Exodus 31 Study Notes
General
According to Exodus 31:2, which tribe did Bezalel come from, and who were his father and grandfather?
Answer: From Judah; he was Uri's son and Hur's grandson
God tells Moses that He has personally chosen Bezalel, calling him by name (31:2). Bezalel is the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, and he belongs to Judah's tribe. He is not a priest from the tribe of Levi, and he is not Oholiab, whose father was Ahisamach, a Danite (31:6). Being called by name shows that God Himself picked this particular man for this particular work. The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 2:20 traces the same family line within Judah, and the report of the finished work repeats his ancestry (38:22).
- Exodus 31:2 (BSB)““See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.”The LORD names the chief craftsman of the tabernacle and identifies his family line and tribe.
- 1 Chronicles 2:20 (BSB)“Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri was the father of Bezalel.”The Chronicler's genealogy of Judah confirms the same line: Hur, then Uri, then Bezalel.
- Exodus 38:22 (BSB)“Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded Moses.”The completion record repeats Bezalel's ancestry and tribe and credits him with carrying out everything the LORD commanded.
Theological
How does Exodus 31:2 identify the craftsman whom the LORD calls by name?
Answer: From Judah; he was Uri's son and Hur's grandson
The LORD announces a personal, named call: Bezalel, Uri's son and Hur's grandson, from Judah (31:2). The designation by name marks a specific divine appointment rather than a choice made by Moses or by popular acclaim. He is distinct from the Levitical priesthood and from his Danite assistant Oholiab (31:6). Judah's genealogy in 1 Chronicles 2:20 records the same line, and the completion account in 38:22 credits this same Bezalel with carrying out all that the LORD commanded Moses.
- Exodus 31:2 (BSB)““See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.”The LORD names the chief craftsman of the tabernacle and identifies his family line and tribe.
- 1 Chronicles 2:20 (BSB)“Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri was the father of Bezalel.”The Chronicler's genealogy of Judah confirms the same line: Hur, then Uri, then Bezalel.
- Exodus 38:22 (BSB)“Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded Moses.”The completion record repeats Bezalel's ancestry and tribe and credits him with carrying out everything the LORD commanded.
General
What does God say He has filled Bezalel with in Exodus 31:3-5, and for what purpose?
Answer: With God's own Spirit, giving him wisdom, understanding, and know-how for artistic work in metal, stone, and wood
God says He has filled Bezalel with His own Spirit, and that this filling shows itself in wisdom, understanding, and practical knowledge of every kind of craft (31:3). The purpose is very specific: designing artistic pieces in precious metals and bronze, cutting precious stones for their settings, and carving wood (31:4-5). So Bezalel's talent is not presented as something he produced on his own; it is a gift from God for building the place where God would dwell. Moses repeats this to the people in 35:30-31, and 28:3 shows God filling the garment-makers with wisdom in the same way. In the New Testament, Paul teaches that all the different abilities in the church come from one Spirit and one God (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
- Exodus 31:3-5 (BSB)“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft.”God describes how He has equipped Bezalel for the artistic work of the tabernacle.
- Exodus 35:30-31 (BSB)“Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,”Moses repeats the announcement to the people, confirming that Bezalel's skill came from God's Spirit filling him.
- Exodus 28:3 (BSB)“You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.”Shows the same pattern for the priestly garments: God Himself fills the skilled workers with wisdom for their task.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (BSB)“There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people.”Teaches that the variety of abilities among God's people all come from the same Spirit and the same God at work.
Theological
According to Exodus 31:3-5, what is the nature and purpose of Bezalel's endowment?
Answer: With God's own Spirit, giving him wisdom, understanding, and know-how for artistic work in metal, stone, and wood
The LORD describes Bezalel as filled with God's Spirit, and the fruit of that filling is wisdom, understanding, and expertise across every craft (31:3), directed toward artistic design in precious metals, gem-cutting, and woodwork (31:4-5). The endowment is vocational: the Spirit equips him for a particular task in the service of God's dwelling rather than for prophecy or military leadership. His skill is therefore a gift of grace, not a self-generated achievement, a point Moses repeats publicly in 35:30-31 and that 28:3 applies to the makers of the priestly garments. Paul's teaching that diverse gifts and workings all proceed from the same Spirit and the same God (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) reflects the same principle.
