In biblical contexts, the term "poll" generally refers to the act of counting or numbering people, often for the purpose of taxation or military service. The concept of taking a poll or census is seen in several instances throughout the Scriptures, reflecting both practical governance and divine instruction.

Old Testament References

One of the earliest mentions of a poll or census is found in the Book of Exodus. God commands Moses to take a census of the Israelites, specifically for the purpose of collecting a ransom for each person counted, which was to be used for the service of the Tent of Meeting. This is detailed in Exodus 30:12-16 : "When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when you number them."

The Book of Numbers is aptly named for its detailed accounts of censuses taken during the Israelites' wilderness journey. Numbers 1:2-3 states, "Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years old or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army."

Another significant census occurs under King David's reign, as recorded in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. David's decision to number the people incites divine displeasure, resulting in a plague as punishment. This incident underscores the belief that such actions should be undertaken only under divine directive, highlighting the theological implications of human authority and divine sovereignty.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of a poll or census is notably mentioned in the context of the birth of Jesus Christ. Luke 2:1-3 records, "Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register." This decree leads Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace.

Theological Implications

The act of taking a poll or census in the Bible often carries theological significance. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over His people and the importance of obedience to His commands. The censuses in the Old Testament, particularly those commanded by God, emphasize the organization and preparation of the Israelites for their roles as His chosen people. Conversely, unauthorized censuses, such as David's, illustrate the potential for human error and the consequences of acting outside divine will.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient times, censuses were common for administrative purposes, such as taxation and military conscription. The biblical accounts reflect these practices within the context of Israelite society and governance. The censuses also provide valuable historical insights into the demographics and organization of the Israelite tribes.

Overall, the concept of a poll or census in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing practical, theological, and historical dimensions. It serves as a testament to the intricate relationship between divine command and human governance, as well as the enduring significance of obedience and faithfulness to God's will.1. (n.) A parrot; -- familiarly so called.

2. (n.) One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman.

3. (n.) The head; the back part of the head.

4. (n.) A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals.

5. (n.) Specifically, the register of the names of electors who may vote in an election.

6. (n.) The casting or recording of the votes of registered electors; as, the close of the poll.

7. (n.) The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as, to go to the polls.

8. (n.) The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.

9. (n.) The European chub. See Pollard, 3 (a).

10. (v. t.) To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as, to poll the head; to poll a tree.

11. (v. t.) To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop; -- sometimes with off; as, to poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass.

12. (v. t.) To extort from; to plunder; to strip.

13. (v. t.) To impose a tax upon.

14. (v. t.) To pay as one's personal tax.

15. (v. t.) To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.

16. (v. t.) To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters; as, he polled a hundred votes more than his opponent.

17. (v. t.) To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation; as, a polled deed. See Dee/ poll.

18. (v. i.) To vote at an election.

POLL

pol: The word (on the derivation of which see Skeat, Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 360) has been eliminated as a verb in the American Standard Revised Version. In the King James Version and English Revised Version it represents the Hebrew verbs kacam, literally "to shear" (Ezekiel 44:20), gazaz, literally, "to pull out," "to uproot," thence "to shear the sheep," figuratively, "to destroy an enemy" (Micah 1:16), galach, in Piel, literally, "to make bald or roundheaded" (2 Samuel 14:26) and qatsats, "to cut off" (Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 25:23; Jeremiah 49:32). The Hebrew noun is gulgoleth. As will be seen from the above enumeration, the Hebrew verb differ considerably in etymology, while Revised Version has not tried to distinguish. In Micah 1:16 we have a reference to the oriental custom of cutting or tearing one's hair as a sign of mourning for one's relatives. "Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair (King James Version and English Revised Version "poll thee," Hebrew gazaz) for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle (margin "vulture"); for they are gone into captivity from thee." The priests, the sons of Zadok, are instructed to abstain from outward resemblance to heathen patterns of priesthood: "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair (the King James Version and the English Revised Version, "poll," Hebrew kacam) of their heads" (Ezekiel 44:20). The Piel form of galach is employed in the description of the annual hair-cutting of Absalom (2 Samuel 14:26). Thrice we find the verb "to poll" as the translation of Hebrew qatsats, where the American Standard Revised Version materially improves the translation by adopting the marginal version of the King James Version (Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 25:23; Jeremiah 49:32).

See HAIR.

The noun (gulgoleth, lit. "head") is translated "poll" in the phrase "by the poll," "by their polls" (Numbers 1:2, 18, 20, 22; Numbers 3:47 1 Chronicles 23:3, 14). The expression has its origin in the numbering of persons by their heads, in the same way in which we speak of head-tax, etc.

