31ST CHAPTER

The Craftsmen for the Tent—Exodus 35:30–35

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “I have chosen Bezalel, son of Uri and grandson of Hur, from the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, making him highly skilled, resourceful, and knowledgeable in all trades. 4 He’s a master artist familiar with gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He knows how to cut and set stones and how to work with wood. He’s an expert in all trades. 6 Also, I have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to help him. I have given every craftsman the skill necessary to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark containing the words of my promise with the throne of mercy on it, and all the ⸤other⸥ furnishings for the tent, 8 the table and the dishes, the pure ⸤gold⸥ lamp stand and all its utensils, the altar for incense, 9 the altar for burnt offerings and all its accessories, the basin with its stand, 10 the special clothes—the holy clothes for the priest Aaron and the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 the anointing oil, and the sweet-smelling incense for the holy place. They will make all these things as I commanded you.” 

The Sign between the Lord and His People

12 The Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘Be sure to observe my days of rest as holy days. This will be a sign between me and you for generations to come so that you will know that I am the Lord who makes you holy. 

14 “ ‘Observe the day of rest because it is holy to you. Whoever treats it like any other day must be put to death. Whoever works on that day must be excluded from the people. 15 You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a day of rest—a holy day, a day when you don’t work. It is holy to the Lord. Whoever works on that day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites must observe this day of rest—a holy day, celebrating it for generations to come as a permanent reminder of my promise.b 17 It will be a permanent sign between me and the Israelites, because the Lord made heaven and earth in six days, and on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.’ ” 

18 The Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then he gave him the two tablets with his words on them, stone tablets inscribed by God himself.