- Exodus 31:3-5 (BSB)“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft.”God describes how He has equipped Bezalel for the artistic work of the tabernacle.
- Exodus 35:30-31 (BSB)“Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,”Moses repeats the announcement to the people, confirming that Bezalel's skill came from God's Spirit filling him.
- Exodus 28:3 (BSB)“You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.”Shows the same pattern for the priestly garments: God Himself fills the skilled workers with wisdom for their task.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (BSB)“There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people.”Teaches that the variety of abilities among God's people all come from the same Spirit and the same God at work.
General
True or False: When Exodus 31:17 speaks of God resting and being refreshed, it means that creating the world had left God worn out.
Answer: False
This is false. The verse uses ordinary human language, rest and refreshment, to describe God stopping His work of creation and enjoying what He had finished (31:17). It does not mean God was tired. Isaiah says plainly that the God who made the whole earth never becomes tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28), and the psalmist says the one who guards Israel never sleeps (Psalm 121:4). The point is that God completed His work, and Israel was to follow His example by stopping their own work every seventh day.
- Exodus 31:17 (BSB)“It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””The verse describes God as resting and being refreshed on the seventh day.
- Isaiah 40:28 (BSB)“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.”States directly that the Creator never grows tired or weary.
- Psalm 121:4 (BSB)“Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”Affirms that Israel's Protector never slumbers or sleeps, ruling out any notion of divine exhaustion.
Theological
True or False: The statement in Exodus 31:17 about God resting and being refreshed implies that creation had depleted God's strength.
Answer: False
This is false. The language of rest and refreshment is anthropomorphic, describing God's cessation from creative work and His satisfaction in its completion in terms drawn from human experience (31:17). It does not imply fatigue in the omnipotent Creator, who, as Isaiah 40:28 insists, never tires or grows weary, and who never dozes or sleeps (Psalm 121:4). The verse presents God's completed work and rest as the pattern Israel's Sabbath reproduces.
- Exodus 31:17 (BSB)“It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””The verse describes God as resting and being refreshed on the seventh day.
- Isaiah 40:28 (BSB)“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.”States directly that the Creator never grows tired or weary.
- Psalm 121:4 (BSB)“Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”Affirms that Israel's Protector never slumbers or sleeps, ruling out any notion of divine exhaustion.
General
After listing the tent, the ark, the furnishings, the priestly garments, oil, and incense, what standard does God say the craftsmen must follow (Exodus 31:7-11)?
Answer: Exactly what God had commanded Moses
God lists the objects to be made: the tent itself, the ark with its cover, the table, the lampstand, the two altars, the basin, the priests' clothing, the oil for anointing, and the incense (31:7-11). Then He sets the standard: the workers must make everything just as He has instructed. The craftsmen were highly skilled, but they were not free to design the sanctuary however they pleased. God had already told Moses to follow the pattern shown to him on the mountain (25:40), and Hebrews 8:5 explains that the earthly sanctuary was only a copy and a shadow of heavenly things. When the work was finished, Moses found that everything matched God's instructions, and he blessed the people (39:42-43).
- Exodus 31:7-11 (BSB)“the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat upon it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand— as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests, in addition to the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.””God lists the tent, its furnishings, the garments, the oil, and the incense, and requires that all be made as He commanded.
- Exodus 25:40 (BSB)“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”God had earlier charged Moses to make everything after the pattern shown him on the mountain.
- Hebrews 8:5 (BSB)“The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.””Explains why the pattern mattered: the earthly sanctuary was only a copy and a shadow of the heavenly reality.
- Exodus 39:42-43 (BSB)“The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.”Records that the finished work matched exactly what the LORD had commanded, and Moses blessed the workers.
Theological
What governing standard does Exodus 31:7-11 set for the craftsmen's work on the tabernacle and its furnishings?