H. L. E. Luering

2778b. kensos -- a poll tax
... kensos. 2779 . a poll tax. Transliteration: kensos Short Definition: poll-tax.
Word Origin of Latin origin Definition a poll tax NASB Word Usage poll-tax (4). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2778b.htm - 5k

2778. kensos -- to muzzle
... to muzzle. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: kensos Phonetic Spelling:
(kane'-sos) Short Definition: a poll-tax Definition: a poll-tax. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2778.htm - 6k

1538. gulgoleth -- a skull, head, poll (of persons)
... a skull, head, poll (of persons). Transliteration: gulgoleth Phonetic Spelling:
(gul-go'-leth) Short Definition: head. ... head, every man, poll, skull. ...
/hebrew/1538.htm - 6k

1494. gazaz -- to shear
... shearing (2), sheepshearers (2), sheepshearers* (1). cut off, poll, shave, shearer.
A primitive root (akin to guwz); to cut off; specifically ...
/hebrew/1494.htm - 6k

1548. galach -- to be bald, shave, shave off
... poll, shave off. A primitive root; properly, to be bald, ie (causatively) to shave;
figuratively to lay waste -- poll, shave (off). 1547, 1548. galach. 1549 ...
/hebrew/1548.htm - 6k

3697. kasam -- to shear, clip
... root Definition to shear, clip NASB Word Usage only trim (1). only, poll. A primitive
root; to shear -- X only, poll. Compare kircem. see HEBREW kircem. ...
/hebrew/3697.htm - 6k

Note
... CCLX. is a poll-tax register of AD.72-3, based on the Household-Enrollment of
61-2; and references to older poll-tax registers are made, which imply previous ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/note.htm

Enrollment by Households in Egypt
... burdens of public service, and especially they facilitated the conscription; and
finally they gave information which aided in levying the poll-tax, determining ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 7 enrollment by households.htm

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House ...
... seem to have consisted of tribute, duty on salt, a third of the produce of all that
was sown, and one-half of that from fruit-trees, besides poll-tax, custom ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 4 travelling in palestineroads.htm

Epistle iv. To Cyriacus, Bishop.
... it is rightly said through Ezekiel [1685] , Let not the priests shave their heads,
nor suffer their locks to grow long; but polling let them poll their heads ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle iv to cyriacus bishop.htm

That the Ruler Relax not his Care for the Things that are Within ...
... Hence it is well said to Ezekiel, The priests shall not shave their heads, nor suffer
their locks to grow long, but polling let them poll their heads (Ezekiel ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter vii that the ruler.htm

Concerning the Fortitude of Samson, and what Mischiefs He Brought ...
... He exhorted her also not to poll his hair, and that he should avoid all other kinds
of drink, [for so had God commanded,] and be entirely contented with water. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 concerning the fortitude.htm

Concerning Festivals in Honour of Emperors, victories, and the ...
... C??sar's? Those, to wit, about which the consultation was then held, whether
the poll-tax should be furnished to C??sar or no. Therefore ...
/.../tertullian/on idolatry/chapter xv concerning festivals in honour.htm

Dedicatory Letter.
... as may be, and to be court fool for once in my life: if I fail, I shall at any rate
gain this advantage, that no one need buy me a fool's cap or shave my poll. ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/dedicatory letter.htm

The Disputes of the Faithful to be Settled by the Decisions of the ...
... of tribute or fear; but "render to C??sar the things that are C??sar's, and unto God
the things that are God's," [2793] as tribute, taxes, or poll-money, as ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec vi the disputes of the.htm

"But they are Gods to Us," You Say. ...
... But indeed lands burdened with tribute are of less value; men under the assessment
of a poll-tax are less noble; for these things are the marks of servitude. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/apology/chapter xiii but they are.htm

Poll (5 Occurrences)
... in an election. 6. (n.) The casting or recording of the votes of registered
electors; as, the close of the poll. 7. (n.) The place ...
/p/poll.htm - 12k

Poll-tax (4 Occurrences)
Poll-tax. Polls, Poll-tax. Pollute . Multi-Version Concordance
Poll-tax (4 Occurrences). Matthew 17:25 And when he came ...
/p/poll-tax.htm - 7k

Tribute (67 Occurrences)
... by agriculturists, payment being made partly in kind, partly in money, and are
contrasted with the tele of the publicans, while kensos is strictly a poll tax. ...
/t/tribute.htm - 32k

Polled (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Poll. 2. (a.) Deprived of a
poll, or of something belonging to the poll. Specifically ...
/p/polled.htm - 7k

Taxes (19 Occurrences)
... Mention is made of the tax (telos) on merchandise and travellers (Matthew 17:25);
the annual tax (phoros) on property (Luke 20:22; 23:2); the poll-tax (kensos ...
/t/taxes.htm - 14k

Allowable (6 Occurrences)
... Allowable (6 Occurrences). Matthew 22:17 Give us your judgement therefore: is
it allowable for us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" (WEY). ...
/a/allowable.htm - 8k

Polls (5 Occurrences)

/p/polls.htm - 8k

Pollute (42 Occurrences)

/p/pollute.htm - 19k

Home (270 Occurrences)
... Simon? the kings of the earth -- from whom do they receive custom or
poll-tax? from their sons or from the strangers?' (See RSV). ...
/h/ - 36k

Judgement (68 Occurrences)
... WEY). Matthew 22:17 Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for
us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" (WEY). Matthew ...
/j/judgement.htm - 26k

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