tc The MT reads “to give upon us.” However, the term עָלֵינוּ (’alenu, “upon us”) should probably be deleted, following a few medieval Hebrew MSS, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate.

10 tn Heb “house” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39).