Answer: Exactly what God had commanded Moses
After cataloguing the tent, ark, mercy seat, table, lampstand, altars of incense and burnt offering, basin, priestly garments, anointing oil, and incense (31:7-11), the LORD binds the craftsmen to one standard: conformity to everything He commanded. Their Spirit-given skill serves the divine design; it does not replace it. This echoes the earlier charge to follow the pattern shown on the mountain (25:40), which Hebrews 8:5 cites to show that the earthly sanctuary was only a copy and a shadow of the heavenly. The completion report confirms that the finished work conformed exactly, and Moses blessed the workers (39:42-43).
- Exodus 31:7-11 (BSB)“the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat upon it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand— as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests, in addition to the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.””God lists the tent, its furnishings, the garments, the oil, and the incense, and requires that all be made as He commanded.
- Exodus 25:40 (BSB)“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”God had earlier charged Moses to make everything after the pattern shown him on the mountain.
- Hebrews 8:5 (BSB)“The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.””Explains why the pattern mattered: the earthly sanctuary was only a copy and a shadow of the heavenly reality.
- Exodus 39:42-43 (BSB)“The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.”Records that the finished work matched exactly what the LORD had commanded, and Moses blessed the workers.
General
Whom did God appoint to work alongside Bezalel as his helper (Exodus 31:6)?
Answer: Oholiab, Ahisamach's son, from Dan
God tells Moses that He has also chosen Oholiab, Ahisamach's son, from Dan's tribe, to help Bezalel (31:6). So the two lead craftsmen come from two different tribes, Judah and Dan. Later chapters fill in what Oholiab did: God enabled him and Bezalel to teach others (35:34), and his own specialties were engraving, design, and embroidery in colored yarn and linen (38:23). Joshua, Eleazar, and Hur all appear elsewhere in Exodus, but none of them is named here as Bezalel's helper.
- Exodus 31:6 (BSB)“Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:”God names Bezalel's assistant and says He has given skill to every craftsman.
- Exodus 35:34 (BSB)“And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.”Adds that God enabled both Bezalel and Oholiab to teach others the work.
- Exodus 38:23 (BSB)“With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.”Records Oholiab's actual role in the construction as engraver, designer, and embroiderer.
Theological
Who is appointed as Bezalel's associate in Exodus 31:6?
Answer: Oholiab, Ahisamach's son, from Dan
Alongside Bezalel of Judah, the LORD appoints the Danite Oholiab, Ahisamach's son, to assist him (31:6). The pairing draws the leadership of the sanctuary work from two different tribes. The later narrative specifies that God gave both men the ability to instruct others (35:34) and that Oholiab worked in engraving, design, and embroidery (38:23). None of the other candidates, Joshua, Eleazar, or Hur, is given this role in the text.
- Exodus 31:6 (BSB)“Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:”God names Bezalel's assistant and says He has given skill to every craftsman.
- Exodus 35:34 (BSB)“And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.”Adds that God enabled both Bezalel and Oholiab to teach others the work.
- Exodus 38:23 (BSB)“With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.”Records Oholiab's actual role in the construction as engraver, designer, and embroiderer.
General
How does God describe the Sabbath in Exodus 31:16-17?
Answer: As a lasting covenant and a sign between God and the Israelites for all their generations
God says the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath and observe it throughout their generations as a lasting covenant (31:16). He calls it a sign between Himself and the people of Israel for all time (31:17). It was not a temporary wilderness rule, not something borrowed from Egypt, and not optional. God often attached visible signs to His covenants, such as the rainbow for Noah (Genesis 9:12-13) and circumcision for Abraham (Genesis 17:11). How the Sabbath relates to Christian worship today is a question on which faithful Christians have reached different conclusions, and this chapter itself speaks of Israel under the covenant at Sinai.
- Exodus 31:16-17 (BSB)“The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””God describes the Sabbath as a lasting covenant and a sign between Himself and Israel.
- Genesis 9:12-13 (BSB)“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”Another covenant sign is likewise described as lasting for all generations, showing how God attaches visible signs to His covenants.
