This command reflects the respect the Israelites had for life and, above all, their strong conviction that life and people belong solely to God. Conducting a census was seen as something that went against this belief and could therefore bring serious misfortune (cf. Ex 30:12; Nm 14:29; 2 Sm 24). It was necessary to pay a ransom to acknowledge that life is God’s possession. The mention here of both the rich and the poor (15) indicates that this law was promoted by the temple long after the Israelites’ time in the desert. The tribute paid by those over twenty years old was intended for the service of the temple.