Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Census?

10 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Census in the Bible

Discover 10 Bible verses about census. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on census, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments.

10
Total Verses
7
Old Testament
3
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Census

  1. 1
    Exodus 30:12
    When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. their number: Heb. them that are to be numbered
    KJV
  2. 2
    Exodus 30:13
    This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Exodus 30:14
    Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
    KJV
  4. 4
    Exodus 30:15
    The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. give more: Heb. multiply give less: Heb. diminish
    KJV
  5. 5
    Exodus 30:16
    And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
    KJV
  6. 6
    Exodus 38:26
    A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. every man: Heb. a poll
    KJV
  7. 7
    Numbers 3:14
    And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
    KJV
  8. 8
    Luke 2:1
    And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. taxed: or, enrolled
    KJV
  9. 9
    Luke 2:2
    ( And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
    KJV
  10. 10
    Luke 2:3
    And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
    KJV

Subtopics of Census

The numbering of Israel
By Moses
By David
A poll tax to be levied at each
Of the Roman Empire, by Caesar
Of the Roman empire, by Caesar

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Census? (7 Verses)

When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. their number: Heb. them that are to be numbered
This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. give more: Heb. multiply give less: Heb. diminish
And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. every man: Heb. a poll
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Census? (3 Verses)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. taxed: or, enrolled
( And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Census

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about census. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about census and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about census is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on census needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about census with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about census, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Census?

You have studied 10 verses about census. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about census?
Discover 10 Bible verses about census. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on census, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments. The Bible contains 10 key verses about census spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about census are there?
There are 10 key Bible verses about census compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about census?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about census is Exodus 30:12 — "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou n..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about census?
Census is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 10 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Census

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

census