- Genesis 17:11 (BSB)“You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”Circumcision is called the sign of the covenant with Abraham, a parallel to the Sabbath's role at Sinai.
Theological
What status does Exodus 31:16-17 assign to the Sabbath?
Answer: As a lasting covenant and a sign between God and the Israelites for all their generations
The LORD requires Israel to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant (31:16), and calls it a sign between Himself and the sons of Israel forever (31:17). It functions for the Sinai covenant as the rainbow does for the Noahic covenant (Genesis 9:12-13) and circumcision for the Abrahamic (Genesis 17:11). How this covenant sign bears on the Lord's Day and Christian practice is a question on which Christians, Reformed Christians among them, have differed; the chapter itself addresses Israel under the Sinai covenant.
- Exodus 31:16-17 (BSB)“The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””God describes the Sabbath as a lasting covenant and a sign between Himself and Israel.
- Genesis 9:12-13 (BSB)“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”Another covenant sign is likewise described as lasting for all generations, showing how God attaches visible signs to His covenants.
- Genesis 17:11 (BSB)“You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”Circumcision is called the sign of the covenant with Abraham, a parallel to the Sabbath's role at Sinai.
General
According to Exodus 31:13, the Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel; what were the people to recognize through it?
Answer: That the LORD Himself sets Israel apart as holy
God tells Moses to instruct Israel to keep His Sabbaths because the Sabbath marks the relationship between Him and them for all their generations (31:13). The purpose of the sign is that Israel would recognize the LORD as the one who sanctifies them, which means He is the one who sets them apart as His own holy people. The sign points to what God does for Israel, not to what Israel earns by its work. Ezekiel later recalls this exact purpose (Ezekiel 20:12), and Leviticus 20:8 uses the same description of God. Like circumcision given to Abraham (Genesis 17:11), the Sabbath was a visible mark of the covenant relationship.
- Exodus 31:13 (BSB)““Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”God calls the Sabbath a sign between Himself and Israel through their generations.
- Ezekiel 20:12 (BSB)“I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”The prophet recalls this same purpose: the Sabbaths were given as a sign that the LORD is the one who sanctifies His people.
- Leviticus 20:8 (BSB)“And you shall keep My statutes and practice them. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”Uses the same description of God as the one who makes His people holy, grounding their obedience in His prior work.
- Genesis 17:11 (BSB)“You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”Shows another covenant sign, circumcision, marking the relationship between God and Abraham's line in the same way.
Theological
What does Exodus 31:13 identify as the purpose of the Sabbath as a covenant sign?
Answer: That the LORD Himself sets Israel apart as holy
The LORD designates His Sabbaths as a covenant sign binding Himself and Israel throughout their generations, so that Israel would recognize Him as the one who sanctifies them (31:13). The sign therefore testifies to God's prior act of setting His people apart; Israel's observance acknowledges a holiness God confers, not one Israel achieves. Ezekiel 20:12 recalls precisely this purpose, and Leviticus 20:8 grounds Israel's obedience in the same divine sanctifying work. As circumcision marked the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:11), the Sabbath marks the covenant made at Sinai.
- Exodus 31:13 (BSB)““Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”God calls the Sabbath a sign between Himself and Israel through their generations.
- Ezekiel 20:12 (BSB)“I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”The prophet recalls this same purpose: the Sabbaths were given as a sign that the LORD is the one who sanctifies His people.
- Leviticus 20:8 (BSB)“And you shall keep My statutes and practice them. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”Uses the same description of God as the one who makes His people holy, grounding their obedience in His prior work.
- Genesis 17:11 (BSB)“You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”Shows another covenant sign, circumcision, marking the relationship between God and Abraham's line in the same way.
General
What reason does Exodus 31:17 give for the Sabbath sign?
Answer: Because God created the whole universe in six days and then rested
God explains that the Sabbath is a sign because He Himself created the whole universe in six days and then rested (31:17). Israel's weekly rhythm of six days of work and one day of rest copies God's own pattern at creation. This connects back to the creation account, where God finished His work, rested, and blessed and hallowed that final day (Genesis 2:2-3). The Ten Commandments give the same reason for the Sabbath (20:11).
