1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Numbers 18:16 | And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. *A sicle hath twenty obols. Exodus 30:13.; Leviticus 27:25.; Numbers 3:47.; Ezechiel 45:12. | Of it; the first-born of man. The child might be redeemed sooner, and sometimes they waited till after the purification of the mother, or 40 days, as our blessed Lady did, Luke 2:22. (Calmet) --- Five sicles of silver, or about 11s. 6d. English, were then to be paid, unless poverty obliged them to give only two turtles or pigeons. (Haydock) --- Beasts might be redeemed after they were eight days old, Exodus 13:12. Leo of Modena, (p. 1. C. 9,) informs us, that when a child is to be redeemed, at present, the father sends for a descendant of Aaron, who, after enquiring of the mother, if she have had no child before; and of the father, if he wish to redeem the infant, says aloud, "This child, being the first-born, belongs to me; as it is said, (Numbers 18:16,) Thou shalt redeem the child of a month old for five sicles. But I take this (about two crowns of gold) instead." (Calmet) --- But how can these priests prove their genealogy, since the distinction of the tribes has been so long lost? --- Of silver. Hebrew, "according to thy estimation, for the money of five sicles, by the sicle of the sanctuary, which hath 20 geras." (Haydock) |