Focused Passage

Exodus 31:1-11

The Craftsmen Called by the Spirit and the Sign of the Sabbath

The chapter opens with the LORD naming Bezalel and filling him with the Spirit for artistic and technical work, then adds Oholiab as his co-worker and extends skill to all gifted craftsmen. It then recapitulates the full scope of what is to be made. It closes by commanding Sabbath observance as a covenant sign and concludes with the LORD giving Moses the two stone tablets.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,

4 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze,

5 to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft.

6 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:

7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat upon it, and all the other furnishings of the tent—

8 the table with 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 with its stand—

10 as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,

11 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.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵּאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 2

Original words

See רְאֵ֖ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular I have called קָרָ֣אתִֽי H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular by name בְשֵׁ֑ם H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Bezalel בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל H1212 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Uri אוּרִ֥י H221 Noun - proper - masculine singular the son בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Hur ח֖וּר H2354 Noun - proper - masculine singular of the tribe לְמַטֵּ֥ה H4294 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

And I have filled וָאֲמַלֵּ֥א H4390 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular him אֹת֖וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular with the Spirit ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of God אֱלֹהִ֑ים H430 Noun - masculine plural with skill בְּחָכְמָ֛ה H2451 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular ability וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה H8394 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular and knowledge וּבְדַ֖עַת H1847 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular in all kinds וּבְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of craftsmanship מְלָאכָֽה׃ H4399 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

to design לַחְשֹׁ֖ב H2803 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct artistic מַחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת H4284 Noun - feminine plural works לַעֲשׂ֛וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct in gold בַּזָּהָ֥ב H2091 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular silver וּבַכֶּ֖סֶף H3701 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and bronze וּבַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃ H5178 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 5

Original words

to cut וּבַחֲרֹ֥שֶׁת H2799 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct gemstones אֶ֛בֶן H68 Noun - feminine singular for settings לְמַלֹּ֖את H4390 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct and to carve וּבַחֲרֹ֣שֶׁת H2799 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct wood עֵ֑ץ H6086 Noun - masculine singular so that he may be a master לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct of every בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct craft מְלָאכָֽה׃ H4399 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Moreover, I וַאֲנִ֞י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular . . . הִנֵּ֧ה H2009 Interjection have selected נָתַ֣תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Oholiab אָהֳלִיאָ֞ב H171 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Ahisamach אֲחִֽיסָמָךְ֙ H294 Noun - proper - masculine singular of the tribe לְמַטֵּה־ H4294 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Dan דָ֔ן H1835 Noun - proper - masculine singular as his assistant אִתּ֗וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular - אֵ֣ת H853 Direct object marker I have also given נָתַ֣תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular skill חָכְמָ֑ה H2451 Noun - feminine singular to all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the craftsmen חֲכַם־ H2450 Adjective - masculine singular construct . . . לֵ֖ב H3820 Noun - masculine singular . . . וּבְלֵ֥ב H3820 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct that they may fashion וְעָשׂ֕וּ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have commanded you צִוִּיתִֽךָ׃ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

- אֵ֣ת׀ H853 Direct object marker the Tent אֹ֣הֶל H168 Noun - masculine singular construct of Meeting מוֹעֵ֗ד H4150 Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the ark הָֽאָרֹן֙ H727 Article | Noun - common singular of the Testimony לָֽעֵדֻ֔ת H5715 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the mercy seat הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶת H3727 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative upon it עָלָ֑יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular - וְאֵ֖ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the other furnishings כְּלֵ֥י H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct of the tent הָאֹֽהֶל׃ H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • That is, the ark of the covenant
Verse 8

Original words

- וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the table הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ H7979 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker with its utensils כֵּלָ֔יו H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the pure הַטְּהֹרָ֖ה H2889 Article | Adjective - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker gold lampstand הַמְּנֹרָ֥ה H4501 Article | Noun - feminine singular with all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its utensils כֵּלֶ֑יהָ H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular - וְאֵ֖ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the altar מִזְבַּ֥ח H4196 Noun - masculine singular construct of incense הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ H7004 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

- וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the altar מִזְבַּ֥ח H4196 Noun - masculine singular construct of burnt offering הָעֹלָ֖ה H5930 Article | Noun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker with all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its utensils כֵּלָ֑יו H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the basin הַכִּיּ֖וֹר H3595 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker with its stand כַּנּֽוֹ׃ H3653 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

as well as וְאֵ֖ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the woven הַשְּׂרָ֑ד H8278 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker garments בִּגְדֵ֣י H899 Noun - masculine plural construct both the holy הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ H6944 Article | Noun - masculine singular garments בִּגְדֵ֤י H899 Noun - masculine plural construct for Aaron לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן H175 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular the priest הַכֹּהֵ֔ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and the garments בִּגְדֵ֥י H899 Noun - masculine plural construct for his sons בָנָ֖יו H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular to serve as priests לְכַהֵֽן׃ H3547 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Verse 11

Original words

in addition to וְאֵ֨ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the anointing הַמִּשְׁחָ֛ה H4888 Article | Noun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker oil שֶׁ֧מֶן H8081 Noun - masculine singular construct and fragrant הַסַּמִּ֖ים H5561 Article | Noun - masculine plural incense קְטֹ֥רֶת H7004 Noun - feminine singular construct for the Holy Place לַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ H6944 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular They are to make them יַעֲשֽׂוּ׃פ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural according to all כְּכֹ֥ל H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I have commanded you צִוִּיתִ֖ךָ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.