- Exodus 31:17 (BSB)“It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””God gives the reason behind the Sabbath sign: His own pattern of work and rest at creation.
- Genesis 2:2-3 (BSB)“And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.”The creation account records God finishing His work, resting on the seventh day, and blessing and sanctifying it.
- Exodus 20:11 (BSB)“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”The fourth commandment grounds the Sabbath in the same six days of creation and God's rest.
Theological
On what ground does Exodus 31:17 base the Sabbath sign?
Answer: Because God created the whole universe in six days and then rested
The LORD grounds the Sabbath sign in His own creative work: He created all things in six days and rested on the seventh (31:17). Israel's observance thus imitates the divine pattern established at creation, when God completed His work, rested, and blessed and sanctified the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). The fourth commandment in 20:11 rests on the identical creation rationale. The verse does not ground the sign in the exodus, the manna, or the building schedule.
- Exodus 31:17 (BSB)“It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’””God gives the reason behind the Sabbath sign: His own pattern of work and rest at creation.
- Genesis 2:2-3 (BSB)“And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.”The creation account records God finishing His work, resting on the seventh day, and blessing and sanctifying it.
- Exodus 20:11 (BSB)“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”The fourth commandment grounds the Sabbath in the same six days of creation and God's rest.
General
True or False: Exodus 31:14-15 says that anyone in Israel who profaned the Sabbath by doing work on it was to receive the death penalty.
Answer: True
This is true. God declares the Sabbath holy and says that anyone who treats it as common is to be executed, and anyone who works on that day is to be removed from the community (31:14). He repeats it: six days are for work, the seventh day belongs to the LORD as a day of full rest, and anyone who works on it is to die (31:15). This was the law of Israel's covenant with God at Sinai, where the Sabbath was the sign of that covenant. Moses repeats the command in 35:2, and Numbers 15:32-36 records the LORD Himself directing that the penalty be carried out on a man caught collecting wood on that day. The severity shows how seriously God regarded His covenant sign in Israel.
- Exodus 31:14-15 (BSB)“Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.”God sets the penalty for profaning the Sabbath by doing work on it.
- Exodus 35:2 (BSB)“For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.”Moses repeats the same command and penalty to the people before construction begins.
- Numbers 15:32-36 (BSB)“While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation, and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody. And the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.” So the whole congregation took the man outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded Moses.”Records the penalty actually applied in the wilderness, at the LORD's direct command, to a man gathering wood on the Sabbath.
Theological
True or False: Exodus 31:14-15 prescribes death for anyone in Israel who profaned the Sabbath by doing work on it.
Answer: True
This is true. Because the Sabbath is holy, whoever profanes it incurs the death penalty, and whoever works on it is to be excised from his people (31:14); the sentence is restated for labor on that day, which is set apart to the LORD as a day of total rest (31:15). The penalty belongs to Israel's covenant order at Sinai, where the Sabbath functioned as the covenant's own sign, so profaning it amounted to repudiating the covenant relationship. Moses repeats the law in 35:2, and Numbers 15:32-36 records its execution at the LORD's explicit command. The severity of the sanction shows how seriously God guarded the sign of His covenant with Israel.
- Exodus 31:14-15 (BSB)“Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.”God sets the penalty for profaning the Sabbath by doing work on it.
- Exodus 35:2 (BSB)“For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.”Moses repeats the same command and penalty to the people before construction begins.
- Numbers 15:32-36 (BSB)“While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation, and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody. And the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.” So the whole congregation took the man outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded Moses.”Records the penalty actually applied in the wilderness, at the LORD's direct command, to a man gathering wood on the Sabbath.
General
True or False: According to Exodus 31:6, God gave skill only to Bezalel and Oholiab, and the other workers had to rely on their own natural ability.
