Editing Shekel (section)

===Israelites===
{{bibleverse|Exodus|30:24}} notes that the measures of the ingredients for the [[holy anointing oil]] were to be calculated using the ''Shekel of the Sanctuary'' (see also {{bibleverse|Exodus|38:24–26}}, and similarly at {{bibleverse|Numbers|3:47}} for payment for the redemption of 273 first-born males<ref>See [[Bemidbar (Parsha)#Sixth reading — Numbers 3:40–51]]</ref> and at {{bibleverse|Numbers|7:12–88}} for the offerings of the leaders of the [[Twelve Tribes of Israel|tribes of Israel]]), suggesting that there were other common measures of a shekel in use, or at least that the [[Solomon's Temple|Temple]] authorities defined a standard for the shekel to be used for Temple purposes.

According to [[Book of Leviticus|Levitical law]], whenever a census of the Israelites was to be conducted, every person that was counted was required to pay the ''half-shekel'' for his atonement ({{bibleverse|Exodus|30:11–16}}).<ref>Compare [[Josephus]], ''[[Antiquities of the Jews|Antiquities]]'' (vii. 13, § 1)[http://sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-7.htm Antiquities of the Jews – Book VII]</ref>

The Aramaic {{lang|oar-Latn|tekel}}, similar to the Hebrew {{lang|he-Latn|shekel}}, used during the [[Belshazzar's feast|feast of Belshazzar]] according to the [[Book of Daniel]] and defined as weighed, shares a common root with the word shekel and may even additionally attest to its original usage as a weight.