Numbers 18:16 - Exposition

From a month old. Literally, "from the monthly child," as soon as they reach the age of one month. According to thine estimation. See on Le Numbers 5:15 ; Numbers 27:2-7 . It would seem that the priest was to make the valuation for the people, since each first-born or firstling was separately claimed by God, and had to be separately redeemed; but at the same time, to prevent extortion, the sum which the priest might assess was fixed by God. For the money of five shekels. About seventeen shillings of our money (see Numbers 3:47 ). It is extremely drill cult to estimate the number of first-born, but it is evident that in any ease a large income must have accrued to the priests in this way. No value is here set upon the firstlings of unclean beasts; in the most usual ease, that of the ass, the rule had been laid down in Exodus 13:13 ; and in other cases it was apparently left to the discretion of the priests, subject to the right of the owner, if he saw fit, to destroy the animal rather than pay for it (see Le 27:27).