Answer: False
This is false. After naming Bezalel and Oholiab, God adds that He has likewise put skill into every craftsman who would work on the project, so that they could make everything He had commanded (31:6). The ability of the whole team, not just the two leaders, is credited to God. When construction starts, the same point is made again: the LORD had given skill and understanding to every skilled person (36:1-2). The same pattern appears for the makers of the priestly garments, whom God filled with wisdom (28:3).
- Exodus 31:6 (BSB)“Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:”God says He has put skill into every skilled worker so they can make everything He commanded.
- Exodus 36:1-2 (BSB)““So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.” Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the LORD had gifted—everyone whose heart stirred him to come and do the work.”When the work begins, the narrative again credits the LORD with giving skill and ability to every skilled person.
- Exodus 28:3 (BSB)“You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.”Shows God filling the skilled craftsmen with wisdom for making the priestly garments.
Theological
True or False: According to Exodus 31:6, divine endowment for the tabernacle work was restricted to Bezalel and Oholiab, while the remaining workers relied on unaided natural ability.
Answer: False
This is false. The LORD states that, in addition to appointing the two master craftsmen, He has put skill into every skilled worker so that all He commanded could be made (31:6). The competence of the entire workforce is ascribed to God's gift. Exodus 36:1-2 repeats this at the start of construction, and 28:3 applies it to the makers of the priestly garments, whom God filled with wisdom. Human skill is real, yet it is received from God rather than originated by the worker.
- Exodus 31:6 (BSB)“Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:”God says He has put skill into every skilled worker so they can make everything He commanded.
- Exodus 36:1-2 (BSB)““So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.” Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the LORD had gifted—everyone whose heart stirred him to come and do the work.”When the work begins, the narrative again credits the LORD with giving skill and ability to every skilled person.
- Exodus 28:3 (BSB)“You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.”Shows God filling the skilled craftsmen with wisdom for making the priestly garments.
General
What did God give Moses when He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai (Exodus 31:18)?
Answer: Two stone tablets of the Testimony, written by God Himself
When God had finished giving His instructions on the mountain, He handed Moses the pair of stone tablets of the Testimony, written by God Himself (31:18). The phrase about God's finger means that God, not Moses or any craftsman, was the author of the writing. God had called Moses up the mountain for this very purpose (24:12), and Moses later reminds Israel that the tablets contained the exact words God had spoken from the fire (Deuteronomy 9:10). Paul contrasts this writing on stone with the way God's Spirit now writes on human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3).
- Exodus 31:18 (BSB)“When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”At the end of the Sinai instructions, God gives Moses the two stone tablets He Himself wrote.
- Exodus 24:12 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.””God had called Moses up the mountain specifically to receive these tablets written by Him.
- Deuteronomy 9:10 (BSB)“Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with the exact words that the LORD spoke to you out of the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly.”Moses later recalls that the tablets bore, in God's own writing, the words God had spoken from the fire.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 (BSB)“It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”Paul contrasts God's writing on stone with the Spirit's writing on human hearts under the new covenant.
Theological
What does Exodus 31:18 record God giving Moses at the close of the Sinai instructions?
Answer: Two stone tablets of the Testimony, written by God Himself
At the close of the extended instructions of chapters 25-31, the LORD hands Moses the pair of stone tablets of the Testimony, written by God's own finger (31:18). The anthropomorphism stresses divine authorship: the covenant words are God's own, not a human composition. This fulfills the purpose of Moses' ascent announced in 24:12, and Deuteronomy 9:10 identifies the content as the very words spoken from the fire. Paul later sets this external inscription on stone against the Spirit's inscription of God's will on hearts under the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:3).
- Exodus 31:18 (BSB)“When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”At the end of the Sinai instructions, God gives Moses the two stone tablets He Himself wrote.
- Exodus 24:12 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.””God had called Moses up the mountain specifically to receive these tablets written by Him.
- Deuteronomy 9:10 (BSB)“Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with the exact words that the LORD spoke to you out of the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly.”Moses later recalls that the tablets bore, in God's own writing, the words God had spoken from the fire.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 (BSB)“It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”Paul contrasts God's writing on stone with the Spirit's writing on human hearts under the new covenant.