H6306a H6306a
redemption, ransom (the price paid to redeem)
A Hebrew noun referring to redemption money or ransom price, appearing in Numbers 3:49. The term is textually problematic—most scholars suggest reading 'the redeemed ones' (passive participle) rather than 'the redemption' (noun), as reflected in the verse's Qere reading. In context, it refers to the redemption money collected for the excess Israelite firstborns over the number of Levites. This payment substituted for the firstborn's consecration to God, established after the exodus.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Refers to redemption money or ransom paid for firstborn Israelites in Numbers 3:49. The text describes Moses collecting redemption silver for the 273 firstborn who exceeded the number of Levites (who served as substitutes for firstborns). Though the noun form is textually disputed, the concept is clear: payment that releases an obligation. Multilingual glosses (Spanish rescate, French rachat, German redemption) all capture this sense of ransoming or buying back. 1×
AR["الْفِداءِ"]·ben["মুক্তির"]·DE["der-redemption"]·EN["the-redemption"]·FR["le-rachat"]·heb["ה-פדיום"]·HI["छुड़ाने-की"]·ID["tebusan"]·IT["il-redemption"]·jav["panebusan"]·KO["그-대속의"]·PT["o-resgate"]·RU["выкупа"]·ES["el-rescate"]·SW["ya-ukombozi"]·TR["fidyenin-"]·urd["فدیے-کا"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† פִּדְיוֹם n.m. ransom;—Nu 3:49, read prob. פְּדוּיִם (so Sam.); פִּדְיֹם v 51 Kt (Qr פְּדוּיִם);—v. פדה Qal Pt. pass., and פְּדוּיִם supr.