Exodus, Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Verses 1-18: Divine Craftsmanship and the Sanctity of the Sabbath

1. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2. “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
3. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4. to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, in silver, and in bronze,
5. in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6. I behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
7. the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony, and the mercy seat that is upon it, and all the furniture of the tent,
8. the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,
9. the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand,
10. the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to serve as priests,
11. and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”
12. The LORD said to Moses,
13. “You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
14. You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15. Six days may work be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
16. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’
18. When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Interpretation: Verses 1-11 introduce Bezalel and Oholiab, divinely chosen and equipped with wisdom and skill for the sacred task of constructing the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Their appointment underscores the importance of artistic and technical expertise in the service of worship, highlighting the value of divine inspiration in all forms of creative work. In Verses 12-17, the Sabbath is reaffirmed as a central tenet of Israelite identity and covenant with God. It serves not only as a rest day but as a profound symbol of sanctification and a memorial of creation, emphasizing the essential relationship between God and His people, marked by rest and renewal. Verse 18 concludes this divine discourse with the presentation of the stone tablets to Moses symbolizes the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Israel. These tablets, inscribed by God Himself, underscore the divine origin of the laws and the permanence of the covenant relationship.