14 Ye shall keep H8104 the sabbath H7676 therefore; for it is holy H6944 unto you: every one that defileth H2490 it shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 for whosoever doeth H6213 any work H4399 therein, that soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from among H7130 his people. H5971
Six H8337 days H3117 shall work H4399 be done, H6213 but on the seventh H7637 day H3117 there shall be to you an holy day, H6944 a sabbath H7676 of rest H7677 to the LORD: H3068 whosoever doeth H6213 work H4399 therein shall be put to death. H4191 Ye shall kindle H1197 no fire H784 throughout your habitations H4186 upon the sabbath H7676 day. H3117
And while the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were in the wilderness, H4057 they found H4672 a man H376 that gathered H7197 sticks H6086 upon the sabbath H7676 day. H3117 And they that found H4672 him gathering H7197 sticks H6086 brought H7126 him unto Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 and unto all the congregation. H5712 And they put H3240 him in ward, H4929 because it was not declared H6567 what should be done H6213 to him. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 The man H376 shall be surely H4191 put to death: H4191 all the congregation H5712 shall stone H7275 him with stones H68 without H2351 the camp. H4264 And all the congregation H5712 brought H3318 him without H2351 the camp, H4264 and stoned H7275 him with stones, H68 and he died; H4191 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
Keep H8104 the sabbath H7676 day H3117 to sanctify H6942 it, as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath commanded H6680 thee. Six H8337 days H3117 thou shalt labour, H5647 and do H6213 all thy work: H4399 But the seventh H7637 day H3117 is the sabbath H7676 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 in it thou shalt not do H6213 any work, H4399 thou, nor thy son, H1121 nor thy daughter, H1323 nor thy manservant, H5650 nor thy maidservant, H519 nor thine ox, H7794 nor thine ass, H2543 nor any of thy cattle, H929 nor thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates; H8179 that thy manservant H5650 and thy maidservant H519 may rest H5117 as well as thou. And remember H2142 that thou wast a servant H5650 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 brought H3318 thee out thence through a mighty H2389 hand H3027 and by a stretched out H5186 arm: H2220 therefore the LORD H3068 thy God H430 commanded H6680 thee to keep H6213 the sabbath H7676 day. H3117
Blessed H835 is the man H582 that doeth H6213 this, and the son H1121 of man H120 that layeth hold H2388 on it; that keepeth H8104 the sabbath H7676 from polluting H2490 it, and keepeth H8104 his hand H3027 from doing H6213 any evil. H7451 Neither let the son H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that hath joined H3867 himself to the LORD, H3068 speak, H559 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 hath utterly H914 separated H914 me from his people: H5971 neither let the eunuch H5631 say, H559 Behold, I am a dry H3002 tree. H6086 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto the eunuchs H5631 that keep H8104 my sabbaths, H7676 and choose H977 the things that please H2654 me, and take hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285 Even unto them will I give H5414 in mine house H1004 and within my walls H2346 a place H3027 and a name H8034 better H2896 than of sons H1121 and of daughters: H1323 I will give H5414 them an everlasting H5769 name, H8034 that shall not be cut off. H3772 Also the sons H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that join H3867 themselves to the LORD, H3068 to serve H8334 him, and to love H157 the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 to be his servants, H5650 every one that keepeth H8104 the sabbath H7676 from polluting H2490 it, and taketh hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285
If thou turn away H7725 thy foot H7272 from the sabbath, H7676 from doing H6213 thy pleasure H2656 on my holy H6944 day; H3117 and call H7121 the sabbath H7676 a delight, H6027 the holy H6918 of the LORD, H3068 honourable; H3513 and shalt honour H3513 him, not doing H6213 thine own ways, H1870 nor finding H4672 thine own pleasure, H2656 nor speaking H1696 thine own words: H1697 Then shalt thou delight H6026 thyself in the LORD; H3068 and I will cause thee to ride H7392 upon the high places H1116 of the earth, H776 and feed H398 thee with the heritage H5159 of Jacob H3290 thy father: H1 for the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it.
Moreover also I gave H5414 them my sabbaths, H7676 to be a sign H226 between me and them, that they might know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 that sanctify H6942 them. But the house H1004 of Israel H3478 rebelled H4784 against me in the wilderness: H4057 they walked H1980 not in my statutes, H2708 and they despised H3988 my judgments, H4941 which if a man H120 do, H6213 he shall even live H2425 in them; and my sabbaths H7676 they greatly H3966 polluted: H2490 then I said, H559 I would pour out H8210 my fury H2534 upon them in the wilderness, H4057 to consume H3615 them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 31
Commentary on Exodus 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 31
Ex 31:1-18. Bezaleel and Aholiab.
2. See, I have called—Though the instructions about the tabernacle were privately communicated to Moses, it was plainly impossible that he could superintend the work in person, amid the multiplicity of his other duties. A head director or builder was selected by God Himself; and the nomination by such high authority removed all ground of jealousy or discontent on the part of any who might have thought their merits overlooked (compare Mt 18:1).
by name Bezaleel—signifying "in the shadow or protection of God"; and, as called to discharge a duty of great magnitude—to execute a confidential trust in the ancient Church of God, he has his family and lineage recorded with marked distinction. He belonged to the tribe of Judah, which, doubtless for wise and weighty reasons, God all along delighted to honor; and he was the grandson of Hur, a pious patriot (Ex 17:12), who was associated, by a special commission, with Aaron in the government of the people during the absence of Moses. Moreover, it may be noticed that a Jewish tradition affirms Hur to be the husband of Miriam; and if this tradition may be relied on, it affords an additional reason for the appointment of Bezaleel emanating from the direct authority of God.
3-5. I have filled him with the spirit of God—It is probable that he was naturally endowed with a mechanical genius, and had acquired in Egypt great knowledge and skill in the useful, as well as liberal, arts so as to be a first-class artisan, competent to take charge of both the plain and ornamental work, which the building of the sacred edifice required. When God has any special work to be accomplished, He always raises up instruments capable of doing it; and it is likely that He had given to the son of Uri that strong natural aptitude and those opportunities of gaining mechanical skill, with an ultimate view to this responsible office. Notwithstanding that his grand duty was to conform with scrupulous fidelity to the pattern furnished, there was still plenty of room for inventive talent and tasteful exactness in the execution; and his natural and acquired gifts were enlarged and invigorated for the important work.
6. I have given with him Aholiab—He belonged to the tribe of Dan, one of the least influential and honorable in Israel; and here, too, we can trace the evidence of wise and paternal design, in choosing the colleague or assistant of Bezaleel from an inferior tribe (compare 1Co 12:14-25; also Mr 6:7).
all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom—At that period, when one spirit pervaded all Israel, it was not the man full of heavenly genius who presided over the work; but all who contributed their skill, experience, and labor, in rendering the smallest assistance, showed their piety and devotedness to the divine service. In like manner, it was at the commencement of the Christian Church (Ac 6:5; 18:2).
12-17. Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep—The reason for the fresh inculcation of the fourth commandment at this particular period was, that the great ardor and eagerness, with which all classes betook themselves to the construction of the tabernacle, exposed them to the temptation of encroaching on the sanctity of the appointed day of rest. They might suppose that the erection of the tabernacle was a sacred work, and that it would be a high merit, an acceptable tribute, to prosecute the undertaking without the interruption of a day's repose; and therefore the caution here given, at the commencement of the undertaking, was a seasonable admonition.
18. tables of stone, written with the finger of God—containing the ten commandments (Ex 24:12), called "tables of testimony," because God testified His will in them.