Exodus 31

Willing Artisans

31:1¹ The Lord spoke to Moses:² 31:2 “See, I have chosen³ Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God⁴ in skill,⁵ in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds⁶ of craftsmanship, 31:4 to make artistic designs⁷ for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, 31:5 and with cutting and setting stone, and with cutting wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 31:6 Moreover,⁸ I have also given him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given ability to all the specially skilled,⁹ that they may make¹⁰ everything I have commanded you: 31:7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the atonement lid that is on it, all the furnishings¹¹ of the tent, 31:8 the table with its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 31:9 the altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils, the large basin with its base, 31:10 the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, to minister as priests, 31:11 the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the Holy Place. They will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”

Sabbath Observance

31:12¹² The Lord said to Moses,¹³ 31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths,¹⁴ for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.¹⁵ 31:14 So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it¹⁶ must surely be put to death; indeed,¹⁷ if anyone does¹⁸ any¹⁹ work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his²⁰ people. 31:15 Six days²¹ work may be done,²² but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest,²³ holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. 31:16 The Israelites must keep the Sabbath by observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 31:17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days²⁴ the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”²⁵

31:18 He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.²⁶

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