THEOSISWlastow G.K.
The redemption of the souls of the Israelites is referenced. A. C. B. notes that gold and brass were presented as offerings (Ex. xxxv⁴⁰; 3, 24-29), while silver is identified as contributions “from those who were registered” (id, vv. 25-26). Therefore, except for the silver (see also Ex. 25:2, 30, 21, etc.), all materials needed for the tabernacle were given voluntarily; the silver was collected as a tribute to the King of Israel.
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This served as a “redemption of the soul” to prevent a “destructive plague.” It is noteworthy that David’s census (2 Samuel 24) resulted in a pestilence upon the people, and when comparing this verse with the account in 2 Samuel, it appears that David overlooked the fact that the true King of Israel was the Lord Jehovah, who alone had the authority to conduct the census of His people. The “redemption of the soul,” meaning the acknowledgment of their duties towards their King and the mandatory contribution of each individual towards the construction of the Sanctuary, was the essential condition for the census, which promised the welfare of the people. From Numbers 1:1, we see that the counting of the Israelites took place in the second month of the second year after their exodus from Egypt, while Exodus 11:17 reveals that the Tabernacle was finished in the first month of the second year. It is presumed that the command for the “redemption of the soul” was issued earlier, coinciding with the beginning of the Tabernacle’s construction; the current census took place after its completion to confirm the offerings made by the people “for the redemption of the soul.”